The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1881-07-16

conserve the interests OF Civil service:
Reform. But political religion has gen.
orally strong flavor OF cant, and we
regret to say that our President and h
friends too often suggest this KIND OF
adulterated piety. The President drops
so often into poetry and moral and
philosophical speculation that he seems
to confuse history. Is the report OF the
Poland Committee dream, or does 1t
really exist on the records of Congress-
Were the DeGolyer fee and the Credit
Mobilier id inventions or boyish o.
lenses long ago repented OFF These
questions are perpetually suggested
when we read Mr.. Garfield's remarks
on certain interesting occasions.
John Sherman is not quite so devouf
in tone as his former associate, but he
frequently deals in outbursts OF moral
enthusiasm calculated to keep him IN
good stand ng with people who are very
religious but not very reflective. AT
the Ohio State Convention he lectured
finely on party purity, and, although he
refrained from naming Conklipg, he
threw his brand at him by denounclng
all bosses and leaders who assume
to dictate. There is not a more cold
biooded, selfish partisan in the country
than the said Sherman, nor one more
capable of every trick and device to
forward his particular interests. but
when he mounts his high moral ideas
he becomes the picture of o serene
Christian statesman This is the man
who went South and helped to concoct
evidence to effect the Electoral fraud OF
1876, who has never a fair nor just
word to say of the Southern people or
the Democratic party, and who did not
hesitate to use all the inauence OF his
department and to misrepresent the
facts of resumption for his personal
honor in order that he might strengthen
his chances for a Presidential nomi-
nation at Chicago. We do not mean to
say that both OF these men are pure,
unmitigated hypocrites, but we do
mean to say that there is vivid
and derisive comparison between their
uttered sentiments and the facts OF
their public records. But they are ex-
ceedingiy shrewd. They know how
extensively men are influenced in the
West by religious connections and
ideas, and they utilize this knowledge
to maintain and extend their political
regulations. Thus Sherman sees at a
glance that popular sympathy is with
the President in the fight with the New
York Senators, and in his speech to the
Convention. he takes sides strongly
against the latter. He was furious with
Garfields action at Chicago. He felt
then and probably believes still that he
was euchred out of his chances for NOM
ination by his deeper and more astute
colleague, but now that Garfield
is President he proposes to keep
on the side of success; SO he goes for
Conkling with an air of virtuous
indignation that is highly edifying and
entertaining. In one aspect of the
matter this mixing of morals and re-
ligion with politics is favorable sign,
because it shows that the general senti-
ment of the country is on the side OF
these mainstays of society. The only
thing to regret is that it sometimes ex-
cites a violent and vivid contrast be-
tween the prof sssions of our statesmen
and their official and personal records.
Conkling evidently made a mistake
when he neglected to cultivate more
deyout and Christian air. He is too
naughty, too satirical and too over
bearing. Mere talent will not do in
New York any more than in Ohio.
There must also be flavor of religious
responsibility or else confidence cannot
be maintained. In ignoring this factor
in political career, Mr.. Conkling has
sadly imperiled his chances of success.
st. Louis Republican.