Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-07-05
TIE POLITICAL coNrINGEEoY.

that the attempt to assassinate the Presl-
dent was the unaided crime of one man.
But while it is relief to know that the
spirit of faction cannot be held directly re-
sponsible for the black deed, it is none the
less fact that the death of the President
at this time must produce precisely the
same effects as if it had been the result OF
conspiracy. 1t has happened. by reason OF
the unwise compromise which put Arthur
upon the Presidential ticket, that the Adj
ministration has been divided from the be-
ginning The Vice-President, failing alto
gether to appreciate the responsibilities and
the duties of his high Office, has conducted
himself as though he recognized Conkling
alone as his chief, and as though he owed
nothing to the Government of which he
was part. Never before in the history
of the United States has the spectacle been
presented of the Vice-President openly
taking sides against the President and en-
ploying himself publicly apersistent effort
| TO break down and humiliate his own Gov
| ernment, in the interest of man who had
proclaimed himself the bitter enemy of the
President. The inevitable consequence of
this irdecent and unprecedented course of
the Vice. President has been to put him in
the position Of personal foe of the policy OF
the Administration, and as that policy is
approved and Endorsed by nineteen,twen-
tieths of the Republican party, and opposed
only by small faction of unserupulous
spoils hunters, it follows that Vice-Presi
dent Arthur no more represents the
Republican party than Democrat would
| do
What he does represent is that vicious
and dangerous element which the party has
been trying to get rid OF for years The
element which clustered so thickly about
Grant that it dragged his second term
down into the mire, and so disguised the
masses of the party that they were on the
point of abandoning it to its fate when
Hayes was nominated. The death of
President Garfield now must bring that
element to the front again, undo all that
has been done towards eliminating it, and,
which is worst of all, make tle Repubh-
can party responsible for an Administration
which it never would have chosen had this
contingency been before it. 1t has been
said, and said truly, that the death OF Gar
field would make Conklng President.
That means the resurrection of Grantism,
and the apotheosis of. the spoils system.
1t is true that General Garfield has not
during the four months of his admnistra-
ton satisfied the expectations OF the
friends of reform. 1t seemed to them that
he was too much inclined to yield to
"pressure" That he had not the courage
of his convictions. That he was tending
to compromises with the spoilsmen which
must work mischief. Bat with all his
weakness and imprudence he was still
the one hope of the better element of the
party, and he had already drawn upon him.
self the bitter relentless hostility of the
worst element.
His death, no matter how brought about,
must result in the triumph Of these
bad elements, There is nothing to expect
from a man of Arthurs caliber but a
continuation Of the course he has hitherto
pursued. He could not chaDge if he
would and he would not if he could.
! The men with whom he has affiliated
would compel him to carry into effect the
policy for which they have been contending
SO long, and there would be no counter
acting influence sufficiently powerful to
prevent this. We must, therefore, realize
fully that the death OF President Car
field viii put the government in the
hands of those who have been fighting
every attempt at reform, and every effort
to uuearth and punish corruption.
Under Arther as President the old Grant
system of Senatorial Satrapies would ma.
turally be revived. Conkling and Logan
and Cameron would resume their former
influence. The spoil system would be re-
established more boldly than ever.
The machine" would be triumphant,
and all prospect Of purer government
pass away. This is what threatens
the country, and what intensifes the gloom
which has been spread over the nation by
the atrocious act of the miserable assassin
Guitteau.
As to the suggestion that the circum-
stance of his succession might somehow
transform Arthur into a different man, and
that Conkling's inherent modesty and deli
cacy would prevent him from taking ad.
vantage OF his opportunities, nothing could
be less rational or more inn probable. If a
gang of burglars were working away to
effect an entrance to bank vault, and an
earthquake should suddenly come to their
assistance and throw down the walls, it is
not likely that they would be so impressed
with the phenomenon as to relinquish the
plumber which was thus placed directly
within their grasp. 1t is not likely that
/ %AIthuA tLR NpA+hliAl5 tuAl ltsltdLC W
avail themselves of the circumstances which
have put power within their reach. Their
most familiar friends-the only people
whose opinions they regard at all-would
laugh TO scorn any such notions Of deli
cacy.. But they will need no inducements
to the undertaking. The path viii have been
cleared for them, and that is all that they
will consider important.
What the Republican party is to do
under such a sudden and calamitous change
of front remains to be seen. Certainly it
cannot be believed that those who from one
end Of the country to the other have de-
nounced and condemned Conkling's and
Arthurs course in the past, will turn
round and approve the same course in the
future. It seems quite possible that the
succession of Arthur to the Presidency
would compel reorganization OF parties,
and that the reform element would be in
measure forced to separate themselves out
from the ''machine, and carry on their
warfare against corruption and the spells