Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-03-26
HOW GARFIELD GETS on
What Don COmeron Predicts the
Outcome will be-A President
Utterly Uncertain and Morally
waak

NY. suns Washington Letter.
Don Cameron is reported to have
said that Gartiuld's g administration would
be worse than Hayes, because, while
Hayes was stupidity obstinate, Garfield
is utterly uncertain, and that no reli-
ance can be placed in him.
The President showed the vice OF his
character in all the preliminaries to his
Inauguration. There is no longer doubt
that both sides 10 the internal struggle
of the party were equally sure
of a preponderance in his administra.
ton. The victors and the van
ouished OF Chicago were alike GER
tain OF the spOils of office which were
secured by the bargain that brought the
stalwart reserves into action, and there
by carried Ohio and Indiana. The
treaty Of Mentor was not a myth, and 1t
is clear that for brief period after Mr..
Conkling's visit to Garfield at his home,
he and his friends were satisfied that 1t
would be faithfully performed. On the
contrary, before he accepted the State
Department Mr.. Blaine was assured
that the makeup Of the Administration
would be in complete harmony with
that first choice. Yet when Garfield ar
rived in Washington he had determined
upon lust two appointments-the Secre-
tary OF State and the Attorney General.
Tho rest were scrambled for, and deter
mined by impressions on the Presidents .
mind, which were executed only be-
cause there was no time left for further
changes.
The situation in regard to subordi-
nate appointments is now about the
same a. il was in regard TO the Cabinet
up TO the last moment OF available time.
The President is In al agony OF indeci'
sion not merely concerning the princi-
pie or policy upon which they are to be
made. but concerning the men to be se-
lected and the severa! groups OF contend
ing leaders to be gratifed or disappoint-
ed. lie grasps every pretext for post
ponement, and meanwhile, with his i'm
pressible and responsive disposition,
eyerv one who COMES in contact With
him goes away sure that he, at least,
will have no occasion TO complain. The
final result will be q host OF sOrehCads
greater than any previous Administers
ton ever created, complaining that th'
were not only denied, but deluded.
Garheld's hesitation about calling an
extra session OF Congress is another H.
lustrstion in point. He thinks he will
call il, and then ne thinks he won't. He
is beset on all sides and on all sides he
presents an agreeable and asserting
cOuntenance. The extreme Republi'
cans, who fillibustered away the time
of the last sessio1, are eager for the ex'
ira session, in order that they may or
vanixs the committees. set the outrage
mills a going, and find pretexts for dis.
iranchiSing a great number OF Southern
constituencies. In his heart Garfield
dreads and detests this scheme OF par
tizsn deyiltry. lie never had any faith
IN il or sympathy with it in the days oil
military government and carpet. .baggery,
and he is fully alive to the fact that We
are past the time when it can bring TO
the party which deliberately adopts II
anything but discredit and defeat. Yet
he is quite as undecided as II he
had never formed an opinion on the
subject. He is 8 man OF rolling periods
and halting action. AS in the case OF
polygamy, he is always talking about
stamping out" something, and never
stamps at all He is perpetusliy raising
his big foot. and then putting il down
again in the same place. This is an ex-
erclse which may be very edifying for q
while; il may be pronounced the height
OF prudeace by the crowd of expectants
which surrounds = nev President, and
who would even applaud him in the
last stages Of 81. Yitus' dance, vet in the
course Of time It will cease to be enter
tanning There will be no stamping
out" OF anything under this Admins.
tration. The moral weakness OF Gar
field will infect aud debilita.e it
throughout.