, 1881-07-03

AeplUilE i!aS plQuulttu.
AcT1NG-PREsIDEuF ARTHUR.
Vice-Presllent Arthur may BECOME Presl-
dent. under the Constitution, through the as
sasination Of Gen. Garfield, and thus illustrate
again how much the importance Of the Vice
Presidency. even in the sense Of possi-
bility, is underrated ny political parties and
by tile people generally. We do not suppose
there is a man in the land who would have
suggested the. nropriety Or fitness Of Ar.
Arthur for the Presidential office, or who
believes that if nominated for that office, lie
could have been elected. Yet he was selected
for the Kice-Presidency BY a conv ention the
majority Of whose members had most de-
tertulnedly refused to nominate another man,
and one Of eminent abilities. presented BY
the minority, of whom Mr.. Arthur was by
no means a conspicuous member
If anything could add to the universal
grief of the American people over the at
tempted assassination Of President Garfield,
the anticipation Of three and . half weary
years. government under Mr. Arthur, and
all which that implies, will be by the American
people generally accepted as pending Ma
tional calamity Of: the utmost magnitude.
Last year the people Of the United States
elected Gen. Garfield President; Arthur was
never voted for nor regarded with reference
to his becoming President and the country
will now learn OF lis probable succession to
tho office with shudder OF apprehension.
IT Gen. Garfield dies the VicePresident
will enter upon his high duties with two
distinct, broad, but widely divergent paths
before him, and his own personal success as
the National Executive will be determined
by the choice he shall make:
Gen. Arthur is known to the American
people principally by his service in the New
York Custom House, and while the mere
holding OF that 0ffice would not Of itself give
him National reputation, the efforts by the
late Administration Of President Hayes to re-
move him, and the laborious and for /. time
successful efforts OF Senator Conkling to de-
feat his removal, made the country familiar
with his name, and advertised him as a con-.
spicuous supporter of the New York Sena-
tor: 1t was because Of this fact, and Of tho
belief that his election would placate the i'm
perious, reyengeful Conkllng, that he was
nominated for Vice-President at the Chicago
Convention. The resignation Of Conkltng OH
the ground that the President exercised the
right Of nominating Collector OF Customs
in New York, without first obtaining his ap-'
proval, and the daily attendance Of Arthur
at Albany lobbying to have Conkling re-
elected, have given to the country the strong
impression that the Vice-President is not
merely personal fHond, and under personal
obligations to the Senator, but that lie is also
q believer in Oonkllng's spoils system Of MA
chine politics, which has SO debauched New
York politics as to make them reproacl and
a disgrace Of the most offensive character.
President Gartield and Vlce-Presfdent Ar
thur, though elected at the same time aud BY
the same votes, represent two distinct sys-
TENS Of political policy and two distinct sys~
TENS Of political morality: o.,
Gen. Garfield was elected President be-
cause of his eminent ability, Of his great ex-'
perience, Of his wel1-known record on all
public questions, and because Of his clear
convictions and purposes as to the duties Of
the President III the administration of the
Government.
Though but four months in Office, he had
so administered National affairs that he had
won the confidence of the whole American
people, South rs well as North, Democrats
as we'll as Republicans, and with tho axcet-
tion of q small faction Of professional spolls-
men, in New York, of which Messrs. Arthur
and ConkliaE we're the controlling members,
the policies of the President met with uni
versal approval and support.
He was the President that the people had
elected, and it was the policies he had marked.
out, aud the political morality which he
praeticed, that had won the support and con.
tidcnce of the Nation.
' President Arthur, il Garfield dies, will
have to choose at once between adopts
Ing and CARRYING out IN good faith the
policies of President Garfield and his
Administration and that Of setting these
policies aside. and 1evolationiztng the Goys
ernment by adopting the Conkling sys7
TEN of New Ydrk politics and. degrading the
Government toj the level OF the spolls*grao-
bling machine He viii have tt9 c}lo{qss be.
tween adoptlngSan exscutmg fresidentGa
fields coue Of political p,qfaITty and that Of
the New ! York cadet practiced by tbe faetlon:
whose most abiding principle is that 7 tha Gov.
ernmegts aTst and dlhighest duty is to AiStFio=' )
ute places Of nowfer and profit So asto con- 4
troll popular elections and pe1pftuaaeS scor-
rupdon in Office, -
NNAtT H}1TA4