Litchfield enquirer., 1881-07-07

TIE WOE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATRs.-The American people are certainly not over. fastidiOus with regard to the etiquette of official dignity. But we are sure scarcely one American citizen in million will dsa- gree with us when we say that the part ta ken by Vice. President Arthur in the Senate. rial contest at Albany is an offence against the decencies of high public station. Mr. Arthur is not a man of those positive qualities which are apt to call forth strong an. tagonisms. We do not think he has many enemies. Probably everybody wishes him well. But if he could hear the remarks made on the streets, in business places, on the railroads, in parlors. in fact everywhere. about his conduct during the last three weeks, he would become aware that he has provoked q general feeling very much akin to indigna- tion, and that feeling is growing every day in intensity.
 A private citizen in this country has the inalienable right to follow his own notions of propriety, and even to make himself con- temptable and ridiculous, if that suits his taste, provided he remains within the law But when the ice-President of the United States by his conduct degrades the high office to which the people have elected him, it is matter of public concern, and the people feel and resent it.
 Differences of opinion, and even conflict ing ambitions, between Presidents and Vice. Presidents of the United States have now and then occurred in our history. Although such disagreements may have been regretted, they gave no public offence as they did not degen- crate into demonstrations of rancor and sys- tematic hostility. But now we see for the first time the Vice President openly arraying himself against the chief magistrate of the country in quarrel about Custom House, quarrel in which the constitutional powers of the executive are attacked. We find him and active partisan on the side of a faction which has been and is now assaiing the Pres ident with the most venomous personalities, and threatens to pursue him to the end of his official life with bitter opposition.
 And more than that. In this fight" Vice. President Arthur has without disguise, and apparently without hesitation. lowered him. self to the rank of MT. Conkling's ''lieuten- ant" As such he is spoken of by every newspaper in the c)untry, and as such he is under the orders of his ''chief"-aud that chief not the President. but the Presdent's btterest enemy-doing what Mr. Conkling himself called ''the dirty work of a ward , politician" There are things which, in a public life not devoid of all decency. should be impossible. And this is one of them. An unfortunate accident may put the Vice Presi- dent at the head of the government. And we may assure Mr. Arthur that the people are contemplating with shame and dismay the possibility of Mir. Conkling's errand boy be. coming President of the United States.
 We may assure him also that what we say here is prompted by feeling of sencere regret rather than personal unkindness, and that he can hear the same things from his own friends, except perhaps some selfish politicians or sycophants who care more for his services or his smiles than for his personal or official hon or lie should understand that, even if the cause he serves were better than it is, there is one place where at present he cannot be seen without dsgracing himself. and that place is Albany.