The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1881-04-07
Spec men SANDERS of the Sc-called Inde-
pendent Press.


pendent Press
President Garfield has been assailed Of
late, front and rear, with hostile criticisms,
based, however, on the grossest misrepre-
sensations. The professional lying of
the Bourbon organ and the misrepresen-
tation of the quasi independent journal"
says the Boston journal, are Illustrated
by the following versions of a transaction
respecting the appointment of a postmas-
ter at Richmond, Va
Garfield has removed Miss Elizabeth Van Lew,
a mon lady who lost her property in her devotion
to the | Mon cause from the Post Office at Rich
mond to make place for a Malone repuGiatisn-
ist Portland Argus
The liberation OF the South from Bourbon rule
Of which the organs pirate enthusiastically. be
gins by the dismissal of Miss Van Lew, one of the
few loyal women Of the South during the war,
from the Richmond Post Office, and the appoint
mcnt OF an ex Confederate Democratic Repudia,
zionist. philadelphia Times
\ Reputation Democrat has been made Collector
at Alexandra, a., and another, Postmaster at
Richmond The last appointment displaces Miss
Van Lew. whose services to Union soldiers III
Richmond duIlng the mperled her lite and
gave her national reputation. These are not
things to add to the reputation OF any party. and
in the long run they cannot help the Republicans.
springfield Republican,.
OF the Argus nothing better could be
expected than malignant mislepresenta-
ton, but one would suppose that such
heretofore reputable journals as the Phil
adelphia Times and Springfield Republic
can would at least be sure Of their facts
before indulgingin hostile criticism. Now
the truth OF the matter is that Miss Van
Lew has not been Postmisuess of Rich
mond for four years having been dis
placed by President Hayes at the eXpira-
ton OF her term in March l>77. Nor did
President Gartield'appoint either a Ma
hone Repudiationist' or IAN eN-COnfed
crate Democratic Repudationist" He
reappointed DR.. Gilmer, a Union man
throughout the war, and a faithful and
active native Nirginlan Republican. who
i'll State matters has taken sides with the
readjusters. So that the Springfield Re
publican and Philadelphia Times must
confess to an ignorance objectionable in
such opponents public opinion or stand
convicted OF malicously slandering the
President. They ought not to feel very
comfortable on either horn of their d.
lemma.
Another case in point is the appoint
ment of Judge Robertson to the collector
ship Of New York. 1t has been said that
this appointment was dictated by Sec
rotary Blaine: that it was intended as a
slap at Senator Conkling: and much more
to the same effect, though we have no
where seen Judge Robertson's qualitica-
The true history Of this appointment is
as follows
Washington despatch to the New Y ork Times
says that the nomination Of Robertson was made
by the President without consultation with any OF
his constitutional advisers; that he regarded Rob
ertsOn Us competent man and he desired to rec
ognize that element of the Republican party in
New York Of which Judge Robertson was prom
inent representative. The President does not be
lleye that it was required by any rule of courtesy
or practice relating to the selection Of federal Off
GERS to consult the New York Senators in refer
to that particular appointment There is
good ground, also for stating that Secretary Blaine
declines any responsibility for Robertson appoint
ment He has no special interest as to who shall
be collector at New \ Ork, for the reason that he
is determined never again to be a candidate for
the presidency and therefore does not as has been
alleged entertain desire to have any particular
person appointed to office, because of services
rendered in the past or from any expectation for
services in the future calculated to promote his
political interests.
President Garfield has been under fire
too often both in field and forum to be
in the least dismayed by paper pellets or
windy rhetoric, and neither will cause
him to swerve in the least from the strict
line of duty. The ISLANDERS with which
he has been assailed will recoil upon the
heads of their authors, and they are only
worthy of notice now as showing to what
lengths partisan malice will carry jour
nalists who have heretofore had some
claim 10 public confidence.
Anti Republican busy bodies are anus
ing themselves, but boring the public,
with rumors Of Cabinet dissensions. with
conjeCtural views of Senator Combines
attitude toward the new administration
and with caviling at the Presidential APP
pointments. This sort of stuff does not
merit serious consideration. The presi-
dent, the Cabinet and Senator Conklng
are all able to take care Of themselves,
and the former to administer the Govern
ment acceptably to the great mass of the
people. 1t was neither expected, nor is
it desirable that President Garfield should
revolutionize everything before he has
been month in office; and the Pres-
dent, or the newspaper, which can please
everybody must be included among I'M
attainable things
"Through the prose reality of every
day life as seen in the newspaper" says
a writer in Education, ''there shines the
great purpose of history"
The Boston Herald and Traveller are having an
alteration in which very reasonable language is
used And yet they are very poplar papers