Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-07-12
The Contrast.

baltimore American (Republ1canl1
Amid the pain, anxiety and suspense
in which fifty millions of Americans
await the issue Of lifo and death, in the
person Of their beloved Chief Magistrate,
there are some consoling circumstances.
One OF these is the spontaneous out
burst OF warm and loyal feeling that
comes from all parts of the South. The
news that an assassin had struck down
the Pres1dent-an assassin who, in the
presence OF his victim, proclaimed him
self "a stalwart," !" called his bloody deed
"a political necessity" and said 'sNow
Arthur Is President"- out from all
parts OF the South simultaneously cry
OF grief and wrath, coupled with utter
ances OF deepest sympathy with the
PRESIDENT and his anguish-stricken fam
i!y. Meetings were held in Charleston,
New Orleans, Atlanta, Augusta, Savan-
nah, Louisville, Nashville, Richmond,
Lynchburg, Charlottesville, Raleigh
ana other places, more or less informal
~, which gave voice to sentiments as
profoundly and sincerely patriotic as
any that came from the Presidents own
State, or any other part of the North
This lmpulsive feeling, that did not
pause for moment to consider or calcu-
late, uttered. as it was, in all parts of
that South that voted solidly against
Garfield. seems. perhaps, the more sim
cero on that account. 1t shows that
there is feeling among our Southern
fellow citizens that, however warmly q
minority may oppose q candidate, when
once be is elected he becomes not the
President of the majority merely, but of
All the people. and South Carolina and |
Virginia feel the blow to have been |
aimed at them as much as at Ohio and |
Massachusetts,; and 1t may help to
soOthe the pain of the illustriOus suffer- |
er to feel that his wound has called forth |
such evidences of loyalty and love from
that part of our land where he had least |
reason to expect it.
To turn from this picture to that of the /
stalwarts shocks one with q sense of
painful contrast. The chief of the stall
warts--he whose bidding they all obey
and for whose initiative they all wait
Roscoe Conkling, has maintained q
cold and cynical silence. Not word,
not friendly message to the President
or to any member of his household, has
shown that he regrets the fearful calam.
ity that has Defallen the nation in the
person of "that man from Ohio. Mr..
Conkling has enjoyed opportunities for
those kindly courtesies of life
that go by the name of good breeding,
still more should he be versed in the
high official intercourse which demands
3 gentle dignity beyond mere urbanity-
yet he sends not word to the SORROW
ing wife and weeping children to quiet
The narrowing thought that he is eager
" waiting the death of the President.
He who is to be the beneficiary of the
Presidents death, should he die-Which
Heaven forbid-has not the grace to
send one word of kindly feeling to show
that his naughty hate succumbs to the
presence of death.
This Is not forgetfulness; not care
less omission of social duty. It is a
hatred of the same relentless kind that ,
nerved the arm of the assassin who de-
livered the lbl0w. He will not make
any concession or bend in the least from
his arrogant pretensions, or even conde-
scend to mask his defiant temper with
The seeming of q generous pity for an
adversary who has been shot In the back
by skulking foe. He prefers to await
in silence the death of the President
that he may step into his place-for of
course his creature, Arthur, will still be
. mere puppet in his hands-to step in I
10 the vacant presidency, without even
himsef by formal expires
sion of regret at the death of the large
hearted, large-souled Garfield. Some
time ago it was said that Roscoe Conk-
ling had lost his head, now he seems to /,
have lost the last trace of manhood.