National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-05-19
Can the Legislature be Bought ?

1t now becomes an important question
as to whether or not the Federal patron
age can debauch the Legislature of State.
With a progress as uninterrupted and as
remOrseless as the car of Juggernaut, the
engine of Executive power has marched
over precedents, decency, and law to the
confirmation of its crafty and supple in
strument as collector at New York. The
Senators from New York, unable to check
the outrage, refused to witness it, and re-
quested the Legislature of the State to
decide between them and the President
not by their own reelection but by the
election of whoever might be deemed
most worthy to represent the State The
Legislature is in session. The emissaries
of the President are on the ground, and
to the eager correspondent at Albany of
the New York Tribune they give most
useful information. The Albany dispatch
in yesterdays Tribune contains the fol-
lowing most instructive language:
The attitude of the Legislature toward them now
is vastly different from what it was in January
last Then the designs of the national admins
that they might have all the Federal patronage.
and with the patronage il was well known they
could absolutely control the course of State politics
for years to come Those ambitious of political
honOTS did not dare TO run counter TO their wishes
then, but the limit of their power is now known:
the policy of the administration is revealed and
with its revelation there has come courage to take
an Independent position party questions.
From which it appears that this know
ing fellow has heard of wonders to be
performed with patronage. True, Mr..
Platt was elected in spite Of the shrieks
of Whitelaw Reid that Garfield wanted
an anti-Conkling man, and that when the
official cake and ale were passed around
no friend of Conkling would be served :;
but this Outspoken disciple of the polit-
ical New Jerusalem, who knows what is
going on and does not know enough not
to tell it, declares that since "the policy
of the administration is revealed -" there
has come courage to take an independent
position on party questions" The
rogue means by that that since it
has been proven that the President
will Use offices to serve his personal
serving those purposes. In short.
"Who1l buy?' being ascertained,
who'll sell ?" will soon appear. Fore
warned is forearmed. There cannot be
a man in the New York Legislature so
lost to decency or so impatient for de-
st ruction as to be in the inventory of the
, Iribu2e's Albany correspondent. No!
SThe men who can be bribed by the ad-
Hninistration have not been on the same
side with Conkling. There will be no
traitors. The State is herself a candi-
date for the Senate. There is no man in
the State Of New York, of whatever party,
who will not feel burning sense Of III
dignation at the thought that the New
York Tribune believes the President can
corrupt the Legislature into electing
slaves of his instead of representative
men fer the State.
The independent position on party
questions" to which allusion is made in
the above extract, is explained by the
same writer at the close Of his letter. He
says: The Garfield men still avow their
intention of not attending the Republi-
can caucus. There is every likelihood of
their persisting il their determination
and bringing about deadlock" "The
Garfield men" will, of course, do what
Garfield directs. If they so out of the
Republican organization, to what party
viii the administration then belong ?
Because the President cannot drive the
StaIwarts out of the party, will he go out
himself? We shall see,