The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1881-07-27
LETTERS OF A VOYAGER
ON MATTERS AND THINGS AS
THEY COME.
LITTER VI.
JEW YORK sExAroRs-A SPECULATION

lame anu IElDUbcub COuCiuSHOh4 4 HS
Empire State" Is no longer imperial
on the Senate floor. Whatever of re-
pulsiveness there may have been in the
hauteur of Milford Roscoe, he was un-
questiOnabiy faciIe 3'rinceps of the Re
publican Senatorial force. While the
ha6itues of the galleries will look In vain
for the Hyperion curls, the classic face
and posing figure of the late departed,
his quondam political followers on the
floor will no less miss the "look" that
"drew audience" and the eloquent
words of command that usually fell up
on their ears with all the force of
chieftain's orders. But, if l may in
dulge in a little political speculation
and philOsophIzing, what means TINS
sudden "unanimOus" embrace of the
two warning factions ? How happeneo
it that the ''gallant Spartan band"-as
Roscoe entities his loyal party-elght
stalwarts, who "stoOd on their honor or
their death, at noon, had, before the
sun had set on Albany's heights, re-
nounced their own cOlors and saluted
the "Half-breed" standard? Can the
world believe this patriotic surrender!
That the fierce spirit of Conkling was
subducd in an hour, or that his trained
and banded miniOns, in a spasm Of eth
er virtue or venalIty, surrendered them
selves in bevy to the enemy, without
assured compensation to their lord and
masterG Let those think it who may.
With the limited lights at hand, l will
venture prediction, based, of course,
upon contingencies which may not hap
pen: New York holds her elections be-
fore the meeting of the next Congress,
to which Lapham is already elected as
member of the House. Should it
turn out that the Republicans shall
have secured a joint majority in the
next Legislature, mark you, if Lapham
does not decline the Senatorship, hold
on to his seat In the House and permit
Conkling to be returned to his place in
the Senate A present triumph for the
"Half-breeds," an ultimate victory for
the "stalwarts," and, meanwhile "hGr-
mOny ~ in the partyp COnkling' s
very mi1d address to his Spartan braves
is forcibly suggestive Of just such an
arrangement. One of the chief "stal-
wart" objections to Miller and Lapham,
az Senators, was, that being already
memhe"e &c CnnGress, their transfer to
the Senate would endanger the Repub-
lican majority in the House. This will
afford Lapham ready opportunity for
heroic action next fall-self- sacrifice for
the safety of the party Let's wait and
see
ANXIOUS ABOUT THE PRESIDENT.
But more disturbing item of news
to-day than that from Albany, is the
reported relapse of the President. In
spite of the pleasantly and hopefully
phrased bulletins of the physicians, the
public mind has never yet felt suffici-
emily assured to be at ease regarding
his recovery. Though it is always ma
tural to accept pleasant news without
allowance, there has seemed, in the case
of President Garfield, a widespread
feeling of apprehension that his attend
ing surgeons had uncOnsciously yielded
to that noble infirmity which delights
in making pleasing Impressions, at the
expense of unWelcome truths. Besides,
the dread of what is to follow, in case
of death, has no doubt contributed to
the intensity of the general desire for
the Presidents recovery. The accession
of Arthur and his crew to power would
be calamity immeasuTable--a national
humiliation without precedent. We
should then have Grantism and COnk-
lingism and Bradyism and DOrseyism
and Tom Murphyism in ali their lowest
and worst phases. From such a fate
may the good Lord deliver this country,
by restoring President Garfield to health
and official activity.
AS To ANOTHER NATTER.
BY the way, while on this subject, let
me remark, at the risk of being called
cynical-as I'm sure l am not-that
while there has never been witnessed in
any country more universal manifes-
tation of genuine sympathy and sorrow,
coupled with patriotic indignation, than
that displayed over the assault upon
President Garfield, it is also true that
prOpriety has been shocked by dem
onstration that would hardly have Oc-
Cured in any other enlightened coun-
try than this l allude to the Ostenta-
tious parade of the effort to raise a quar-
ter or half million dollars for Mrs. Gar
field, "tO be paid In the event of her
husbands death" Now, 1t wonld
please me TO know that Mrs. Garfield, or
any other good woman, had even
million of dollars, and could l believe
that the movement in question had its
origin in a diSinterested, philanthropic
not a word could / say per
contra, however much might question
the good taste of the proceeding. But
is this the sort of charity Tor Love, ac-
cording to the New Reyisionl that
''Vaunteth not itself, is not pulled mp
doth not behave itself unsee;nly, seek
eth not its own ?" Does It not rather
smack of that modern "gilded age,
known as the Grant era of ''gift-tak-
ing ?" Did anybody hear of this pro-
posed benefactiOu until after it was al
most positively announced, by author
ity, that the President would recover
Then cape Shoddy to the rescue, and
FOadyism and SnO bbery embraced the
happy opportunity. That either Presi- |
dent or Mrs. Gal field look with any ia
Vor upon this effort, can not be conceiV-
ed. Mrs. Garfield has shown herself to
be brave'hearted, noble Woman--a
owing, devoted wife. For this she de
serves and receives all honor. But |
America holds many. many thousands |
Just such wOmen-just such wives, all |
H., ~ 81 in he All