Daily Republican., 1881-10-14
Bayara's Blunder.

ibis has been year OF Dluhuciihk
for the Democratic party, and every
succeeding blunder seems to be worse
than the preceding one. But Of all the
blunders that of Mr.. Bayard on Mon
day last was the most fatal, and reflect.
more discredt upon himself thar
upon his party. A great many OF the
leading men of the country, not Of Mr.
Bayard's party, had acquitted him Of
any small, petty ambitions, but they
have now found that they were toe
hasty in Judgment. Fearful that we
may Re accused of doing the distin-
guished Senator injustice, and that we
have personal feelings against Mr..
Bayard we give the language of the
Philadelphia North American, the old
eat, one of the ablest and most conserv-
ative paper in the country. That pa
per in referring to Mr.. Blyard's polili-
cal blunder says:
"rrue, he has never been able to sus-
tain his flight abcve the mere politician
ior any great length of time. He makes
good starts, scars we'll for brief pas
sage, but finally alights ON the common
political perch. Still, We had rated
MIN somewhat superior to the rank Of
persons who figure in current politics.
Had he been selected az sacrifice, aud
had he submitted to the knife with re-
luctant resignation, it would have been
possible to produce some sort of an ex
cuse for him. But he seems to have
sought a position which, though the
majority had clear right to claim and
bestow it, selfrespecting man could
hardly afford TO seek. That the Demo-
Gratis had a constitutional right to fill
t he office of President OF the Senate pro
tempore, and that any Democrat had a
similar right to take it, we have con-
stantly declared. But the question of
right never presented itself at all. 1t
was question OF policy that the Dem
ocrats had 10 consider, and in consid-
ering it they have blundered without
remedy"
And thus the Democracy awoke too
late TO see. 1t is to blame for Mr.. Bay
ards blunder. That he should have
had ambition is creditable to him, but
when he Willingly submits to become
the creature of his party in grasping
attempt to gain power by surreptitious
means it is fatal blunder to both Mr.,
Bayard and his party. There are men,
of whom Mr.. Bayard was one. who
cannot afford to bluuder. He blhndered
in his iuordinate ambition to assume
an ambiguous position to which there
were attached neither honors or emolu-
ments. A Senator Of the United Ste tes |
cannot be honored by any act Of tha,
body, but when it has done its utmost,
that utmost even rates below the act Of
the Stale which elevates one Of its Citi- |
zens to a seat in the Senate chamber. The
office of President of the Senate was
totally barren of honor beyond that en-
joyed by any Senator upon the floor
There is but one construction to be !
placed upon the eagerness displayed by |
the Democrats to fill an office which be-
came theirs by n temporary advantage
The eagerness related to contingency |
not to De lightly named, and which no
man cares to contem.
plate. No man and no party could |
afford to do ought that Should indicate
the contemplation OF such contingency.
Mr.. Bayard has taken step, though
now partially relieved, which he will
regret as long as he lives.