New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-05-04
S0ME TLnELY OrESTIONS.

Six months ago the Republican party was
wild with JOY. The glad news leaped from
town to town; Garfield was elected. Has the
party changed its mind Is it sorry that its
candidate was chosenl Not at all. The only
difficulty is that some men, who could not be
elected themselves, think that the President be
longs to them, rs part of their livestock
because they did not treacherously strive to
make a Democrat the chief ruler of this land
Yet solemn Senators and long-faced party
leaders are talking day by day OF the necessity
of compromise and harmony, in order to " save
the party" To save it from whatf From the
effects Of its own victOry7 Have these men
| forgotten that the President was elected by the
people of the United States, and not by one or
| two Senator's
Two months ago Republicans were full of joy
| again. The oath of Office had been taken in
peace by the man Of the peoples choice, and
grand inaugural address was hailed from sea TO
sea. The people saw therein the fOnest aims
and the great thoughts of the staunch
and sterling man who brought rare pow
ers and ripe craftsmanship TO the service OF
| the country. No ADLER or better man, 1t was
said. has been President since the early days.
Was il all a mistakeH There has been one
nomination made which does not please one
Senator. Is that the final test of states manshD Z
Does the chosen President become unworthy of
| trust because one Senator, or one Senator and a
half is not quite satisfied Have the people lost
all that they shouted for, has the Republican
marty found its fruits OF victory turn to Dead
Sea apples at its lips, unless a Senator can have
= his primacy recognized Z
The gentlemen at Washington may forget
that the people have something TO do with this
matter. The Republican voters have some
rights. They did not elect James A. Garfield
10 be any man's clerk or underling. The people
thought him fit man for President. And now
they want him to be President, in deed and III
truth. Let him use, honestly and fcaIles,ly, all
the power that the votes Of millions have given
him. If he does the gentlemen who are trying
TO make him resign to them ninc-tenths of that
power will find that the people have something
10 say about that.
Ii was said of the Democratic party that IT
did not deserve to have a man Of brains for It's
leader Is the Republican party past having a
bit of real manhood in the White House
What despicable thing it would be- having
taken an oath TO ill faithfully and well grand
and high Office to parcel it out to thiry-eight
|
of il as he pleased No man of strong and
noble character will ever take the Presidency on
these terms. If the people want clerk, a
| dummy OF a lay-fguTe in the White House,
they can find one anywhere. If they want a
man. they will have to uphold and sustain him.
The Republicans have a right to claim from
their chosen President strict fidelity to certain
duties. But he, too, has right to claim much
from them. Fair dealing, calm and candid
Judgment, hearty and loyal support in his dis
charge of every duty according to his convic-
tons be has a right to claim from the voters
who placed on him a heavy load of RESPONSE
bility. Think, then, Republicans, if your
conrse toward the President has been just 10
bin OF TO yourselves. He is the same man
whose election made You glad; in what has he
failed youY The credit of the country was at
stake, aud already the financial plans OF the Adj
ministratiOn prove marvellous success.
| Purity of administration was promised and
needed, and already gross frauds which had
lived through two Presidential terms are rooted
m. The most unfIiendly critics do not deny
that thus far the course Of the Administration
has earned high praise. Yet Republican Sena-
tors are carping and pickering. What is the
mattere Out of many appointments of men
eonfessedly worthy and able, one does not suit
the leader of a faction in this State. Well
which did The Republican voters decide to trust
and pledge themselves to uphold, Roscoe Conk-
ling or James A. Garfeld7 Is it not the bust
ness of Republican voters to see that their Sen
ators, in the chronic hunger for patronage and
power which has become the curse of political
life, do not rob a good President of his chances
of usefulnessi 1t seems that the issue Ii
joined. If the people want government by
Senatorial Bosses LET them cOuntenance by thei
silence the attempt of Senators to usurp power
which does not belong to them.
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COERCION IN EARNEST.