National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-09-30
THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN. FRIDAY 4

had right to do. The Chicago conven-
ton is thing of the past, and ought not
to be exhumed; but whenever the enc
mics Of General Grant undertake TO con-
iure with its name to ward Off political
dangers from themselves we tell them
they are reviving the recollection of the
most gigantic and perfidious wrong ever
porpetrated upon the majority of a politi-
cal party in America. The only compen-
sation the supporters of General Grant
had for the outrage was that il gave them
the opportunity they so we'll improved Of
proving their devotion to country and to
party and their willingness to place q
cause above personal grievance.
Mr. Roberts chattcrs along in his inter-
view at great length about the obligation
of the President to sink his personal
identity, not in that of his predecessor
but in that of the Cabinet Thus
don't believe the country would be satisfied II
the President surrounded himself with a Cabinet
other than the one selected by General Garfield,
which represents the National Republican party,
MS shown by the vote in the Chicago convention.
Again the Chicago convention. Think
of its pollution, and then think of its
being brought out from other political
rubbish of the past as shrine. Says
Roberts; "The present Cabinet is the
ideal Cabinet in the eye of the people.
Take Blaine, for instance. e.. Gr-G6ei,dd
could not hare had g -r3t5iinct ,citho,a Blaine
This CahihCrC represents the concrete
-9ptnion of the country" Yes, dear Mr.
Roberts, concrete is your word. You
have done with the poor dead President,
and already you seek to belittle him by
such drivel as this And 50 you would
have it that, after all, there was no Gar
field administration. But for Blaine
there could have been no administra-
ton, no Cabinet, no policy. Sic transit A
few more gems and we have done. This
is too good representative man of the
concrete" wing of the party to be parted
with until we have sounded him to the
depths of his shallowness. lie says
While only few can state In words even their
own conception Of the work which Garfield set out
to do as President, and few can formulate policy
which they want to be embodied in governmental
action, the people believe that tho counselors
whom President Garfield called about him fully
understand the course on which he meant to di.
rect the ship Of state and each and all OF them
| intent on pursuing that course. These Cabinet
Ministers stand to the American people as the heirs
and representatives of Garfield
Is it not good? This oracle who pro-
claims policies says that the intentions of
the late President were knouR only 10 The
Cabinet. That they are as mysterious as
the ways of the Deity in performing His
wonders. That in his lifetime he re-
vealed the true word to the prophets of
the Cabinet, and that the will thus Sc
cretly expressed must be sternly carried
out, without reference to law, popular ap-
proval and will, or anything else. Such
idiocy could not be palmed off on tribe
of aborigines by the shrewdest of mcdi-
cine men. 1t is well for the country that
we have now seen it " in the concrete"
The luxury of further following this de-
licious expose by Mr.. Roberts of the stu
pendous folly of his school is denied us
by the want of room.