Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-11-03

Grants comparative opinion of Gar
field and Arthur was not only in bad
taste and false in its insinuations against
the dead President, but it was a delib-
crate defiance of a reverential senti-
ment which pervades all parties and
demands a decent Difference from pub
lie men. The name of Garfield has
been enshrined until it stands for good
and pure in public life. If Grant thinks
that sentiment is false or the judgment
wrong it is common deceucy to hold his
peace. There was no call for criticism
of his public acts, and the motives which
prompted appointments Grant regards
as indicating the boldest ingratitude.
Grant is a singular blunderer. His OBJ
stinacy makes him almost at the very
grave of Garfield insist upon defending
Conkling by denouncing Garfield's ac-
ton as ingratitude when the entire
country. except a few Stalwarts, has
accepted his custer of Conkling's
friends as not only right but absolutely
demanded. If he dares to reopen the
contest and put the questions between
Garfield and Conkling again at issue
around the grave of the late President
it is only living regulations that will
suffer. It would have been prudence
as we'll as decency for Grant to have
remembered that the Stalwart spoils-
hunters made the assassination possible
by their unmannerly and outrageous
fight over the spoils upon the courtesy
of the Senate. The moral responsible
ty of that act may not rest upon any man
of them. but it does clearly rest upon
the system upheld by them. The
public has been exceedingly lenient and
Just, considering the excitement and
Indignation. If Grant, by his criticism
of the dead President, shall bring the
matter up for discussion he may bring
about closer inquiry and trial of that
spoils system as to its responsibility for
the death of the President. In that
case injustice may be done. An in
dignant public may hold not only the
spoils system but those who have
fought for its maintenance responsible
for the crime it clearly caused. 1t does
not become General Grant, or any
Stalwart. to open his mouth about the
dead President. To the Grant cabal
the public has been exceedingly lenient.
In rebuk;ng the evident Injustice in
CT .rging them with responsibility for
the assassination the public has been
more than just; it has even forborne to
hold them to that responsibility for the
maintenance of the spoils system which
they clearly ought to bear. II they
folishly reopen the question they will
suffer severely for their folly. This
country is not in q mood to hear > word
of censure of its martyred President
from General Grant or any of his cabal.
Silence, absolute. reverential silence,
as to all that Is buried in that grave
will well become General Grant and
his miserable faction. Praise from
that quarter has hollow ring. and
censure the American people will not
endure. Good taste, If Grant had ever
possessed it, would have prescribed. in
any case, at least confinement within
the rule of nil nisi bonnn. The rule Is
doublv to be adhered to here. where the
American people have solemnly made
up their minds that nothing but what is
good can be truthiully said. General
Grant may think otherwise. but he will
not say SO with IMMUNITY. -Nashvitle
american.
"a - 81 -