Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-07-29
LATE EASTERN NEWS.
A Stirring Address.

iAS ihcSAo Va ehC Luz AoiueuAO, tuIOuSu
their joint caucus committee, have
issued an address to tho Democratic
citizens of the State of New York,
and to citizens of the State without
distinction of party. The address
says that discords AMI qusrrels in
the Republican majority have sep
arated us from our homes and bust
ness for nearly 200 days. The chief
cause for this uncalled- for detention
was quarrel with the President of
the United States on one side and
the Vice President and two Senators
from this State on the other. The
source of this discord was the ques-
ton of official patronage or the
spoils of Office. The Collector of the
port of New York was forced to re-
sign in the midst of his term from a
place where he was serving with
great acceptance to the public and
appointed to place abroad, uncalled-
for by his friends or by the public,
in which he has no experience.
This change, against which the
merchants of New York protested in
large numbers was made in total
disregard of every announced prin.
ciple of civil service reform and OF
political duty, and interest of public
service. The purpose of the act
seemed to be to reward those who
had been personally successful in
securing the Presidential nomination
and to punish others for an opposite
course. The unseemly quarrel at
Chicago in the summer of 1880, was
transferred to Washington after the
Presidential election at the close OF
the same year. The same strife has
been continued with more bitterness
at Albany, through the whole present
session of the Legislature. It com
menced with great vehemence at the
senatorial election in January, when
q third-class candidate was nomi.
mated and elected over frst-class
competitor for the first Office in the
gift of the Legislature, and hardly
second to any Office in the gift of the
people of the State. The Office ther
filed, after great strife, was vacated
by voluntary resignation, and wher
it had only been held for less thar
one-fourth OF the first year Of full
six years constitutional term of ser
vice. The man who inspired thi.
resignation was the senior Senator o.
the State, who had been three times
elected to the United States Senate
by one party of the State, whose
longer service is now refused, and
simply owing to the fact of the nomi
nation to the Senate of one of thu
chief offenders who had opposed hi
ambition and wishes at Chicago ant
elsewhere. The useless resignation
of these two men has lost the Stat,
not only lorge amount OF money
but what is more valuable, its honor
dignity and self-respect, two fac
tions, known by the vulgar but ex-
pressive names "Stalwarts" ant
/" Halfbreeds," have governed tn,
Senate, Assembly, Republican party
and State through the whole session
The Democratic members have many
times asked and demanded an ap
peal to the people, but by force o
numbers, in defiance of public opin
ion and in denial of opportunity o
timely public judgment upon th,
fact of leaving the State without it
constitutional representation in thu
higher branch of Congress, the Re
publican majority refused to leav,
the choice Of the succession to th,
people of the State. These demands
of the Democratic minority and the
appeal made to the people were me-
by an insulting declaration that I
possible choice of Democratic Sen
ators in Congress would be a public
calamity to the State, and this aftel
just electing Thos. c. Plat as sue.
cessor to Francis Herman, and fol
owing this succession with the choice
of q man named Warren Miller, .
member of the present and previous
House of Representatives, where h,
was only conspicuous and notorious
as the direct and personal beneficiary
of one of the worst monopolies in the
country, and where he has supported
that monopoly by his voice anG
influence, and with the threat thai
other public interests should suffer
if his special interests in wood pull
and manufacture of paper were no,
protected. The most distinguished
and capable men of the dominant
party, not in public place, apart
from Conkling but including mel
like Fish, Wheeler, Curtis, Rogers
aid others who have served the
State with ability, have had to give
place to two men elected to Congress
and their nomination n sde an ex.
cuse for passing a law Is fill the
vacancies made by their election, and
for no other reason. These special
elections thus provoked will be a.
untimely az they are unnecessary
and expensive. The whole Senator.
ial discussion at Albany resolves
itself into three most discreditabls
conclusions: First, a mistrust Of
the people of the State on part -o1
the Republican majority in the Leg
islature; second, o quarrel over thu
spoils of Office in two or three Re.
publican factions with o practical
contempt for every principle belong
ing to what is known and recognized
as civil servics reform; third, abuse
of power from its long-use and mis-
use until two of the least capable
persons have been drawn from the
popular branch of the Congress o.
the United States.
Another and most disgracefu
transaction belonging to this Re
publican Legislature is the evidence
Of bribery and corruption established
upon evidene, of members of the
dominant party A leading Republi.