National Republican., 1881-10-29
The President and the Opposition.

embracing, anu TlOlOuSly bllcCtiVh"VV
Southern Bourbon politicians" one of
the old kind, brass-mounted and we
will show you a man who thinksit perse-
cution for a Republican administration
to appoint a postmaster in his State to
whom he is opposed.
The head of President Hayes was lit
tie turned in 1877 by the magnanimity
with which Wade Hampton allowed him
to topple over the State government of
South Carolina, headed by Governor
Chamberlain; and he felt sure the new
era of good feeling had dawned when
the Knights of the White Camelias in
Louisiana consented to take possession
of the Pelican State, whose Governor he.
banished to the Liverpool consulate in
the interest of minority home rule.
Republican Senators during that period
looked through the fence which incloses
the White House and saw rival clans of
Bourbons contending with each other for
the boss-ship in "their" respective States,
while the President smiled approvingly,
as the weaker faction event to grass"
The spoils system was for Democrats
only in those days, and without protest,
even from Carl Schurz or George w.
Curtis, the President recorded the de-
crees of Democratic Senators as to patron
age in the Southern States with meek
ness equaled only by the vigor with
which he and they resisted any such in
terference with official appointments on
the part of Senators of the party which
believed it had elected him. This was
in the face of the fact that the Demo-
Gratis who begged him for official sweet
meats swore that he was usurper, and
rugged up the Gibson-Potter investigat-
ing committee for the purpose of turning
him out.
When General Garfield had run the
gauntlet of his merciless traduccrs and
been elected, despite the slanderous ti-
rades of the Democratic leaders and the
forgery of the Morey letter, adhered to
after he had branded itas forgery before
the insulting figures chalked upon every
doorstep and wall in the United States
had even begun to lose their distinctness,
the revolving gush bean. From every
malignant libeler of November 2 there
came within forty-eight hours the cooling
sounds of the dove. The raging Demo-
cratic lions which had sought to devour
our candidate during his progress to vic
tory had no sooner been safely passed by
him than they commenced like Bottom
in the play, to so aggravate" their
voices that they could roar you as gently
as any sucking dove;" rather than be
ruled out of the play they would "roal
you an 'twere any nightingale" They
were delighted that, since the country
must have a Republican President, it was
to have a statesman. The degrading
epithets they had applied to him were
changed for high encomiums. There was
rushing and gushing, squeezing of hands
and casting of tenderest glances. Tc
the extent that the new President
could be Modified and managed so as not
to harm the cause of his deadly political
enemies, to that extent, and that only
they were willing to be his personal
friends and admirers.
The test came when William +. Chand
Ter was nominated for Solicitor-G General
Not vote from the Democratic side
could be had to confirm him. And why
Simply because it was known that h,
would not betray the Government by tht
improper legal machinery
! in the Southern States. Mr.. Blaine
} whose able lieutenant Chandler long hac
been, and on whom the Bourbons had
lavished their affecton-could not de
liver single Democratic vote. The
President, with all his power, and witt
: his known tenacity concerning the presi
dental prerogative, was unable to Obtain
l q vote from the opposition.
The Bourbon takes all and gives moth
, ing but fair words. lie is willing to rid
a Republican President with whip anC
spur, and call him a good horse. He i
y willing to spend an hour every morning
e with him aiding him in the selection o
/ nominal Republicans for Office in hi
State, who will be grateful to him and no
= to the President, and who can be counte,
n on to aid in betraying the cause of tn
@ Administration whenever it is anti-Boui
@ bon. The selfish men who refused t
: grant the least favor to the late President
y and only went with him when the
+ thought his course advantageous to then
monopolized the mourners' seats ut hi
+ death. They rent the air with the
:. lamentations, and resolved accorlingl
0 in the very conventions in which the
a also raised funds to pay the fines of Grim
nails who had plead guilty of stufiing OF
1 votes for the lamentcd dead at the Nc
t vember election.
Il And now opposition Senators are tryin
c their relations with new President. II
has given them an opportunity to sho'
+ whether they will obstruct and oppos
him in the consideration of nomination
d to office upon purely political ground
: He is willing to let them call him I"
G clever gentleman" and "an elegant gei
= tleman" and other pet names of til
same sort; he is willing to regard thel
c as high-minded, honorable Senators, il
d terested with him in wise and dignifie
conduct of public affairs The Presidel
ic is not Bourbon. He is friendly ma
Is personally to all good people who wi
l. have his friendship. He is opposed
al Bourbon traditions, desires, and method
* He cannot be used, nor be made to pr
at tend that the difference between rigl
and wrong is imperceptible. He is N,
is likely to allow the opposition to contr
e. him in the matter of nominations
n Office They must decide to what extel
they will therefore oppose the confirm