Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-05-10
1ancaster frltelllgenrer.
TUESDAY EVENING. NAY 10. 1881.
AnGry LegiSlatOFS.

TUESDAY EVENING, Ia Z w. A0oAs |
Angry Legislators.
We are glad to note that our assem-
,lymen are sensitive to public criticism.
We had much rather they would show
niger at being assailed than indifference,
wen though their excitement leads them
very far out Of tho path of legislative
of demeanor. There is hope
Tor men who do not submit calmly to
impuqnment of the motives Of their
.ction; they may be evil, but they are
not hardened wretches. We have a
good deal of sympathy for Speaker
Hewitt and some of his fellows who
vow that they are voting con-
though their votes are
decidedly against the tenor Of public
sentiment and are criticised with great
freedom and very unfavorably by the
press. They are certainly bold men to
continue on their course against this
torrent of opposition, and if they are vir-
tuously inspired to do SO they undoubted'
ly are earning a martyrs crown. Speaker
Hewitt is particularly persuaded that he
is most unjustly abused man, and be-
ing possessed of sharp tongue, he very
naturally uses it with great vehemence
against his accusers. The editor of the
Philadelphia Times is the victim of his
animadversion and he certainly does not
mince words in his denunciation. But
Mr.. Hewit's assault is not as effectual
as it is bitter. He does not throw his
missiles from a position OF advantage.
He is an angry man, accused of relations
with ringsters. He does not, therefore,
have the public ear or confidence. He
would be more dangerous if he would
first vindicate his own record by his acts
and afterwards dispassionately expose
the animus and the record of his assail-
ants. But it is not in Mr.. Hewit's ma
ture to keep cool probably his fiery
hair forbids him. We therefore greatly
fear that he will not he able to demon
strate very satisfactorily to the peo-
pie before the session expires that he is
the picture of injured innocence that he
paints himself. The public is often very
unjust to its servants and Mr.. Hewitt
may he victim to its lack Of perspicac-
ity. For certainly the impression is
abroad that he has not been the vigorous
champion of reform that he was once
credited with being. His old friend
Wolfe, who stands out as the Atlas Of
reform in the Legislature, has thrown
him to the dogs and the people are dis
posed to accept Wolfe's verdict, knowing
him to be honest in his opinions, though
impetuous and apt to be mistaken.
We do not ourselves give Hewitt over
because Wolfe says so, and the Philadel-
phia Times and the most of the people
say so too. We incline to think that
there is virtue i'm Hewitt and that he is a
good deal sinned against. But really he
does the injury to himself and cannot
fairly complain of being misjudged. He
wObbles a great deal in his legislative
gait and runs ftfully. He'wants steady
balance for the steam he carries. If he
had Il we'll regulated governor on his
machinery it would save him the jerk.
ness of motion that makes him so pow.
erless and earns him SO much damnatiOll.
bead sea Fruit
How strange it is and how often it
happens that men are overcome 10y ruin
in the very moment of their apparent
triumph. The best laid plans gang aft
aglee. And we have now remarkable
illustration Of it in the condition of the
Republican party and its chief politi-
clans. Their victory turns to ashes on
their lips. Their president elected and
a four years term of power secured,
their disruption impends. The leaders,
who arranged in many visits to Garfield
at Mentor harmonious distribution of
the spoils, already are ut variance, and
some of the best workers are even brought
face to face with the yawning gates of
the penitentiary. There is Brady for
instance, to whom Garfield appealed for
financial succor during the campaign !;
and Dorsey, too, who is credited with
carrying Indiana and managing the Re
publican national campaign. To him a
grand dinner was given that his zeal
might he honored and his glory he es-
tablished. 10 )! now he is found to I've a
big star route leecb, and it is
seen that his labors for the Re-
publican party were that the men
might be continued in office who con-
nived at his rObberies. The victory is
barely won for which he labored and
spent his stolen money when his pals are
turned out of office, the rich reward he
worked for slips away from him, and the
Jail looms before him instead of the
palace in which he fondly thought to
solace his declining years.
And how do those people feel who sat
with him at that dinner 1t would af-
ford an interesting item TO the PhiIa-
delphia Press if its editor, who was one
of them, would let us know.
THE staid Philadelphia Ledger says
that people shake their heads over the
supreme court decisions favorable to the
Philadelphia highway conspirators.
Why do they sllakep The Ledger seems
tn make q nlain intimation tl,at tl,ov