National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-10-01
Judge" Dittenhoefer and tho New
Nn..Ir Glnln CnnrnnIinn

Truth, who is very sharp and shrewd, had
friend by the name of ABRAM ]. DirTEN-
HOPPER, employed by him sometimes as
lawyer. This Mr.. Dittenhoefer is
generally called Judge" having been
a justice of the peace or other COM
mitting magistrate in the metropolis
The "Judge" was so well thought of
by the public-spirited proprietor of the
Truth that the latter concluded to make
a sacrifice for the sake Of securing TO the
Government the invaluable services of
Judge" Dittenhoefer as United States
district attorney To this end he had n
conference with that gentleman and
another and more prominent one, and pro-
posed to "give away" the Morey letter in
exchange for the United States attorney
ship for his Teutonic friend The willy
publisher had no other object apparently
than to see how deep the Judge would
dive for place. 1t was simply
Il matter of amusement with him.
He contrived TO have Dittenhoefer
secure letter to General Garfield, writ
ten by the gentleman Of prominence
aforesaid, in which il was set forth that
the Truth man was beginning to see that
he had been imposed upon by the Morey
letter forgery; that Judge" Dittenhoefer
had done much to produce this impress.
sion, and that it would be no more than
the thing was worth if that worthy
should be promised the United States at
torneyship. In fact, it was equivalent to
asking for ratification of an arrangement
made with the Truth by which Often
hoefer'snewspape friend would cancel the
Alorey letter if the Judge" could be
provided for by General Garfield This
letter was given to Dittenhoefer who
loaned II to his friend of the Truth, who
of course published it, thereby contribut-
ing for the general amusement the most
exquisite humor of the campaign. Gen
eral Garfield was exceedingly sorry for
the modification this all brought upon
his prominent friend, who had been
brought into the transaction, but il is not
recorded that Judge Dittenhoefer or his
friend of the Truth ever afterward basked
in the sunshine of his admiration.
The Judge was at Chicago at the time
of the convention, with gaudy rosette or
badge fastened on lapel of his coat, upon
which was inscribed an anti-Grant
legend. He is reformer of the reform
ers, and his great objection to General
Grants nomination was that he could
not endure "machine methods" in the
selection of men for the public service.
The little game we have recalled to the
readers mind, and which was published
far and wide in October last, points out
one of the better methods" which an
uproarious reformer had the misfortune
to become connected with
And now comes Judge Dittenhoefer to
the front, and in an interview with u
New York paper announces to the world
the terms upon which President Ar
thur can secure his friendship and sup
port. This time he docs not figure in
the tolls of another as the market price at
which bold libel and forgery against the
presidential candidate of his party can be
suppressed. The publisher of the Truth,
if still connected with him, is in the back
ground. From his interview we Gull the
following, us indicating the general line of
thought of the average professional re-
former:
| 1t is my belief, am sorry to say, that every
member OF the Cabinet will he replaced by some
one OF the Presidents personal friends or parii-
sans. Tho right thing for the President
to do would he, of course, To follow in Mr Gar-
| fields footsteps. But, unfortunately. he
| is too much under control of the machine him
self
The worthy Judge then proceeds to give
his views as to the relative strength and
probable movements of opposing elements
in the coming New York State convcn-
tion. lie seems TO be duly impressed
with the fact that the machine" will
prevail. He says:
| The Stalwarts have so fnr controlled the organi-
2ation in the fact that Mr., rntt, ns chairman Of
committee, names tho temporary chairman and
secretary at the convention, the latter being Ed
ward NJ. Johnson, an active Stalwart The ma
chino men have the making mp Of the roll. II
they make II up fairly BY admitting in the first In
stance the delegates who have their credentials IN
proper form, mattera will run smoothly. II, ou
the contrary, they pack the rO by putting In the
first instance delegates who have no priHa Grrie
right 10 be there, the result Will he srrons dis
tuTbGnCc. IL not an actnnl bolt.
This is very useful information. A
Southern Senator once said that nothing
had so injured the Southern cause (thc
cause of arbitrary power, regardless Of
majoritics) as the indiscreet utterances of
some Of" the young men who could not
he restrained" The expression is called
to mind by the impnlsive Dittenhoeier,
who thus announces in advance the pro-
gramme of his defeated fellow reiormers
in the coming State convention. All
deliberate bodies have to be called to
order by some one authorized person.
In all political conventions, until the
committee on credentials report list of
delegates entitled to seats, the temporary
officers necessarily decide who shall be
treated as apparently entitled TO seats and
votes in tho preliminary proceedings OF
course, the chairman Of the State COM
mittee is charged with much power, and
is upon his honor to exercise it justly.
Ex-senator Platt is the chairman pro tenn.
of the State committee, in place of the
regular chairman, who is now President
of the United States. Secretary Blaine
is the chairman of the State committee
in Maine. 1t is the habit of Maine
and New York Republicans to place
'leaders in leading places. Ia making
up the preliminary roll of delegates there
will be found some real and some sham
contests. These cases will have to he
dealt with in accordance with usape Tho