The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-12-24
Washington.

TEN MONTHS EyENTs-THE PERII.s THAT
ALREADY BEsET THE ADMINISTRATION
WHAT FEW MONTHS MAY BRING FORTH
C0NRT.ING ULTIMATELY TO CONE TO WASH
INGTON-BLAINE NEITHER DEAD NOR
ASLEEP; HE MEANS TO BE PRESIDENT II
1T rs WITHIN THE RANGE or Possibility
THE COURSE OF DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS
THE OUTLOOK PROM A NATIONAL DINO
CRATIC STANDPOINT-TARIFF LEGIsLA-
TION-AFTER THE RAILROADS AGAIN-PAUL
AND MISREPRESENTATION NOTES, ETC.
From Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, December 23.-Less than
a Year ago Mr.. Garfield was elected Presi-
dent, and the conservative element Of the
Republican party came into power. The
appointment Of James G.. Blaine as Secre-
tary OF State made the victory Of the
" Half-Breeds " complete. Vice-President
Arthur. Mr.. Conkling, Senator Cameron,
General Grant, Senator Logan, and the
other Stalwart leaders, felt their defeat
most keenly, and retired i'm no gracious
manner from the control Of patronage. One
could hear every now and then from Stall
wart sources OF plans for the nomination
OF Grant in 1884, with all OF it, conse-
quenccs. In the mean while Republican
conservatism combined its triumphal work,
driving Mr.. Conkling from the Senate,
and linking the Nicc-President with the
fallen fortunes Of his chieftain. On the
other hand, Mr. Blaine impressed his
craftsmanship i'm so marked a manner day
by day upon the country that by June he
had greatly dwarfcd President who had
not only maintained distinguished leader
ship in the House OF Representatives ses-
sion after session, but had become fore
most American statesman and orator.
/ Each day it was evident, i'm fact, that Radi-
calism was weaker, and that Mr.. COnkling
and his set were fast becoming as power
less as was Mr.. Tyler in 1914, or Mr.. Van
Buren, after 1S4S.
A TRAGEDY CAUSES A COMPLETE CHANGE.
/ Guiteau, whether sane or insane assassin,
on the I'd OF July changed the whole phase
OF American politics, and while the people
were mourning over the sad fate OF Gene
raj Garfield politicians were quietly and in
dustriously planning for Radical supreme
CIV. The result has been that Blaine has
been sent to retirement; that eX-Sccrctary
! Sherman, although senator and states
man, is without influence at court; and
/ that one by one the Cabinet is becoming
more and more Radical. But it has
no able leader so far, many say; yet
tell you that sagacious Republic
cans here declare TO me that Judge
| Hunt will be retired from the Supreme
Bench just as soon Us Congress can pension
| him; that Judge Folger, now Secretary OF
the Treasury, will succeed him, and that,
with flourish of trumpets, Mr.. Conkling
will reappcar at Washington, not only rs
Secretary of the Treasury but as the head
and front of this Administration.
MR.. CONKLING's FUTURE LEADERSHIP.
lie will be to it, if possible, more than
Blaine was to Garfeld's administration.
Now this, some declare, means Il renomina-
ton Of Grant. 1t means, however, as far
rs the Stalwarts are concerned, either the
nomination OF President Arthur or Mr..
Conkling in 1884. That is Just what it
means, for General Grant himself has before
this ascertaned that with all Of his mill
tary renOWn the American people are not
willing To endorse the acts OF his two
terms He has been slower to reach this
conclusion than his friends.
APPEARANCES NOT ALWAYS RELIABLE.
All this on the surface looks well for the
/ Administration and for the Stalwarts, and
their prospects, must confess, have been
no little improved by the result OF your
/ virginia election. But let Us look the stu
alton squarely in the face. The Senate
/ is Il tie, and the House is Republican sim
ply by the aid OF two Virginia Readiusters;
! for without the votes OF Messrs. FulkersOn
and Paul. Keifer could not have been elect
/ ed over Randall on the first ballot. Hence
every Republican in either body has to be
/ kept in the traces, and they are not all Stall
warts by a long shot Among them, in
/ fact. are men who followed the fortunes OF
James G.. Blaine at Chicago rs reSoiutely
and rs enthusiastically rs Bolts ever did
those of Henry Clay. That is q bad show
/ ing for an Administration that may in less
/ than six months expect the party it pro-
fesses to represent to be aS completely at
loggerheadS as are the Bourbons and Read
/ iusters OF your State.
MI. BLAINE VERY MUCH ALIVE.
Do YOU VirginanS think chat Blaine is
either dead or that he has lost his ambi-
I ton? II YOU do, you were never more
mistaken. lie means 10 he President, II Il
great mind, an indomitable will, legions Of
/ devoted friends, and the backing OF the
monev-power OF the land, can elect him.
/ He is peaceable now because the time has
not vet come to make fight, and his follow
crs are quiet because their great leader Is.
/ Now it will not help him TO build up this
administration, and he cannot afford to
play second fiddle TO Conkling any more
| Than Pitt could 10 Fox. There are lively
times therefore ahead, you see.
THE DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS.
And what will the Democrats do in the
mean while? Why, they will, if you will
hermit a paradox. be most aggreSSiyey de
fensive. and they are always strongest
when i'm formidable minority. There are
some men who fight best when nj the bot
tom. President Arthur, from what have
indicated, will need their help as soon as
there is any detection at all among the Re
nublicans of Congress. He will hardly get
il, however, for they were all thoroughly
interested in the recent Virginia campaign,
and will be slow to forget that he openly
threw the entire influence OF his Admins
tration against the party in your State
which is i'm alliance with the national De-
mocracy. Their course is a plain one, and
they have leaders in both houses who have
the sagacity te see it. In the House, where
leadership is more necessary than in the
Senate, Randall has already given evidence
that he has lost none OF the vim, the abll-