Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-20
a Had Start


md credit Of reformers and progressionists- In
me late canvass they loudly detained against the
Bourbon methods, denounced the "spoils sys-
eem," and promised reform and purity in politics
n the people would but trust them with power.
Now that they have obtained a lease OF power,
However, they cast aside at least plank OF the
reform platform and adopt the worst features OF
the Reproduced spells system. The candidates be-
fore the late readjuster caucus for nominations to
offlce were officially notified that before their
names could be considered they must enter into
written obligation to place at the disposal
or the caucus all the appointments and patronage
attaching to the Office for which they were
candidates respectively. One gentleman, Major
Walden, who was a candidate for state treasurer,
Gan officer elected by the legislature In yirgnia},
refused to be party TO any such degrading trans
action. He withdrew his name, and refused to at
tend the caucus In the first place, he was not
willing to buy nomination by giving as the con-
sideration the patronage belonging to it. In the
second place in his written protest against such
political methods, ne referred to the fact that as
state treasurer he would have to give large bond,
and that justice TO himself and to his sureties
would require that he should intimately know the
subordinateS under him; that he would neceS5a-
rily have to trust much to these officers, and to
have men thrust upon him by q caucus bent
upon simply div iiing the loaveS and fishes without
regard to honesty or capacity, he regarded as an
outrage and an insult The readjuSterS undertake
70 defend this scheme on the ground that caucus
super' sion" OF the appointments will help to
guard against mistakes in appointments and other
evils This plea is too weak to blind a child.
"CaucuS SUPERVISION tend to purity in politics!
The Idea Is absurd The very conduct OF the eau
Gus bellies the plea, for nothing was said about
supervision. All the readju5terS wanted offices
Tor their supporters and dependents They had
promised them SO Mr.. Malone, to make as equit-
able distribution OF the spoils as possible, re-
quiretl that the caucus should control all patron
age The platform of the coalitionists in the late
campaign In Virginia contained some good fea-
lures that gained favor for the organization,
with those who abominated its reputation faint.
1t Is to be hoped these wholesome features will
not be abandoned, now that the election Is over as
the spOils reform doctrine has been.
The adjournment of Congress for the holiday
recess Will probably reduce the number of Office
seekers in Washington. But it is not probable
that all of them will abandon their cherished
desire for government position with the de-
parture OF the congressman. Some OF the inhab-
ittnt5, perhaps not the oldest, but who have
resided here long enough to see great deal,
declare That they have never seen such scramble
for Office, such numbers of offce-Seekers as since
Congress met. There have been dozens OF ap-
plicantS for every position within the gift of the
these places many OF them turned their attention to
the departments and beSieged them One men,
Der OF Congress says he has learned that the best
and quickest way to get rid of ofTce-seekers from
MS district Is TO pay their way home. When
one OF his constituents comes to him for his sin
fuence, /" this NJ. G. says, he at once advises the
applicant TO return home, and offers him q ticket
provided he promises TO leave at once. prom
tnent Senator says: This Is an Offce-seeking
and
o. the people for Office may bring harm to us yet
Young men are willing to abandon q 81 600 a year
place at home TO get STD position In Washing
ton"
LEROY, who murdered Mr.. Gold In an English
r"iiwdy carriage, put forth the plea that he was
~inspired' to commit the crime, but, unlike
Guteau, he attributed his inspiration to the
proper source-the devil LEROY did not enter
this plea until after the jury had rendered q YER
diet OF guilty against him. II is quite probable
mat ne got the idea from the Guiteau case II
was an afterthought, evidently, and was made the
OASIS Oh an appeal 70 the home secretary for re-
preve on the ground that the plea OF an inspira-
ton proved the defendant a. >a insane This is
precisely the defence for Guiteau. But Lefroy's
plea did not save his neck The home secretary
looked into the past record OF the defendant and
Ike Guiteau, found him to be TINTED with de-
prasity rather than insanity. True his life had
been different from that OF Guiteau. He was a
bold criminal while Guiteau has clOaked his
crimes under the pretcnse OF a sanity character
LEROY pretended that his inspiration came from
literal or rather personal devil that followed him
at every step aud gOlded him 10 the crime Had
ne maintained that the inspiration proceeded from
MS own deyiiish nature, he would have been nearer
Tight, and Guiteau might have joined with him In
THIS plea LEROY Was hung, the hone secretary |
that j man who could not resist SIN |
Dpiratons' To Stay his fellow in cold blood.
vas Zoo dinserOu, a character to turn loose upon
society.
Should Attorney General Brewster perform his
plain and simple duty in regard to matters now
before his office, as no doubt he WILL in what an
awkward position Will his predecessor. Mr.. Mac
Neagh, be placed touching his gratutiouS and
Insulting reflections upon President Art lur's atti-
tude toward the star route cases
fOME ONE COME INSTRUMENTATION OF
~ IHE TABERNACLE.-The Bazaar and Sociable
neid By the Ladies of the Congregation Tster-
naeie viii commence ON WEDNESDAY EVENING De-
cernber II 1851 at the Church. 9th street near south
west Every thing sold reasonable the stores
Dr. HICKS has received from mis- in Florida the
cele6ratesi Arcadia Oranges which will be sold whoe-
sale or retail. for the benefit Of the Church n.