National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-01-29
The Party Outlook.

thinks 1t ought to achieve victory, While
the other thinks it will best thrive on
defeat. The former are called Stalwarts,
the latter Reformers. The one battles
for convictions, under whatever leader
may be selected, the other whines and
pouts and aids the enemy when it cannot
force its candidates upon the party. The
one comedies equality of rights within
the party, the other frowns on all who
triumph over it, as "bad men," The one
scorns to thrive by unmanly misrepre-
sentation, the other would perish if it
abandoneddefamation of opponents. Men
compose the first of these factions; sneaks
the other. Generally the sneaks have
not power enough to be formidable, ex-
cept as amake-weight between strong men
of the Stalwart kind The side which,
having the opportunity, gave them the
last blows on their impudent cheeks
comes in, of course, for their yenomous
hostility. They then foist themselves
upon the side where they can CRAFTY
their revenges, and aid the Stalwart who
has not happened to have had an encoun-
2 ter with them When, by their aid, a
man prevails in great political struggle,
they at once assert ownership over him.
Strong indeed must he be, and wise In
Judging human character and motives,
if he does not find himself the prey
of the vermin in question. Nor time,
nor place, nor height nor depth, nor
principalities nor powers, nor things
present nor things to come, nor any
other creature, can separate the un-
happy victor from these parasites called
Reformers. Ravenous and sleepless, they
may be found in squads of a
dozen swapping over every bone, or
grunting over every trough in the party
barn-yard. Possessed of a mania for
| Office, they neither know, think, nor talk
of any other subject. They have no
medicine for any national ill, no appre-
| hension of any national disaster, no in
dignation over any national wrong. They
brood over one evil only, and that is
their inability to get Office. The modes
of appointment which do not lead them
TO the party provender are all wrong.
Their sensibilities are deeply wounded at
the existence of a "spoils system" which
does not bring them any spoils. A long
suffering Government has been cruelty
deprived of the great boon Of being served
by them at the salaries provided by law.
We warn the President-elect against
this pestilent tribe. Assuming, though
they do, all the political virtue extant, he
Will find bye and by, if he does not know
it now, that they are the basest of hypo-
critics and most dishonest of men. His
amiable temper and large benevolence re-
strain him now from expelling them
from his presence, but they will pollute
| the atmosphere he breathes with SANDER
| of their betters, and will breed a miasma
ofself-conceit and phaTisaism around him
from which, sooner or later, he will have
to be relieved Or fall into a state Of syn
cope which is the forerunner of political
death.
The corrupt and rotten crew which we
have but feebly described have done
much toward disintegrating the party
The splendid spirit of exaltation which
carried our cause to success had in it no
thought Of mean stabs, either for gem
erals or soldiers in the Republican army.
The war-cries were: Hostility to the
Bourbon Solid South and its barbarous
and swinding methods, protection for
home industry" and honesty in ques-
tions of debt and finances generally" But
no sooner was the victory won than
some small souls forgot the common
enemy, who but awaits our division into
factions in order to renew his attack,
and straightway commenced foment-
ing disturbances between Republicans.
The senatorial struggle in some Of the
States furnished opportunity for this, as
does also the tug upon General Garfield
for permission to dictate to him Cabi-
net. No art is left Impractical to ALLEVIATE
from the incoming administration the
men who are regarded as the especial
friends of General Grant. The daily gos-
sip is full of pretended edinformation which,
if half of it were true, would consign the
new President to infamy and the party to
the tomb. Senator Blaine, who is reputed
to have been offered the State Depart
ment, as it is eminently proper and salts
factory he should be, is falsely represented
as being engaged in securing absolute
power over General Garfield, in order that
he may thereby wreak vengeance
upon the Republicans who sup
ported General Grant. General Garfield |
himself is represented as favoring every
movement made against party authority
and party harmony. The folly of all these
statements does not prevent them from
being harmful. All who know Senator
Blaine know him as an able party leader
with great Stalwart following, and ear
nestly desirous of keeping the Republican |
party in power. tits certain that General |
Garfield desires his administration to sue
ceed, which would be impossible if the |
party which created it is to be dismem- |
bered, or rather cut in twain, before the |
day of his Inauguration.
The venom of the disturbers has found |
its way to place very near the vitals of |
the party. 1t is of the highest impor-
tance that the new President should be |
supported by Congress. The House is
Republican by a scant majority. The !
death of two or three of our members
during the next year might change the |
political complexion of that body The
Senate SO vibrates that it may be friendly
or hostile to the next administration.
If the Republicans of Tennessee had, |
as a unit, accepted the aid of few liberal