Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-09-22
The Administration of Mr.. Arthur.


Although the protracted illness Of the
President has served to keep the public
mind in q state of painful suspense, aud has
intensified the strain to which his imme-
diate family have been subjected, 1t has to
a large extent prepared the country for the
official changes which his death must bring
in its train, and accustomed it to contem-
plate calmly and dispassionately the trans
fer of the administration from the hands of
President Garfield to those of Vice Presi-
dent Arthur. Ii is scarcely necessary to say
that this period of preparation and Oppor
tunity for sober second thought has been of
inestimable value. Had Mr. Garfeld's
death occurred upon the very day he was
shot the shock which would have attend
ed the sudden change Of executive
officers might, under all the circumstances
which surrounded the assassination, have
been productive of alarming, II not OF ab-
solutely dangerous consequences. Now,
however, while public Indignation and sOr-
row are as deep as ever, all abnormal ex-
tement has passed away, and there is
general disposition, not merely to receive
the new administration quietly and without
bitterness of speech or thought, but to hope
and think the best Of it, and to give it all
possible cDcOuIs cement and aid. II is quite
true that when the ballots were cast for
Presidential electors no one dreamed that
the Presidency would ever devolve upon
Mr.. Arthur, and 1t is likely enough that,
had this contingency been apprehended,
he would not have been selected for
the second place on the ticket by
the Republican nominating convention.
The Presidential nominee at that time was
In robust health, and bid fair to witness
many inauguratiOns and administrations.
Nevertheless, though not perhaps nomi-
mated or elected in point of fact or inten-
ton with a view to the succession, he was
thus nominated ana elected In point of
theory and law, and by the death Of Mr.
Garfield he becomes by the Constitution as
fully and absolutely President as II he had
been In the first place called directly to that
office by the popular voice. Thus solemnly
invested by the organic law With all the
powers and duties of the Presidential Office,
It is the duty of all good citizens, without
regard TO party, to give to the constitu-
tiOnsl President the same fair and
impartial treatment which they were ready
to accord to the PRECEDENT elected by
their own votes. 1t is only reasonable to
presume that the painful anXieties aud sUs-
pense created by the Presidents Illness
have produced the same tempering effect
upon Mr.. Arthur as upon the general public
aud that any disposition which may have
existed TO antsgoniZe the purposes or policy
OF Mr. Gsrield's administration have given
place to q simple and patriotic desire to
further the interests OF the whole country
ard to show himself worthy Of the high
Office to which he has been so mysteriously
called. In justice to Mr.. Arthur it should
be said that his department during all this
trying period has been In strict &C
cord with the requirements Of dignity
and delicacy, and that his utterances
have indicated a patriotic appreciation Of
the situation, and q manly desire to do
nothing zore nor less than his whole duty,
whatever the developments OF time might
show that duty to be. General Hancock's
estimate of his ability and his patriotism is
a high one, aud, coming from so disinter
ested and respectable a source, may we'll be
accepted as strong evidence Of Mr.. Arthur's
character. 1t is the part Of true patriotism,
therefore, as well as of simple justice, TO
suspend adverse judgment and to give the
new Executive the benefit of fair trial in
the Presidential office. When he has failed
it will be time enough to criticise.