The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-11-05
A Singular Contest.

1t is q very singular attitude indeed the
the President Of the United States and I'll,
Attorney-General have assumed toward
each other. The Attorncy-General resigns
and the President declines to receive hi
resignation. The AttOrney-General lcsye'
his lcaye-taking cards with his Washington
acquaintances, offers his house FOR rent, anC
quits the town with bag and baggage. The
President refuses TO appoint his successor
and the SolicitOr-General undertakes also
the AttOrney-GeneTafs duties. And this
attachment OF Mr.. Arthur to Mr.. MacVeagb
rs is well known, springs from no love for
him, for there is no love felt on either side.
! The motives guiding each mans action are
well understood. But the questions are
whether the President is warranted by any
circumstances in demanding Mr.. Mac
Veagh'S services against Mr.. Mac Yeagh'S
refusal to render them; and whether Mac
Vcagh is warranted in refusing to give
them when the President pcremptOrly
commands them. The situation as We
read it is just this: Mr.. Arthur
has been 4 friend OF the star-rOute
thieves, and conspicuously so OF
Dorsey. He finds prosecution
pending against them commenced UNI
der his predecessor. He considers the
prosecution as most likely to be without
result. lie fears to be charged with the
failure, and therefore desires 10 avoid all
appearance OF responsibility for it By loay-
ing it in charge OF those who originated it.
Mr.. MacNeagh and Mr.. James conSpicu-
ously stand before the country as the star
route prosecutors, and Mr. Arthur wants
TO nail them there.
Mr.. MacVeagh understands this, but ap-
prehendS also that the secret influence OF
the Administration will work against the
undertaking to put the Presidents old
friends in jail. lie knows, furthermore,
that he is not Of the Administration, while
Ostensibly part of it. lie is not disposed
TO stay in il and TO be turned out when his
virtue has been squeezed out Of him. Mr.
Arthur and Mr.. AhcNeagh belong 10 dis
tinctly opposite branches Of the Republic
can party that cannot cOAesce any more
than oil and water. Under these circum-
stances Mr.. MacVeagh pursued the only
course open 10 him in acquainting the Pre-
sident that he desired to go out OF the
Cabinet. Mr.. Arthur, under ordinary cir
cumStanccs, would have been glad to be
rid Of him. But now he thinks there is an
advantage in keeping him.
Who can think so: Suppose il is true. as
he says, that MacYeagh, having made him
self familiar with the star-route cases, il
the fittest man to prosecute them to the
end. That would justify him in asking
him to stay; but certainly it is a very
unworthy and undignifed proceeding
in President to 90 farther than
this in his insistance, and it is
Oh In,
fill Mr.. MacVeagh's place in the idea
that he will thus more cfectually
free himself from responsibility for the
failure Of the prosecutions. In our iudg-
ment Mr.. MacVeagh would have done
better to have retained his Office at the
Presidents command for the purpose OF
prosecuting the work he had begun. Re
naming for this well-under5tOOd special
purpose, he would not have been respon-
sible for the policy OF the Administration.
II Mr.. Arthur could afford to retain in his
Cabinet on aVowed opponent who did not
want to stay there, Mr.. MacYeagh could
well have afforded to remain; his posi-
ton would have been exceedingly independ-
ent, and his place very conspicuous one
from which to proclaim his views. No
question OF delicacy could have restrained |
from antagonizing President who insisted I
ON keeping him by his side against his will. |
The Witness which led Arthur TO such an /
insistanee might have proved |
10 be Stiffness instead, but it was no con- |
Germ OF Mr.. McVeagh to protect Mr.. Ar
thur against his folly.
The conduct Of the President in this
matter concluslyely shows him to be man /
Of very low tone. He has been extensively /
advertised by his friends as gentleman;
md superflcially he may be. But he lacks |
he self-respeet which Is the essence OF the
nan and the gentleman. We fear, too,
hat he lacks sincerity, honesty, and indie
lendence, and is, in fact, but pretentious
ham, as a little time is likely to clearly
how.