National Republican., 1881-09-07
Political Cranks i'm pennsylvania.

iOltttCNI tFhnht III itHuSN iNuIt"s
The National Republican League of
Philadelphia some days since put forth
an address "to the delegates elected to
the Republican State convention" of
Pennsylvania. This league has an execu-
tive committee, composed of the follow
ing persons Wharton Barker, chairman;
Samuel S: Hollingsworth, Samuel w. Pen
nypackcr, Edward II. Wood, Henry Reed,
Mayer Sulzberger, and silas w. Petit.
In their address these worthless said:
We address YOU in full confidence that you will
not make the mistake Of supposing the nomina.
ton of candidate for State treasurer at the pres
ent time to be matter of minor importance, and
that the outcome of your deliberations will show
that you have been guided by wise counscls and
have had regard solely TO the best interests
of the party. Though the Office of treas
is not in itself one Of the highest moment II
90 happens that this is the first Republican
State convention which has assembled since
the ncC issucs arose tUihin ne party, and upon
you will rest the responsibility Of saying where
the Republicans Of Pennsylvania shall stand.
Back Of the question ola candidate lies the qucs
ton whether the party is to enter the campaign
thoocd into Inc beside hc Coundod President of the
United States beside the idic Senator from Nco
York and his adhcrents and by your choice you
will determine IL. II has now become reasonably
certain that the forces that compelled the last
State convention in Pennsylvania TO support
policy which, If II had not been defeated at Chi
oago. would have been ruinous to the party and
disastrous to the country, will be brought to bear
upon you.
In other words, the National Repub-
lican League of Philadelphia undertakes
to come between the Republican voters
of Pennsylvania and their duly chosen
representatives to a state convention and
dictate what the latter shall do. The
representatives are eXhorcd not to rep
resent. They are implored to misrepre-
sent their constituents and 70 rep
resent the mean, malicious and
dyspeptic crew calling itself the National
Republican League. Wharton Barker,
whose name heads the executive commit
tee of this pettyNpolitical militia company,
is understood TO have been early in the
field for place in the Cabinet, and some
revelations published last spring placed
him in the attitude of an especially shifty
place-hunter. But MacNeagh defeated
him. MacN, too, is Lacquer. His
name figures in the printed address, at
the lcft-hand upper corner Of the cir
cular, as one Of the Representative
Council"
Now, VIII lat does this gang of cranks
hope to accomplish by its Standard
deliver" address? Why, to dictate to II
Republican State convention. What does
IL want? What new issues have arisen
within the party? A demand for prov
endcr by political iackasses as roward
of merit for havin.:. h....y and kicked
at ULYSSES 5. Grant cannot be digniicd
into new party issue. 1t is only an in
decent exposure.
But the slop-huntcrs of the League are
not to go hungry for want Of an issue.
They can make something, perhaps out
Of the sufierings of the President. They
have no knowledge of anything good to
be done for the country. They know of
no mission the Republican party has eX-
cept to put their snouts into the whey
trough. They have not the least idea
that it is indecent to drag the Presi-
dents wounds into n party conven-
ton as a shibboleth Of opposition to the
more decent men of the party, who are
much more deeply touched by the Presi-
dents condition than these men who
would traffic in his blood and groans.
No; the National Republican League of
Philadelphia knows of no principle at
issue in the land except its thirst for
spoils and its hatred of Roscoe Conkling.
1t knows ofno nobler work for the party
10 do than to go back to the Chicago
conve ntion and revive all the heart
burnings which were thought to
have been generously buried in
the campaign. Well, il only illustrates
the proverb taught in the Good Book
"The dog will return to his vomit and
the SOW to her wallowing in the mire."
There will be no enemies OF the wounded
President at Harrisburg tomorrow, and
if any shameless creatures there shall
propose to grab at Office in his name, it
is to be presumed that as soon as they are
"wheeled intoline" they will be kicked to
the rear by all respectable delegates, ire.
spective of their opinions on the merits
of the controversy long since ended oven
the New York collcctorship.