The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-02-09
The Administration.

No President ever entered upon the
discharge of the duties of the Chief
Executive officer of the nation under
more embarrassing circum instances than
those which surrounded Gen. Arthur. The
sad tragedy which depr ived the country of
the services of his predecessor. threw upon
the new President responsibility les which it
took time to grasp and understand. and
called for the most careful and deliberate
judgment to meet. He has approached the
duties Of his position with due caution.
and brought to his aid in determining the
business brought before him a sound. we'll
poised mind. and a high purpose to
subserve the best interests of the county,
That all should be pleased in the selections
he has made for official positions. could
not, in reason. have been expected. But
that the great mass of the rejecting people
OF the nation, and especially of the Repub-
lican party, recognize high motive and a
broad understanding of the wants of the
country in what he has done, we do not
think Va i'll be questioned. There has been
no necessity for haste or precipitate action
in any of the duties which have confronted
him, and consequently he has taken tine to
consider every act and to intelligently de-
liberate upon every step that might enter
into the formulation of policy. In the Sc
lection of his Cabinet, he has called to his
side, high capacities, large experience and
OF, ro1 Gro ragD1 Sltt- I'M
pointmenrs he has been guided by an i'm
partial consideration of the merits of the
applicants, and confined his favors to
neither wing of the party he represents. To
those who are disposed to judge fairly, the
President has been mindful of the ella inns
of all of his party supporters. while not
unmindful of the interests of the people
and country. Exposed to criticism from
the extremes of party. his action has. in fact
justified no censure, for when carefully
weighed it will be found that he has been
free from the bias of faction, and alive only
to Republican harmony and the national
welfare.
In the broader field Of duty and service,
we have the assurance of his past conduct,
that he will be equal to the demands upon
him. He will be neither provoked to rash
ness nor awed into timidity. He will
meet every issue, whether of fore ign or do
nestle relation, as an American statesman
should meet it, and in that broad under
standing of the dignity of this government
and respect for other rationale les, which
becomes the President of this great Repub-
lie. He will appeal to no rash and impul-
sive policy to convince the world thai he is
President of the United States and recoo-
nizes it to lie his duty to guard every inter
est thereto pertaining. We confidently ex
pect to see an ADM nistration which will
contribute to the peace and prosperity of
our country, and every portion of it. and
command the confidence aud respect of the
civilized world. We look for no giraffe.
flights, nor any sudden inspiration
to startle and aStound-but calm. practi
cal, statesmanIke administration, which
will give assurance TO the world that the
American Government is powerful enough
to protect all of its interests and just enough
to respect the rights and interests of others