Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-08-28
President Arthur's Southern Policy
PhiIndeIDhin Record

Philadelphia Record
The willy Blaine has made palpable
hit in espousing the cause Of the regular
Republicans of Virginia He has the
sense to see that he can take the wind out
of the stalwart sails in 1884 only by rally
ing a party around him all through the
country, and especially he can look for
no following in the South if the admin
istration patronage be used to bride the
Southern Republicans to support Presi-
dent Arthur or his candidate. But in
Virginia this patronage is VIGOROUSLY
given to the Read1usters, while the Repub-
licans are ignored or repulsed. tits natu-
raj, therefore, that the latter should turn
with kindly feelings toward Mr.. Blaine
when he offers his influence in their
behalf He is certainly as genuine Re
publican as there is in the field, and he
now repudlates the alliance of the ad-
ministratiOn with Senator Malone and
his party; hence, while continuation
of the Arthur regime in power would
still further delay their participation in
the Federal patronage, Mr. Blaine's cleo.
ton in 1884 would restore to them
their former ascendancy in the affec-
tions of the appointing power, or at
least they think it would, though it is
possible that they do not make due al
lowance for the extreme uncertainty
with which Mr.. Blaine's memory works.
He might forget every promise he had
made three weeks after election-every
verbal promise, that is--and as for docu
mentary testimony it is not likely that
Mr.. Blaine would repeat the mistake of
conhding to paper any statements that
might be used against him afterward.
One such episode as the Mulligan letters
affair is as much as the most fortunate
or the most daring public man could af-
ford.
But there is one feature of the Read
ulster administration alliance that is pc
culiarly interesting, viewed in the light
of a policy. The question as to what
can be gained by it admits of two very
different answers. Doubtless the policy
is to break up the solid South by divid-
ing the Democracy, and there is Ger
tain amount of plausibllity in the at
tempt. If moderately powerful indie
pendent party could be established in
every Southern State, its members being
almost wholly recruited from Demo
cratic deserters, the Republican
nominees would have a flattering
prospect OF success, provided the
Independent body was kept in a minori-
ty; but the moment the latter was made
strong enough by the favor of the ad-
ministration to overwhelm both the
others it would be as valueless to the
| administration as was the original Dem
ocratic party. And this is just the mis-
take that has been made in Virginia.
MI u ! A,.I
ocTatic dog and is sublimely regardless
of the Republican feas. But let the
| present situation exist unchanged until
| the summer of 18S4-the President all
gracious condescension to the Readjust
ers and all supeIcilious indifference to
the Republicans. The latter might be
set down as more than angelic if they
sent stalwart delegates to the nominating
convention; unquestionably they would
not do so, and the result of President
Arthur's alliance with Senator Malone
in Virginia would be the transfer of the
Virginia delegation to Mr.. Blaine or to
whatever other candidate represented the
opposition in the party to the Presidents
faction.
1t is unnecessary to point out the in
consistency of the men who demand
rigid support Of the Irregular" nominees
in PENNSYLVANIA, but who coquette with
the mammon of Independence in Vir-
glnia: consistency is not one of the
political virtues, and the stalwarts sneer
contemptuously at it. But when free
lance is elevated to a commanding posi-
ton, and when booty is the reward of
the men who desert their colors, the
triumph of the General-in-chief who APP
proves such results becomes
highly improbable. If the Ma
hone alliance and the Chalmers
alliance are fair illustrations
of the administration policy, and if this
wet.nurse policy be extended to all the
States in the solid South, the lndepend-
ents getting all the pap and the Repub.
licans all the paregoric, the independents
may be weaned from their Democracy,
but they will not become Republicans
And as it will be Republican delega-
tiOns. and not Independents, VINO will be
admitted to the next Republican Nation
al Convention, there will surely be very
solid South in that convention anxious to
renounce the present administration and
all its works. 1t would hardly be re-
garded as very successful stalwart
policy that should result in handing over
to the anti. stalwarts at least one-third of
the votes of the nominating convention,
and vet that is what seems to be the
probable effect of the Virginia alliance.
President Arthur may well take note OF
Mr.. Blaine's crafty overture to the Vir-
ginia Republicans. lest he have occasion
hereafter to soliloquize: ''For what shall
it profit man if he gain the whole South
and lose his own nomination.