Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1882-02-15
Prom our regular eoFfesPoadehl'
WASHINGTON LETTER,
Washington Feb, II, iaS2,


Among the many new propositions
offered aud discussed In Congress Que
of the newest aud best Il that coming
from Mr.. Berry, the democratic menu
Der from California, making Cabinet
officer Ineligible to the presidency for
the term next succeeding his term OF
Office, Cabinet officers would then
have time to attend to the legitimate
duties Of their positions, instead ol cn'
gaging IN schemes aud plots to attain
tho presidency, There has never been
period Sincc the formation Of the gov
ernmcnt that members Of the Cabinet
were not employed In laying wires to
succeed their chief aud IN undermining
each other, Several Of the presidents
have enjoyed the felicity Of having Cab
incts, nearly all Of whose members
were in this occupation, causing dis
cords, hcartburnings and dislrusts, IN
stead of the harmony which ought to
prevail in Cabinet councils. But down
10 the time of Mr.. Sherman as sccrc-
tary of the treasury, no Cabinet officer
had eve, 50 openly used the patronage
of his Department 10 advance his Pres
idential ambition, aud down 10 the
time Of Mr.. Blaine no Secretary OF
State had constructed u foreign policy
especially calculated to crafty his am
bition in the same direction. These
two striking instances are fresh before
Congress aud before the country, and
the example set by these presidential
candatcs may, il no obstacle is inter-
posed, have holder imiiators in Cabinet
officers of the future, cntailing most Sc
rious aud momcntous consequences.
The Administration and its friends
are pretty sure to find that foolins with
or attempting to crush u man of Mr..
Blaine's ability, popularity, and fight
capacity is rather dangerous business.
1t is Il good deal like II small boy play
ing with the business end of wasp.
The administration oronu here. which
has Just been purchased from Star
Route Brady, is undertaking the spec
ial job of killing off Mr.. Blaine because
he is supposed to have had something
to do with the political demise of Mr..
Conkling. But so far the ex-Secretary
does not appear to have much the
worst of it. One important fact which
the authors of these attacks upon Mr..
GarfelTs premier seem to ignore is
that people throughout the country, not
Immediately absorbed in the result OF
the next National Republican Conven-
ton, may take notion to view the
policy outlined by Mr.. Blaine. when
Secretary of State, from the purely
public or patriotic standpoint, and
therefore without reference to the am
bition Of persons, cliques. or factions.
There are good many people in this
country who understand what sickly
foreign policy we have had during the
last two decades and it is not unlikely
that majority would be glad to sup
port return from the soft solder OF
Fish and Evarts to something like the
dignity of Jay, Webster, Monroe and
Buchanan. Without discussing Mr..
Blaine's methods or his aims further
than this or taking any interest what
ever in his personal fortunes. | feel
like applauding the principle of his for
eign policy and indicating him from
the misrepresentation of the present
administration. When Mr.. Arthur
dragged to the front an old swallow
tail aristocrat from New Jersey whose
political remains were twenty feet be-
low the surface and allowed him to re-
woke all that the former Secretary had
done, he made q great mistake.