Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-11-30
ACCIDENTAL hREsrnrhfs.

4aa.
ACCIB BNfAL PREsIDENIS.
A singular fatality seeEas TO overtake the
men who ascend to the presidency either
BY accident or fraud. Over the door lead
ing into the White House should be written.
He who enters here, aaless elected By the
people, should leave hope behind him.
John Tyler was made president by accident
the death OF President Harrison. He as
cended to power with popularity as broad
as the Union, and with the confidence and
affections OF an overwhelming majsrity OF
the American people. Bnt his admInistra-
ton was a stapendous failure. He antsgo-
nized his own party by vetoing two bills
creating national bank and opposing other
measures favored by the party. which had
elected him vice president. The Democrats
liked the treason bat they distrusted
the traitor, and he was execrated
by his own party and deserted by
the Democrats. Willard Fillmore was
also N ade president by accident--ths death
OF President Taylor. He rode into power
on popular wave, and with the immense
patronage of the government at his COM
mand it was thought he would be his own
successor. But he developed no strength,
and SO weak, feeble and unsatisfactory was
his administration that he was succeeded by
franklin Pierce, who was elected by a larger
majority than Taylor and Fillmore received.
Andrew johnson was another accidental
president, occssioned by the death of Lin
eoIn- HE al; yaasv.ara ,,otriof;, ,nd .howad
the statesm anship, the wisdom and sagacity
of the man; but Andrew johnson was Just
ten years in advance OF public senii-
meni, for in 1876 Tilden was elected presi-
dent on the very issues which made john
son so unpopular in 1866. johnson az
cended to the presidency Immediately
after the wer. The passions born in
blood Indignantly rejected the policy
of reconciliation, and johnson retired
from the presidency repudiated by the peo-
pie, was evidenced by the triumphant
election of his successor, who favored the
policy of hate and persecution. Time has
vindicated the statesmanship and wisdom Of
johnson, but it has also shown, what we have
undertaken TO prove in this article, that
president elected by accident or fraud is sure
to be a failure. We have recent exempli-
6cation Of this fact in the magnificent fail
ure of the last accidental president-Chesier
A. Arthur. He was made president by the
bullet of a knave, and the presidential bee
has been buzzing in his bonnet EVER since he
took the oath of Office. In the hope of be-
coming his own successor, he plunged into
the mire of machine stalwsrtism,
and he is new more unpopular with
his party than were Tyler, Fillmore or
johnson. He has shown that he cannot rise
above The ward hummer or the pothouse
politician. He has neither statesu snship
nor patriotism. He is a mere political
manager, interfering in State politics, bar
gaining with such despioable creatures as
Malone, abusing the patronage of the great
ofics he holds for partisan and personal
ends. His enmity is eulogy, and no one de-
sires to be cursed with The odium of his
good will. He distills disease and death on
ga tn al cluster around hiua. lie was in the
quarrel which bccasioned the death of
President Garfield. He spent weeks at Al
bany trying to secure the reelection of
CoHkling and Plat, but signally failed.
And every thing he has done since he became
president has been disastrous. He gave
Pennsylvania up TO Cameron, and The
Republicans rebelied, breaking the party in
two and eIecting Beriocratic governor
by large plurality. He put Stalwart IA
vorite into the Boston customhouse, and
Massachusetts has quit the Republican ranks
and elected Butler governor. He put Will
into the Cabinet, and New Harp
shire turned her back on the Republican
party. He thrust his hand into Connecticut,
and that State bounded into the Democratic |
He acted the part of boss in New |
York politics, forcing one OF hin secretaries
on the Republican Convention by forgery,
bribery and fraud; aud the people rose en-
s.osse and buried the candidate under an |
avalanche OF nearly 100000 votes. New |
Jersey has rebuked him by defeating his ia
vopite congressmau. Republican Ohio turned |
against him. Michigan, which has been Re-
publican for years, filings its rebuke in his |
face by electing Democratic governor And |
California repEdiates him. Never before has
a president been so Overwhelmingly defeated |
in the middle of his term as Arthur this |
year. And all because he is nothing but |
political manager. The party that picked |
up this ward political boss and put him on |
The threshold of the White House has got |
its reward. The fates have decreed that an
accidental president can never be success.
Neither can a man elected by fraud The
party that perpetrated untold frauds to count.
rilden out, was punished by the administra-
ion of Hayes, which is now stencil in the |
,ostrils of Republicans. The Star-route /
-obberies are only a part of the scandals
/ allowed. So unpopular was the fraudu-
ent president that it required Dorsey and
ind millions of dollars TO elect Garfield.
Half the divisions and troubles that paralyze
he Republican party to-day originated under
dayes's corrupt regime. There is no ques-
ion that the Republicans have been badly
punished for stealing the presidency, and
lave not yet paid the full penalty. A presi-
lent elected by fraud, or made so by acct
lent, will prove a failure, as experience has
demonstrated.
FINAHCE AND TRADE.