The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1882-06-03


Mr.. Arthur has now occupied the
Executive chair seven months, and
slough nore of his acts during this
per.od are of any great importance, he
has done enough to indicate pretty
clearly the manner of man he is and The
principles and purpose of his Admins
uation. While it is quite evident that
n is not man who could have reached
the Presidency without the aid of an UNI
brtunate dispensation Of Providence, it
ID equally evident thatfhe.possesses very
considerable ability of a certain SORT
Indeed. without such ability. he. could
never have played the prominent part
Ne did in New York politics, never have,
been the trusted friend and lieutenant
Of Conkling. never have received
through his influence one of the most
important offices in the gift of the Gov
eminent and the Vice-Prcsidential nomi-
nation at Chicago. He has that mixture
Of shrewdness and tact which belongs to
tbe trained politician and cultured man
Of the world. He knows when to talk
and when to keep silent, and he does
very little talking. He is as reticent as
Grant used to be, but for a different
reason and in different way. He has
decided opinions and strong viii,
partially concealed under a dignified
and graceful demeanor. The gloved
hand has grip of its own. and there
are some indications Of claws. The
still water runs much deeper than many
Suspect. From the day Garfield was
shot until he died, Mr.. Arthur be-
haved with admirable taste and dis
erection. The ordeal was a most trying
one. but he was fully equal to it. He
withdrew rs far as possible from the
public gaze, and neither by word nor
| deed. hint or suggestion, interfered in
The least with the management of affairs
he was soon to control. He did moth
ing, said nothing, allowed nothing to
be said or done for him. TO- which the
most unfriendly critic could object. His
conduct was absolutely faultless, and,
consequently. when the time came Tor
him to step to the highest place, even
those who most bitterly regretted the
change of rulers had no Just ground for
complaint. He had effectuany spiked
the guns which otherwise would have
opened fire on him at once. This free
dom from immediate attack secured him
the necessary leisure and mental equa-
himityto mature his plans for future OPP
Grafton.
That President Arthur is, and always
has been, representative Stalwart, ev-
cry body knows. That at the time of
the assassination of Garfield open war
bad broken out between the two wings
pf the Republican party, and the Ad-
ministration was at swords points with
Grant, Conkling & Co., is equally well
known. That the new President fully
lsympathized with his friends. and, pre-
ylous to his accession, had lent them all
possible aid and comfort, is also well
known. Consequently the temptation
Ito immediate and pronounced espousal of
their cause must have been very great:
but he had sufficient wisdom TO resist it,
10 patiently watch and wait, and make
haste slowly" He maintained . ssmas-
lterly inactivity" until the first burst OF
Popular grief was over, and paid a
Ifouching tribute to that grief in g Gus
tomary suit of solemn black, mourning
hras ~~a@ncto- psperso of tho most af-
proved style, and by refraining from all
festivities until the proper interval had
elapsed. Then he laid aside his official
wee and quietly proceeded to business.
He did not at once make clean sweep
] of his predecessor Cabinet, but one
after another they were politely invited
down and out. until only single indi-
| vidual of the original members now re-
mains, that individual being Secretary
of War Lincoln, who is a Stalwart Grant
Republican, and owes his place to the
persistent demands of Senator Logan
Whom Garfield could not conveniently
refuse. If there were any doubt about
Arthur views and intentions, it would
be completely removed by the latest
Cabinet appointment, that of William
Z. Chandler to the naval Sccrctaryship.
Chandler is deserter from Blaine,
whose confidential tool he recently was.
and this is the reward of his dcsertion,
Is well as a compliment to his skill as
an inscriptions political trickster. He
is friend of John Roach, and there
fore presumably in close utilization with
| thenaval ring of which that renowned
contractor and lobbyist is the head GEN.
Yer. Such changes in minor Offices as
have been made up TO the present time
are all. or nearly all, in the Stalwart in
| terest, and those foreshadowed will be
in the same direction. The ostentatious
entertainment given to Grant at the
White House Indicated unmistakably
that the old alliance between the two
was strengthened rather than weakened
BY the elevation of the junior partner to
the Chief Magistracy, while the
offer of seat on the Supreme Bench to
Conkling, though declined, shows that
the ex-senator and his former subordi-
nate are still in full accord. In short,
President Arthur is doing Stalwart work
as thoroughly and expeditiously as cir
cumstances permit, and there is every
,feason torbeiieve his wing of the party
will have cause to be satisfied with the
| quantity and quality of that work dur
ing the remainder of his term. If the
Stalwarts are not made s'solid'' beyond
al danger of shaking, and if the next