The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1882-08-09
President Artnur,s BACKBONE.

Some OF the Congressman most Interested in
the River and Harbor bill are said to have met
last Saturday to agree on some means of bull
doing President Arthur Into signing the
Jumbo bill. 81 Will talk TO him plainly" said
one member. "You had better be CAREFUL"
said person who was present, an oflcer, but
not a member. "Arthur is u man whom 1t
does not do to try to drive. I remember some
ten years ago TO have seen that attempted In
New York. There was split among the Re.
publicans Of the Twenty-hrst election district,
and trouble was anticipated at tho primary.
The faction that controlled the machine had
the police with 1t. General Arthur led the
other faction, and II was certain that, IL there
could be an honest vote at the primary, his
faction would win. By the way, think 1t was
at this very primary that tissue ballots. were
first used. This method OF fraudulent voting
was hit upon by one OF the leaders OF the fac
tion opposed to Arthur. The moderator was
In the, secret and, when man came up to
vote who had his regular ballots stuffed full of
little rice paper ballots, he would give the
moderator wink. The moderator would seize
the ballot, hold II over the opening OF the box,
shake out the tissues, and then drop In the
regular. Then he would check of six or seven
names nj guess, so as to make the voting list
approximate correctly.
General Arthur saw what he was doing and
protested that he was checking of more than
one name, and the moderator shouted: Gen.
tlemen, we must have order here This hap.
pened two or three times, and ut length Ar
thur protested with q good deal OF earnest
ness. The moderator ordered the policemen
to clear the room. row seemed Imminent.
The moderator insisted that the police should
do their duty. The policemen lad received
their orders from their Supporters and dared
not disrepect them. At length ono stepped up
TO General Arthur, but he did nothing more.
never saw such look as Arthur gave that
man. Then, turning TO the moderator, he ter.
rihed him with q few words, and in as awful
manner as ever saw a man assume, have
never forgotten that, and advise YOU to be
little circumspect when you see the President.
II you try 70 bulldoze him, your heads Will
swim for It,"
Nevertheless these bulldozing members went
up TO tile White House. BY their own account,
tho President listened calmly until they all
finished. Then he must have put on the
terrible look against which these members
had been warned. He certainly said that in
his opinion, II was the height OF enrontery for
members OF Congress to come and lobby with
him. He was always glad TO listen to reason
able explanation, but his duty was as clear as
theirs, and the line which separated their
official obligations was as clearly defined as
language could make IL, and 1t was no part OF
their duty, either as men or Congressman, to
attempt 10 browbeat the Executive. II the
meagre reports which we get OF this meeting
arc at all accurate, thon the Presidents
dignity was OF tho kind with which oven
brazen politicians do not like TO trlfn. Tho
members came away looking askance and not
feeling very comfortable.