National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-01-02

National Capital.
A Mean Assault Upon the President.
Under the head of "The Presidents
Choice the New York Tribune of Satur-
day says:
President Arthur has not yet burned his bridges
He has done things that the people do not approve,
but has not yet done more than they can forgive
He must wish 70 have united party. Every con-
ceivable aspiration that he cahhaye must be sac
ri6ced If he does not seelsMat end. lie is u
shrewd politician. He knows-no man living
knows better-that the majority of the Republican
party and the majority Of the people are against
the men and the policies wherewih his name has
hitherto been associated. The American people
does not often bend its will TO the preferences of
one man. Stubborn perlinacity on his part in
those points wherein his past has not been ap.
proved by the people only cause discord in the
party, evil in the country and the final defeat Of
the President and his friends. Only by wise
moderation and judicious yielding can he bring
the party into ccOTd. The people are not person.
ally hostile TO President Arthur. They ap-
ptcciate his bearing after the assassination.
They the extreme difficulty of his
position. They recognize with ready thanks
the good things that he has DONE They
have been slow to censure his disregard of the
public will in matters of some importauce-hs
robbing the political graveyard in the formation
of II Cabinet, for instance The feeling toward him
is kindly hopeful, and forbearing. But he will
make n intal mistake If he thinks that the opn-
ions of the people have changed as to the vital
81 matters at issue between different elements. No
body asks him to cast aside all his personal
friends But there will be scant harmony II he
supposes that they have become the party since
he became the President If there are TO be re.
wards for the minority who were beaten, there
must also be liberation for the majority who were
victorious at Chicago and at Albany. The party
can te united and harmonious only on condition
that the President represents the whole and not Il
part Of it. The majority will be in accord
with him only when he recognizes, respects,
and cOnsults the wishes of the majority.
Fidelity to friends is good, hut fidelity to the
people Is better. Not to that shifting and change
able breath Of popular favor which mere dcma.
gogucs obey, and 10 which no true man can be
faithful but 10 the tTne interests the earnest be-
liefs, and the settled convictions of the people.
Que settled conviction, TO which emphatic ex-
preston has been given, Is that 1t is not well for
the country to be ruled by pcrsonulsm, nOT for
the party to be ruled by q set of bosses. Another
Is that party does not deserve to succeed, aud in
tie end cannot succeed, which relies exclusively
upon It's machine and not at MI upon genuinC
advocucy ofsOund principles. President Arthur
will respect these convictions, and bear in mind
that they have not been uproOted nor shaken II
he seeks TO brns the Republican purty into har'
monious and triumphant accord with himself
He will he judged by his acts. lie will be
judged patiently, until patience ceases TO BIZ
virtue If that time should ever come, 1
President Arthur should set himself against th'
will of the majority strive TO reverse the policy
his predecessor, and refuse 10 be more than III,
leader and instrument Of Il defeated faction, III,
country would survive for II Is great, and tho Re
publican party would survive, for II is true TO III
principles; but President Arthur MS n politcl
leader would not Public feeling would In tina
event be clearly and strongly expressed Tht
President would then learn, first the full strength
ofthe public hostility 10 personNlism and bo3sism-
to the attempt to set up government Of favored
individuals, by favored individuals, for flvOre,
individuals, In place Of that government of IN
people, by the people, and for the people In whcl
the Republican party believes and, secondly, h
would learn The full strength of the peoples low
aud veucrntion for the President whom the.
elected and whose splendid life, noble teachings
and heroic death they win not forget
On the 9th of January, 1875, the Ney
York Tribune edited then, as now b.
Whitelaw Reid, published q letter il
which the writer vehemently advocate
the assassination of General Grant, the
President of the United States. The sol
olIense for which Mr. Rcid's correspond
ent thought the President ought to b
murdered was that he had sustained th
lawful government in Louisiana againE
areyoution the previous September, an
had justified General Sheridan in prevon
ing the reyolutioni5ts from seiaing tn
Legislature in January. The Tribune Wa
then the leading organ of the Ku-Klu
organizations aud bull-dosing rulIians {
the South, rs it had been for three year
It's editor was filed with rage an
chagrin because the Republican part
had gained strength by the IFib1mes OF
position toit
The revolution against State authorit
in Louisiana in 1875 was simply Bourbo
lawlessness, and the President woul
have been liable 10 impeachment If !
had withheld the aid Of the Goyenmcl
for its suppression when regularly callC
upon therefor, as he was. The New Yol
Tribune and its editor Whitclaw Rel
represented at that time all that W
devilish and deprayed in American po
tics. Reid was playing the part Of
Marat in seeking to arouse the murdC