National Republican., 1882-11-18
The President, the Party, and the

The President, the Party, ana the
People.
The people are right as to the things
they want done. They cannot always be
right as to the men they want elevated
or sacrificed. They are compelled to place
great powers in the hands of those they
select to administer the government.
They know that those powers could be
misused. A President could, if he were
so inclined, proceed to SO exercise his
power Of appointment as, if unchecked
by the Senate, to reward the politicians
who had, by no matter what modes,
made him the nominee of his party.
He could, besides this use of the
peoples Offices as personal assets with
which to pay his political debts, proceed
TO make support for second term the
prime qualification for Office, regardless
of the Jeflersonian tests of honesty and
capability. He could even menace the
Senators, who by the Constitution are
made a check upon Presidential power,
by threatening to prescribe them
and their friends if they should
perform the constitutional duty of
lntagonizing the appointment of an
unworthy minion of that power. The
power to do all these evil things is Incl
dental to the power to do the right
things. 1t is easy, therefore, to carp at
any President, and by misrepresentation
to make it seem to the people that he is
abusing his trust.
Never have we had President who
has borne himself clearer in his great Of
flee than has President Arthur. He sue
ceeded one who had touched the hearts
of the people through their boundless
sympathy Tor his physical suferinss.
A brother could not more faithfully have
carried out every ascertained personal
wish of the dead President than did he
The factional warfare commenced in
April, 1881, should have closed with
the fatal act of July 2. 1t did so far
as the then Vice-President was con-
cerned. From that terrible hour he
has been of all men the most earn
nest in his efforts to give peace
and harmony to the party. If the people
knew what his real course had been
their anger against his assailants would
be very great. He has literally followed
lhe injunction of the Divine Master in
dealing with his enemies He has
cherished no resentments, but has re-
turned good for evil. He has not used
the patronage of his high Office to re-
ward friends or to punish enemies.
He has not interfered with the ac:
ton of the conventions of his
party by any use of places, promises
of reward, or threats of displeasure
The deluge of falsehoods to the con.
lrary of this can never change the truth
Many people have been made to believe
a lie, which is of course unfortunate
The time may come when they will
trtly understand the President and his
traducers. The people have been falsely
told that the Offices have been used tc
build up a faction, and that bosses ~
which term includes only those
representatives who are not hostile
10 the President-have dictated Elk.
ccutive patronage. This is all false
and, on the part of the newspaper
bosses, Intentionally false. All well-in.
formed men connected with political af
fairs know that the President has been
complained of for not removing malignant
enemies, and that in making appoint
ments lie has not distinguished be.
tween Stalwart and Half-Breed. This
is what has more enraged his enc.
mics than a policy of factonal proscrip
ton would have done. He is hated fol
not having fulfilled the predictions of the
coarse and cowardly brutes who, in those
awful July days, sought to procure hi
assassination by endeavoring to make
ignorant, excited, and frenzied men lool
on him as responsible for GartieldI
death. He has conducted himself il
office in accordance with the very high
est ideal yet created by the Reformers
sham or real.
The great majority of the Republican
party in each State have just given the
President vote of confidence. The sup
por;ers of Republican nominations have
by their votes for the regular candidate!
of the party, expressed their confidence II
President Arthur's wisdom and integrity
They have placed the seal of their con
demnation upon the mischievous journals
which have, under false pretenses, beer
iaboriug to make future Republican sue
cess impossible, and Democratic restora
ton inevitable. They will continue to br
the great majority of a majority part.
in this country. They do their owl
thinking and will find their owl
way to restore harmony anC
good fellowship among the whole bod,
of Republicans in the land. In ever,
right movement toward this end no Re
publican will be found more ready t.
participate or more unselfish in his action
and wishes than Chester A. Arthur, th'
man who is by usage and in fact thu
head of the party in power. 1t is sale
that he will in his forthcoming message
make important recommendations con