National Republican., 1883-08-30
bourbon Complaints Against the Presi'
dent

party. And yet IL is hardly reasonable
ground for excitement that President Arthur
should prefer his own party to tho opposi-
publican portion of the people, to be presi-
dent in case of the death, rcsig-
nation, or inability of Gen. Gar
field who was at tho same time
voted for for president. The democrats voted
at that election for Gen. Hancock. At all
elections in this country every citizen who
has life enough, intelligence enough, and pub
lie spirit enough decides for himself which of
the political parties he is most willing to trust
with the conduct Of public affairs, and votes
accordingly. When party prevails at pres
idential election the result will bo that for
four years the general policy of the prevail
ing party will be carried out in national af
fairs, unless the president shall be false to his
trust. To say that a president should bo
the president not of party, but of the whole
people, goes without saying; but being so,
he is none the less bound to be faithful to tho
opinions and policies of the party which
elected him, for the reason that if he is hon
est in his professions of political opinions the
more strictly he adheros to the views Of his
party the better will he serve the people as q
whole. Con. Garfield, after his election, spoke
substantially as follows 10 group of which
tho writer of this was one "Presi-
dent Hayes was mistaken when he said
that 'ho served his party best who
served his country best All governments
based upon the popular suffrage must be party
governments. Each man is supposed to at
tach himself to the party which stands for
the best good of the country and it is his
duty as q patriot to sustain that party. 1t
follows then that he serves his country best
who serves his party host"
This is simply the common sense of the
case. The people elected Garfield and Arthur
because they would not trust the party
which stood behind Gen. Hancock. Atevery
election held between the presidential cleo
tions the entire weight of the administration,
if it is honest and faithful to prin-
ciple, will be thrown on tho side
of the party which elevated it to power. AS
to how the administration may lawfully and
properly make itself felt at such times is q
matter which addresses itself to the good
judgment and the official integrity of the
executive and his cabinet The whole weight
Al 4
party at all elections, and any administration
which would fail in this would be as much
despised by tho opposition as it would
be censured by its friends. But this
"whole weight" does not, as oui
terrified bourbon neighbor pretends to sup
pose, mean any weight the casting Of which
The President has never been guilty Of any
violation of law or of the strictest propriety
in casting tho weight of his administration
against the bourbons in Virginia or elsewhere.
Some very energetic and very desperate
lying has been done by his enemies to make
this appear otherwise, and the very men who
|
other lies to tho effect that he was not
really friendly to the Virginia coalition
1t would be difficult to estimate which tale
has been told with the most frequency and
vehemence, by the same pApers-tho one
which represents him as violating all rules
of decency in advancing the cause repre-
sented by Malone, or the one which charges
him with desertion and betrayal of that cause
If postoflicc worth hundred dollars
year is vacant it must be filed. So far a
that appointment is concerned the Who'll,
weight of the administration must be cast il
favor of bourbon or anti-bourbon. We hopt
it will be long before this administration
chooses one of the former for any place
The bourbon foxes do not much expect t
have one of their own number appointed
They keep on hand supply of political rab
bits and geese, who pretend to be republicans
and ask to have them made postmasters. Th
south abounds in these poor, miserable polit
ical servants of the bourbons They are N,
more republicans than the feas which tor
ment dog are dogs. But tho refusal of tn
President to cast the whole weight of the ad
ministration on the side of the bourbons b!
appointing such creatures to office, is mad
the occasion of a furious uproar by the demo
cratic papers of both parties, the editors o
which hope to stampede some re
publican geese and rabbits in tn
north. 1t is time that tho real republi
can papers of the country should endeavor t.
arrest the attention Of the weaklings VIII
look in democratic papers to learn republican
duty. 1t is not wicked for republican ad
ministration to refuse to be used by the bour
bon enemy. 1t is right for republican presi
dent to say at all suitable times that he dc
sires the continued success of the principle
on which his party is based 1t would b
+ prong for him to withhold his support fror
his party. Every body knew this aftc
thinking one minute, The oppos
tiOn depends on tho gullibility of thoi
, who do not think. As specimen of the ro
to which they treat the public, and whic
they believe can be made to take root in il
norance, heedlessness, and credulity, rea
tho following precious extract from Ion
n | editorial in Vesterday'R iRsua of tha cAntr,