The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-10-08
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.

An important contribution to political lit
erature and to clear understanding of the
late President Garfield's views of the duty
OF the Republican party in the South has
been made by the publication of cores
pondence between him and Hon. d. Fl.
Chamberlain, formerly Governor of South
Carolina, which was had in December and
January after General Garfield's election
and before his Inauguration. There are
many things in these letters which may be
considered with profit even at this day.
On the one hand the letters of Governor
Chamberlain are based on knowledge of
the political situation in that quarter such
as few inen have had, not SO much because
few have had an opportunity to gain it as
because few who have had experience in
Southern politics have combined their op-
portunities of observation with so strong a
faculty of philosophical analysis, such clear
apprehension of the fundamental conditions
of the problem, a judgment so dispassionate
and fidelity to right principles SO vigorous
and unclouded. On the other hand the let
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was profoundly impressed by the statements
and reasoning of Governor Chamberlain
After Governor Chamberlain's first letter he
invited further correspondence, and, in
his last letter he says ''your views commend
themselves to my best judgment and coin
eide with my own conclusions made up from
all my study and reflection upon the ques-
ton in hand.'
But there Is one point to which we now
especially desire to call attention. The Re
publican time-servers in Washington and
elsewhere have asserted with much posi-
tiveness that President Garfield was favora-
bic to the Malone coalition in Virginia, and
they have sssailed with characteristic sour
rility anybody who questioned their state
ment. Until the publication of the cores
pondence there was on record no explicit
declaration of President Garfeld's opinion
regarding Malone and his aims. But now
we have 1t in unquestionable shape. Only
q few days ago we printed Governor Cham
Dezendo,f. His views on this question
seem to have been of long standing, for
in letter to General Garfield, dated January
"a, 1881, he used the Malone movement as
an illustration of the things to be avoided in
building up an honorable and Trustworthy
Republican party in the South. He says:
pregnant illustration of what mean may be
seen ia Mahones case in Virginia. The basis of Ma
homes party is reputation the refusal to pay pub
lie deb unless they reduced to what he calls
sths ability of the people to pay.'' with even that
standard subject to flu ure changes to correspond
with the varying liability of the people to pay. Now
10 countenance Malone under any stress OF socalled
political advantage or necessity, as / believe Mr.
Jewell and Mr.. Gorham did in the last campaign.
and as some prominent Republicans now advis-
ing, is to betray and dishonor party and the
of good government, which is above all parties
Better by far aid the regular Democracy of Virginia
who on this issue are comparatively honorable. Sup.
pose Malone does say he is in favor of giving the
Republicans their rights he is ouly in favor of this
provided he gal greater political power there
by for himself and his faction One steady princi-
ple-the cause of good government at the South
must guide US, and we must be ready to denounce
and oppose regulators VITO offer political power
or rights, as those who deny them.
Luis was pain ana courageous express
ion of opinion to the President elect touch
ing the course of the Chairman of the Nat
ional Committee aud the Secretary of the
Congressional committee of his party in
the campaign. And the sentence "Better
by far aid the regular Democracy of Virgin
who on this issue are comparatively honora-
ble'' is of the kind that shocks the nerves of
all thick-and-thin party men, who think it is
Of much more consequence to party to ger
a majority of votes than to be right
But General Garfield was not frightened
by such talk. He not only respected Gov
ernor Chamberlain's opinion but he approved
1t. In reply to this letter he says:
/ agree with you in regarding the action of the
national administration in all southern appoint
ments as deserving more and stricter principle
than seems to have marked some past administra
lions, and am ready to say explicitly that agree
with you in your views of Malone and his party.
This is positive addition to what was
heretofore publicly known regarding Pres
dent Garfeld's views on the Virginia situa-
ton. The tine did not come after his in
auguration for him to act in the matter; but
in view Of this expression there is not much
doubt what he would have done had his life
been spared The executive patronage
would net have been subordinated to the in.
terests of Senator Malone.