The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1883-08-11

6uBScSav0 SVEICSk uCos
The correspondence between ex-Con-
gresham Dezendorf, of Virginia, and
Secretary Chandler. Of the Navy De-
partment, recalls to mind the electoral
fraud of 1876. 1t was William Z.
Chandler who planned the conspiracy
which resulted in the fraudulent count
ing-in of Hayes, the defeated candidate
for President. 1t was he who managed
the villainy of the Florida Returning
Board and arranged with the scoundrels
who perpetrated it for their reward IN
appointments to Federal Offices by the
fraudulent President So offensive to
common decency were his methods in
that atrocious political crime and so
generally disreputable was his character
as q politician that when ex-President
Garfield appointed him Solicitor of the
Department of Justice the United States
Senate rejected the appointment with
the votes of the most prQminept Re-
publican Senators recorded in the mega
tive. And this is the mAn'who has be-
come the head of great department.
and who sits at the council board of .
President who pretends to execute the
law for reform Of the Civil Service.
Small wonder is it that the Republic
an ex-Congressman from Virginia
should find occasion to complain Of the
abuse of the Federal power in an inter-
ference in local elections by the Navy
Department, and still less surprising
that his complaint to the, unscrupulous
Secretary met with contempt and de-
rision. What else could have been ex-
pected of William E. Chandlcrp We
do not gather grapes from thorns nor
figs from thistles. Nor il Mr.. Chandler
at all concerned about public opinion.
He is Q statesman of the pachyderma-
tous order, whose sensibilities could not
be touched with q whip Of scorpions.
He triumphs in iniquity and glories in
shame. For, what is political honesty
to him since he attained his present sta
ton in spite of the opposition Of those
who believe in public as wen as private
integrity. H
But while Mr.. Chandler, not having
any character to lose. may despise crit
icism and defy his critics, the case Is
somewhat different with President Ar
thur. 1t is true that the latter was edu-
Gated in the political school which holds
the end to justify the means, and that
ON q notable occasion he expressed his
admiration of the sovereign qualities Of
''soap'' as a proselyting agent, but he
has lately affected amuch higher stand
ard and has even manifested Q purpose
to make what his fatterers style "a
clean Administration" The retention
of Chandler in his Cabinet, after the
Dezendorf exposure, cannot, however,
be made to consist with the high pur-
poses attributed to the President. Mr..
Chambers department has confessedly
violated the very fundamental princi-
pies of Civil-service Reform by corrupt
" interfering in the local elections in
Virginia. Nay, it is charged by
Mr.. Dezeudorf that both the Sec
rotary of the Navy and the Pres
ident are committed to the support
of Senator Malone by arrangement. -
and that arrangement In the Ian.
guage of that pronounced Republican
journal, the New York Times, s.has
been accompanied by practices on Mr..
Mahone's part which If persisted in aft
er the 10th of last January entitled that
gentleman to a conspicuous and reason.
ably permanent position in the peniten-
tiary.n Doubtless the criminal prsc.
tees of Malone are entirely agreeable
to Mr.. Chandler, who is quite proud Of
his own political crimes, but the sensi
tive and high-minded Arthur, who has
but recently discarded sssoap' as e pc.
litical agent and like FalstaR resolved
to s'eschew sack and live cleanly,". car
hardly afford to be longer associated in
an arrangement" with a criminal
whom the principal organ of the Re
publican party condemns to . felon''
cell. In fact it is plain that the Presi-
dent must speedily choose between hil
reform principles and William E. Chan
der. One or the other must go.-Har'
risbtrg (Pa.) Patriot.