Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-04-16
ANOTHER RIcHMoyDTyT THE Field


Before the new Postmaster General had
time to getto Washington after his ap-
pointment, before he could take the oath
of Office or make the acquaintance of his
subordinates, his name was handed about
as a presidential possibility. He was
hailed as the new savior of the sin-sick
Republican party. A most wonderful
man, with all the graces, great and small,
that are ever found beneath a seven-and-a-
quarter hat. His appointment to the
cabinet is spoken Of as a most masterfuI
selection. The words are put into the
mouth of John G. New that
Gresham was appointed as a recognition
of the services and importance of the
Republican party in Indiana. "Such rec
ignition" Mr.. New is quoted as say
ing, "was due the party in this state for
the work done in the campaign of $780,"
This can only mean that if Mr. Gresham
had not been on earth in 1880, the state
could not have been carried for Garfield
and Arthur. No longer ago than February
IL, 1881, however, Mr.. Arthur himself at
the Dorsey dinner, placed the credit of that
transaction elsewhere, and took great
pains to attribute to Mr..
Dorsey himself the achievement
(soap?) without which Hancock and
English would have been elected instead
of Garfield and Arthur. Gresham was
then unknown. His name was never men
toned. Now he is held up as the great
power which saved the Republican party
from bad smash up, though the truth is,
no man in the country did less than the
new Postmaster General, whose sole con-
tribution to the result was, that late on the
afternoon of election day he voted the Re-
publican ticket. The fact about him is
that he was so MUCK of Grant man that he
sulked in his tent, or in other words, shell
tered himself behind his judicial position
to keep out of the fray.
But like Rip Van Wrinkles last drink.
this don't count now, especially as
the administration has fallen into
stalwart hands. 1t is both amusing and
painful to witness the alacrity with which
obelsance is made to the alleged rising
sun. Amusing, to hear the stock praises of
the man ''who has all the peculiar quail
ties needed for popular candidate for
the presidency" who is Gin the prime of
life" man of marked ability" whose
character is manly" whose ambition is
honorable who was "a gallant soldier in
the late civil war;" whose "hands are
clean of robbery;" and, lastly, she has had
no part in the strifes that disturbed the late
administration, and which were inherited
by the present one"
In this diagnosis of the new presiden-
tial discovery there are things said that
are painful, and especially it CRATES harsh
ly to hear his admirers say that ''his hands
are clean of robbery" which implies that
all The other gentlemen whom Republicans
see fit to name in connection with the
presidential nomination of that party
Edmunds, Logan, Sherman, Ben. Harri-
son, Robert Lincoln, Allison, and even
President Arthur, are robbers" All of
these men have friends and it is rather i'm
polite, not to say indecent, for the new
conner to assail them in this disgraceful
manner. Mr.. Gresham has never been in
congress, it is true, and he has no record of
ever having "turned short corners" as
Senator Morton felicitously characterized
doubtful votes and ugly, embarrassing atti-
tudes in which public men are sometimes
discovered. But why need all the states
men of the Republican party be assaiIed
to show that Gresham is the only pure |
creature in the organization. Indeed one
cannot repress a sentiment of sympathy |
under such circumstances, whether inter-
ested or not in the fame and political |
fortune of the individuals set aside.
The weak opinion was advanced when
Gresham's appointment wss first an
nounced that he would accept the position