National Republican., 1883-03-02
PARADOXICAL DORMAN B.
A Curious Criticism Of Mr.. Eaton as Civil
Service RefOrmer
His Article on 1.-The Spoils System "
Resuuected and Considered.
lis Implied Charge Of Assassination as a Factor in
American Politics.
A Question as 20 How lie Could Consist
emily Accept n Public Position.
TdHc Editor.

author of the Pendleton civil service reform
bill, as chief of the civil service commission
recalls n characteristic and notable article by
that distinguished reformer in the Princeton
RcrieU of September, 1881, entitled "Assassna-
tion and the spoils System" In that article
the admirable Dorman B. assails both the
living and the dead. calumnious arraign-
ment unfounded, gratuitous, and malignant,
of the most illustrious men of the country
of men celebrated for their genius, for their
patriotism, and long and brilliant public SER
vicoi-was no doubt necessary to tho success of
the civil service reform agitation, and con
sequcntly the puritanical DOrman b. gave full
scope TO his inventive faculties. lie bandly
declares:
The revenge and the wild rush for ONCE which
SaCkson's introduction Of the spoils system had
aroused were pregnant enough Of dtnger when
his alta k upon the national bank III, soon after
distorted into national crime by reckless parti.
sans 10y such rs Henry Clay, Daniel Webster,
John G, Calhoun, John NJ. Clayton, John O.
Adams, &C. all men distinguished for their great
abilities us Statesmen, for their patriotism ana
public soryicel aggravated tnat excitement into
frenzy more intense aud lnMles, than tue country
had ever seen before. Hate, inprtcations, and
bloody threats filed the air. II was tOO much for
il.Lalanced, eNciabo minds.
From Dormau B. Eaton that is an extraor-
dinary statement DOrmans grand role,
that which has enabled him to override the
constitution and trample upon common sense
and all experience in the practical affairs of
the government, is that of hostility TO and de-
nunCiation of the sO-called "spOils system !"
but here, in the above statement, Dorman ar
raigns as RECKLESS partisans" the most illustri-
Gus men of the century for cnacting precisely
the same role-that of hostility TO and de-
nunciation of the "spoils system" because
Jackson's raid upon the bank of the United
States there was no such bank as the "na-
tional bank was primarily in pursuit of
the "spoils," yclepcd in the party parlance Of
the day the fiscal patronage" of the govern
ment. Is our learned pundit," our admira-
BILE Dorman b. Eaton, really obliyious Of the
facts? Or is the above only q characteristic
piece of reckless reform partisanship merely
an ingenious reform invention to secure the
following happy and just corollary;
on the SOth January, 1885, us President Jackson
with two Of his secretaries, was passing ron the
roluudO TO the eastern pOrtco of the capital, RiCh-
ard Lawrence levelled a pistol At his heart, Of
use the pistol in his other hand the assissiu's arm
was seized Fearful q xcitement and wild camor
swelled over the land. CPage2)
The facts are, the two pistols were success
sively aimed at jackson, the caps on both
were exploded, and the wonder was that both
pistols were not fired and jackson slain.
Now, if DOrman BIS medley of words in
the paragraphs quoted above has any mean
ing, it constitutes n heavy dcnunCiation of the
agitation for civil service reform. Webster
and Clay notoriously arraigncd Jackson for
his introduction of the so-callod "spoils sys-
tem," for his system of appointments upon
the principle that "to the victors belong the
spoils," for his raid upon the bank of the
United States, because among other things it re-
fused to prostitute its officers to party purposes
and upon the fall of the bank for farming out
the government revenues to the pet banks 1"
us the " fiscal patronage" of the party. For
hot ln ,t.nln nh yyhi irh bo hoa I'd
last succeeded in fastening himself upon the
revenues of the people, our Derman denOunces
Clay and Webster rs reckless partisans," as
"distorting the spoils system into national
crime as thus exciting in the country "a
frenzy more intense and lawless" " than it had
ever seen before, and filling the air with "hate,
imprecations, and bloody threats" which
finally eliminated in Lawrence's attempted
assassination of the president What! Web.
ster and Clay RECKLESS partsansw Webster
and Clay instigators of assassination!
And now follow some "curious analogies,"
without a rival in invention and brazen false
statements, pretended parallels between the
incidents attending the crimes Of Lawrence
aud Guiteau, to show that, as Webster and
Clay were begottOrs Of partisan strife and hate
and instgatOrs Of assassination, SO also was
President Arthur The sapient and Just Dor
man B, Eaton says:
There ure curious analogies between The cases
longyd 10 the army Of spuils-aeeRilg idurs who
lounge about the national capital, claiming tO be
out oi Ssmplnym ni ana I'M mportuning the govern.
expressly Tor me arsuss nation. Both repeal edly
prUcleGu at targets 10 make sure of "A deadly aim.
As Guitcau onte, when ready, iOrbOrG to slout
lest Alrs, GaTtUd mgIt be excited 50 Lawrence
once iurJOrc 10 shuUt ct funeral nigh be dis.
turDed. Each after The deed was puualI, com.
posed and without regret or tear of punishment
Each alike claimed 10 be patriot acting for the
good Of his country, Lawrence's hope uf prot, O.
uon "as IN the II tiOnHl bank and It's supporters
Us mat Of Cult Hu wa IN the sHwart faction and
its chivltain (AuhuD. Lawrence dt Clarud that
his act would mike Clay, Weus,eT, or Calhoun
president, rs GuiIcHu declared his would make
Arhur president.
Now, let us aualyzc and review this pre-.
cious set Of "CurlOus analOgies," and ascer-
tam their character in an inquiry after the
facts. Both assassins?' Was Lawrence an
assassin either technically or in fact? True
he attempted to shoot jackson, but failed
Was he therefore, an assassn2 What said
the verdict of the jury which tried Lawrence
for an assault with intent TO kill?' mot
guilty, he lLawrencc) having been under the
influence of insanity ut the time he commit
ted the act" Nor was there II doubt Of the
fact. The witnesses, the court, the physicians
and the jury all declared that Lawrence was
insane. Was Guittau?
Again, Dorman b. truthful and "curious
analOgies" have il that both assassins be-
longed to the army of spOils.seeking idlers
VINO lounge ABOUT lhS national Capltal, Claln-
ing to be out Of employment, aud impoftun.
ing the government for fayors." But was
Lawrence "spoils-seeking idler2" Did
Lawrence ever "importune" the government
for tavors-for place, or ever complain that ii
had rejected his impOrtunitesY If SO, for
what placer Where will be found his COM
plaints2 Where word in proof Of DOrman
BIS curious aDalogies2" Does not Eaton
know that Lawrence was not even poll
tician, IN the ordinary aCceptauOn of that
termI That Lawrence was never known
to talk politics with any one?
Let us ascertain the facts. i have before
me the report OF LaWrence's trial-all the
facts in his case from q nIlnber Of sources.
LawrcnCes grievance was not disappOint-
ment in the pursuit Of Oilic., but that he was
deirauded Of his birthrght, his crown, aud
revenue. In his demented fancy he was
king Of Great Britain and the United
States lie Was Richard Ill" His "by
birth and descent were the sword and
purse" and Jackson, whom he regarded as
merely his Clerk" his servant" and the
bank, withheld them from him. Hence, in
the exercise Of " the power Of the sword" a
prer0gatiye of his crown, Lawrence deter
mined TO remove" him. Here, truly, is q
most curious analogy"
Again, "Dorman's aualogies" have IL that
both Lawrence and Guiteau bought pistols of
large caliber expressly for the assassination.
Both repeatedly practiced at targets to make
sure Of a deadly aim" But did Lawrence 2
lie bought no pistol of any caliber expressly
for the assassination. His father, ton or
twelve years betOre,p upon dying, left Law
renee pair OF pistols. They were badly