National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-06-04
How He Is Regarded I'm Garfcld's Old
Neighborhood.


President Arthur has been in office now
nearly three years. He came TO the place
under circumstances where success seemed
almost impossible circumstances so peculiar
that no would have not been dealt harshly
with by history had he made o complete
failure. He came into the presidency by tho
murder of president under whose brief ad :
ministration tho party which elected him
became hopelessly divided. lie inherited a
fight which was not of his making, and with
out the material for attack or defense which
the dead president had in his hands. There
was disorder so hopeless in tho republican
ranks that failure, and bad failure, seemed
inevitable, and TO add to the troubles that
beset him there were not lacking those un-
scrupulous enough to accuse him and his
friends Of being accessory to the murder of
Garfield, in tho interest of the faction of
which he was charged with being part
As desperate as was the situation he over.
came IL. He healed the feud which existed
in New York, he reunited tho warning fac
tions in that state to the satisfaction of BOTH
and without humiliating either, and he made
it possible for the republican party to carry
November. .... .......
So much as q partisan. As chief magis-
! trate his success has been even greater. Ho
has given the country an administration
which has been without spot or stain. Tho
country never had o purer, better govern
mont, so far as q presidential action could do
it. Plunderers have been unearthed and run
down, the finances have been closely watched
the foreign policy of the government has been
wise and dgnifed, and his recommendations
have been uniformly safe and progressive.
| His administration has been judicious from
first to last, and tho best business interests of
| the country are moro than satisfied with il.
| Ia Tn Ia raHt hat he hao lodi tha
! temptation to do anything in tho skyrocket
way, Most men under the circumstances
| would have attempted something brilliant
with which to dazzle the public, but with
patriotism, that thinking men should appre-
| ciate, he rested his claim for public approval
upon pure, clean administration of public
affairs. This Is not the least item to his
credit side.
1t should be also remembered that Presi-
| dent Arthur made his mark long before he
had Honorable" affixed 10 his name. When
1t was social and political death to be an anti
slavery man he was an incorporating one.
When apracticing lawyer he defended fugi-
tive slaves at q personal sacrifice, aud with
out fec or reward. After emancipation he
was the fret to insist upon the rights
| of the colored people of New York to equal
privileges with the whites chsmpioning
them upon the platform and In the courts.
In the interest of the party Of freedom and
|
always in the van, where more blows than
rewards were to be received, and through
| the whole Of an active life there has never
been a spot or stain attached to his namo.
| He was eminently man Of action, and was
always in the advance, and that at times
whom defeat meant destruction.
Faithful as q citizen, faithful rs partisan
faithful as President, wo submit that it is
the rankest possible injustice to treat him at
this time as though 1t were presumption for
his friends to urge him for the presidency.
We submit that In the advocacy Of tho claims
of Others the fight against him should be
made, not belittling his claims to the conf
dence OF the people, but by demonstrating
the superior fitness Of his competitors. This
| Is only Justice.
We do not say that the nomination OF
President Arthur is the best that can be
made. We do not say that he can poll more
votes than any other aspirant for the posi-
ton. If he cannot it would, in the present
condition of things, be criminal to nominate
him. Our republication is broad enough to
enable US to support Blaine, Edmunds, Sher-
man. Logan, Lincoln, or any one of the true
republicans who have been mentioned In con-
nection with tho high office. We want that
man nominated who is the most certain OF
success. But we protest against the methods
being used against the President 1t is bad
policy to permit preference for one aspirani
to put one In a position not to be able to give
hearty support to another, President Ar
thur will give the nominee of the Chicago
convention his hearty support, whoever he
may be. We shall need the support Of the
| friends of all tho candidates to elect the sue
cessful one, and it is bad policy to SO conduct
the preliminary campaign as to leave bad blood
to rankle after the real struggle begins. Al
| this particular time IL Is well to go very slow
| in the discussion Of candidates.