Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-09-05

] fitted for anything else. There is single
instance of a page becoming Senator-a
Senator from Maryland who was once a
page in that Senate chamber. Will there
ever be another? But the question is, how
are these places generally regarded? By
some persons they may be despised, even as
the titles profered by royalty are some
times, hut very seldom, declined. But gen.
orally are not these offices viewed as privi-
legged places, easy places, eagerly, and anx.
iol,~Iy, and persstently sought and fought
! for even by young men, and old ones, too,
who could really do much better and more
repulably outside? $50 much to get and
80 little TO do" as the valet clinging to his
place, saws in the play. If this be so, then
the favored incumbents of these places con-
Stitute Il privileged class TO all lntents and
purposes just to the extent OF their tenure,
and thus we have a third privileged class in
our rcpublic--the army and navy, with their
schools ut West Point and Annapolis con-
shutting the first and second.
But we are told "even if there are changes
in office under Blaine, they will be chiefly,
possibly be as numerous as if democratic
! President should lead his hordes of demo-
cratic outside barbarans' into the national
cauilal-hordes who for quarter of centu-
~ have been starving on the political husks,
and mo man gave unto them" even the
crumbs that fell from republican tables
Well, there is certainly something in this,
although it will not be denied that Mosby,
Malone, and Longstreet, and the like, have
managed somehow to pick up few crumbs
for themselves over their rebel" brothers
and sisters, and at the expense, it is said,
of some rather more loyal" people during
the war; But the proposition in question
makes one or two rather noticeable admis-
sons at any rate, one, that the number ofdem-
ocrats now blessed with office is somewhat
! limited, and that they are the fellows to
go, if any body; the other that the Outside
harbarians" have not for nearly lifetime
had chance to get into the many man
sions' thus held so long by adverse pos.
session, and have no right TO get in now
| No doubt the democrats in office, if such
there be, would be likely to be the irst to
give place TO the republican friends of MIR.
| Blaine and his cohorts, and would not the
grand old party say "amen?' lac Tictis!
And nobody would perhaps wall much
except the few democrats who had been
''eaiing the republican children's bread!"
!ut reverse the picture, aud Cleveland and
bis barbarans should march in, would not
the waiiing be like that of Rachel who re-
fused to be comforted? The numbers of re.
puh;cans being so much in excess if pre-
cisely the same thing mutatis motandis,
took place? All it makes all the difference
in the world whose OK gets gored, and yet,
in cold logic ought the gander not be fla.
yorcd with the same sauce as the goose?
But, jrinia tucie and comparing man with
man. regardless Of all else, which of the
two presidential candidates would seem
most likely TO seek the distinction of a bold,
dashing Jacksonian administration with all
which that term implies? Blaine is man OF
imposing abilities, boundless ambition,
much popularity, ripe experience, great po-
liticaI aagacily, hosts of close friends and
| Of course, hosts of bitter foes. He has been
part aud parcel of all the political stripes of
nearly thirty years, and yet he IS the only
man since the day Of Harry Of the West"
of blessed memory to all old whigs) deemed
by his friends worthy to bear on his crest
that snowy plume of Navarro with which |
the gallant kentuckian, the great com.
moncr," the father Of the American sys- |
tenn forty years ago led his devoted hosts |
into the conflict, and, very unlike, indeed
is he to that elder "plumed knight" if he |
does not at heart religiously believe in re-
war'ling his friends and furnishing his foes,
IaCilOHai OF ijaTliSau W lIe very utmost |
extent of his ability.
And Cleveland we'll, his biography |
has the merit of brevity if nothing else |
lie is not so old as his competitor |
nor so snowy, nor so worldly. wise, nor as
experienced nor apparently as ambitious,
nor rs widely known, and of course not as !
personally popular or unpopular, and with !
fewer personal friends, and with fewer per-
sonal foes. He is u new man almost entire
y, too young to have taken any active part
il the great events Of the last thirty wears.
thus winning praise and insuring blame,
and Thus having few old friends to elevate
and few old foes to crush. If anything at
all he is truly and honestly "reformer,n
and, tc reform, all that he has been, is, or is |
TO be is pledged and if he rides any hobby
civil service" is its name. "But he will be
in the hands Of his cabinet, and that will
he democratic, and may be proscriptive." |
And has he been in the hands of his party,
the slave of his party as sheriff, Mayor of |
Buffalo, or Governor Of the State of New
York? Had he been so, he would have
had fewer foes of his own political house.
hold, and probably fewer friends outside.
No, he is a bold man. that is certain, and .
terribly obstinate man as bold as Blaine
and good deal less crafty and polite and
u may ne held as equally certain, that,
whichever of these two remarkable men
gets into the White House, he will be mas
ter Of it. Another certain thing of these
men is, neither of them protends to be
saint; and little good would it do either of
them if he did 80 pretend; whilst all histo.
rs proves that little harm among the voting
masses will result to either Of them for all
the scandals attached falsely or truly to
their names. This NAV be sad truth but |
truth it is nevertheless Now view these
two men and say which Of them as Presi-
dent would be the more likely to make
things lively in the departments at Wash
ington after the 18th of March, 1855.
OLD LINE WING.
Falls Church, Sept. 3.