New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-20
MACyEAGH ON ARTHUR
POINTS FOR AN ADDRESS BY MR.. BRlsTo"


LETTER.
puu .pp1pgIA. MAY 19--7Re Times OF to-morro"
Gill contain the following open letter from exA''oi-
nov General MacVeagn to ex-Secretary DrlsloW on
Arthur as a Presidential candidate:
ANY DEAR SIR: notice that you are announced
N address meeting tomorrow night IN NeW-lo'A
in support of the proposition that the poiluca g"
reer of Chester A. Arthur makes ms elevation "
the Presidency by the votes of his follow w-c'Mon'
more desirable than that for instance OF oen"'oi
Fdmunds or Senator Sherman, or any other vi o''i
eminent publc men whose names are Hequ0nV'S
uscd in connection with that great once. AS ~"
extor,ed my admiration and support, ana MI A'
thurs contemptuons hostility, eight years ago ny
your efforts to bring the guilty IN high piaces "
nunisbment. | am sorry to find myself differing so
radically from you as to the present duy ol iio"
who care for higher aud purer public life but my
warm personal regard for you makes me deshous
that your speech should be a good speech, even III
had cause | venture therefore, to offer you a le"
suggestions At the threshold ought to warn you
that while nobody enves Mr. Arthur the great
prze as far beyond his expectations as MS uesoI'S,
which he drew in the lottery OF ASSASSINATION 9c'
nobody has fOrgo ten the pregnant iacV tnaV uul
zoo, ,yos the or,gnal Arthur man, that he killed
President Garfield expressly 10 make MT arthur
President and that he did make him PRESIDENT oy
that act for nearly four years Now, IN view OF ths
awful tragedy and its results, 1t has always Seceo
TO good many people, outside OF wan oVrce'' VI
course that proper sense of decency ana Vi '"o
fitness of things would have led PRESIDENT Arthur
and his friends TO see that his was to he
satisfied with the one term thus secured 10 MN
and not TO challenge his countrymen to review his
poltical career and to express their opinion OF IT..
AS however YOU propose TO hold up that career as
worthy of especial honor, and even of the highest
Office in the gift of the people in preference LOT eX
ample to the political career of Senator Edmuhus
or of Senator Sherman, will gladly help you 10 a
Few points in the line of your argument
The MACHINE IN NEwYORK.
al assume that your first words of eulogy will be
devoted TO what is your candidates chlef pOlltcal
achievement and up N which his admirers nave al
WAYS rested his ttleto fame-the building up ana
MANAGING Of tie Republican machine of the City
Of New-York-a machine the latest triumph Oh
which at Albany causes the hearts of all true pa
riots to throb with JOY for the defeat Of Mr. Koose
welt leaves Mr. O'Bren at liberty to continue those
deal with corrupt Democratic politicians which
gave NJ Arthur his first renOwn as practical
statesman As the merits of this wonderful mechdh-
ism are not generally appreciated as they deserve
YOU would do well to explain them IN some detail
and Won can triumphantly ask what machine dld
Senator Edmunds or Senator Sherman ever set up
or boss Then YOU will naturally pass, with glow
In, words of nraise to the noble attitude Mr. Ar
thur maintained toward the civil service orders OF
President Hayes-defying both the PRESIDENT ana
the Secretary of the Treasury and refusing either 10
obey their orders or to resign hls ONCE. You VIII
no doubt introduce cOpious extracts from the COM
mission which investigated Mr.. Arthur's admins
tration of the Custom House and found 1t worthy
Of snch high commendation. and a rebuke could be
neatly administered at this point to Mr. Roosevelt,
tLe SON bv reminding your audience how his nom
ored father was rejected with contumeiy as Col
lector of the Port. in order to keep Mr. Arthur III
that ipporan Office in spite of the expressed opn-
ion Of both his superior officers that he was an
unworthy official and deserved to be turned ont.
You will next prai- C him for the prominent part
be acted in the effort in 1850 to Stihe by packed
conventions and the unit rule the voice OF large
majority of the Republican party against third
term for anybody, and particularly for one whose
second term had been as unsatisfactory as that Of
General Grant. You may, however feel some per
sonal delicdcy in dwelling upon this part of your
f,vorte's career and if 50 you easily blame MI
Coukllng for it and represent Mr.. Arthur as re-
former in disguise. If at this portion OF your adj
dress you wish materials for pathetic and thrilling
picture You will readily find them IN some OF the
well-known incidents of the Chicago Convention
four years ago. You can tell how everybody was
determined that Mr.. Ionkling must be placate4
AT any cost and how everybody begged
INN not TO force Mr. Arthur upon the convention,
and how Mr. COnkhng refused to consiler any
other name, and by his cmvalric devotion 10 ms
friend compelled his nomination for the Nlce-IleS-
idency But would not, If in your place, weary
tLe audience by the details of the grateful return
Mir. Arthur has made fOr this devotion.
AR1HUR's ONLY sPE-cH.
After all, you must reserve your highest nlght
of eloouence for an adequate description Of that oc-
,Io4o 4 ,lovo mo-
bility of soul and made his only recorded public
speech. Ineed not say allude to the Dorsey ban
ouet at Delmonicos IN February, 1881. Refresh
yourmemory If necessary by reading The Nation of
about that date and an extract OF two from It's files
Of that period would be interesting reading for
your hearers. Mr. Arthur's words upon that oc-
casion deserve to be written on the palms OF the
hands and worn as frOnt,et between the eyes by
every signer of the call for your ectnglf for 10
other reason-for their praise Of the free use of
soap You can tell your audience, with
out fear of successful contradiction that
II was the first and last occasion in
our history when one man publicly praised another
for b,ibnC voters Mr. Arthur's part in the rcSig
nations of Nr. COnkling and Mr. Patt, and his con-
duet at Albany until summoned to Washington by
the sound Of Guteaus pistol, perhaps you Dad pGt,
ter touch lightly. There are some sentimental
Republicans IN this state. as wei as in Nc"-lOrK
aud Ohio who don't quite enjoy those "reminiscences,
and would not advise you 10 tOdwcIl 700 lOhglupOh
lnat mad riot of calumny and defamation of the
dead Garfield in which for many months the most
Intimate friends and associates OF Mr. Arthur in
duged, without any signs OF dlsapprONai Dy nm,
and in the cases of Mr. Gorham. Mr.. HattOn and
Mr. Hastings, with abundant signs Of approval.
You will Of course, admit that when Gultean pro-
NOTED him TO the Presidency Mr. Arthur was proud
10 be known as an enthusiastic supporter of the
boss system, the 'spois' system, third term
for General Grant and the unit RUE ne wSS ancH
fifty years of age and your task is TO persuade any
body YOU can that his deire fora second term has et-
fected complete change III the methods, standards
an habits OF his whole life.
You will offer the appointment of Mr. Chandler
T. the Cabinet one proof Of this change, ana the
stab dealt General Burt because of his services 10
loA..r Ill.rl