The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-18
MR.. WHITTIER,S LETTER.

some sort, could have written such "bloody-
shirt" letter as that which the poet of Ames-
bury sent to the Essex Club, of Boston, and
which was printed in yesterdays Journal.
MIR. Whittier, clear-headed, purehearted,
fine-spirited man and poet that he is, has the
audacity to say that the mission of the Repub
lican party is not ended and will not be
until number of needful reforms are
brought about, among them one which
shall give ''all men, North and South,
the free and full enjoyment of
civil rights and privileges, irrespective of color
or former condition" Such a ribald 'Tbloody-
shirt sentiment as this is absolutely appal-
ling coming from anybody but "a machine
politician, and we call upon the noble mug
wump press, whose business it is to pronounce
the mission of the Republican party ended,
and to fly to pieces whenever the question of
the equal rights of men before the law is
mentioned, to unlimber their heaviest bat
teries and fire upon Mr.. Whittier forthwith.
But Mr.. Whittier's offense is even greater
than this. He actually has the audacity to lay
impious hands upon the mugwump tin god,
and to question the act Of President Cleve-
land, who "put his hands in his pockets for
electioneering purposes, and travels all the
way from Washington to Buffalo to give his
vote for spokesman and anti civil service
machine politician" The plain, honest, can
did old Quaker poet seems to think that this
might possibly be offensive partisanship;"
but, of course, every mugwump and spineless
sycophant knows that it was all right, be-
cause it was done by the greatest Performer
the world has ever known. Mr. Whittier
goes further still, and dares to mention that
as a member of the Republican party from
the outset, he is proud of the noble rec
ord of the party" This is absolute
and unqualified machine" Does not Mr.
Whittier know that the advanced think
ers," the noble army of independents, the
only men who have brains and conscience,
have decreed that it is rank heresy to refer to
the record of the Republican partyg Does he
not know that it is now the fashion for men
who were once Republicans to decry apSlAelittle
the achievements of the party in the pastY Does
he not know that the "war is ended" and
that now we must needs "cringe the pregnant
hinges of the knee to ex-confeder-
amazed at Mr.. Wh;ttier's simplicity. Instead of
talking about the ''record" of the Republican
party, the thing to do is to denounce the party
for all the possible venial faults that the power
full microscope of personal vanity and malice
can discover, and to show ones 'independ-
ence" by an exaltation Of the party and the
men against whom Republicans have been
compelled to fight for a quarter of q century
for the preservation OF the very life and es-
sence of the government Ii Mr..
Whittier had cared to pose himself
as "a progressive man" he should
have filled his letter with denunciations of
John Sherman, and Senator Logan, and Sen
ator Hoar, coupled with fne-spun theories as
to the adjustment of duties on imported
chrysanthemum bulbs and the best manner of
selecting a weigher in the New York custom
house, matter, we are told by the ex-
listing and dominant school of political doc
tors, to be the most important event that has
occurred since the Declaration of Independ-
ence was issued. But, forgetting these
highly important things, upon which
the fate of the Nation hangs, according to the
statements of the 'broad men" now con-
Quoting affairs, Mr.. Whittier drivels along
about such cheap and tawdry sentiments as
the rights of labor, the necessity of universal
education, the equal rights of men North and
South, and the blending of sectionalism into
a harmonious nationality. These 'issues,"
Mr.. Whittier should know, are now taboo;
the only things worthy the consideration of
men and the study of statesmen are the gi-
gantic problems of whether the duty on
Peruvian bark shall be retained, and what
lists of questions shall be asked by three old
grannies and toadies, like Dorman B. Eaton,
to class of possible applicants for an eight
hundred dollar clerkship.
The Journal by no means desires to cast
ridicule upon efforts to improve the details of
the methods of administration. All the pro
posed and current reforms in these methods
are important. We believe in tariff reform
and in the reform of the civil service, fully
and heartily; but we are sick and tired of the
cant that would elevate these sub
sidiary matters into the chief place, and
give the go-by to vital and fundamental
principles upon which the life and perpetuity