National Republican., 1885-03-06

Ono very prominent feature of tho past
few days has beon the amiable good ma
ture with which the change of admins.
tration has been received. Republicans
of the most Incorporating faith have
choerfully assisted in giving Mr.. Clovo.
land good seud.oH, and manifested at
all points a hearty disposition to look
for good results from him, aud TO with
hold all adverse criticism and prognosti-
cation in advance OF definite action that
would bo in opposition to thoir views
Democrats have quite naturally been
hilarious over such an occurrence as the
accession Of their party to power, and
have not been sparing in their manifesto
tlons Of delight.
Butthcre is radical difference In the re.
spect i've position of the two parties. The
republicans expect nothing from the new
order of things and consequently have no
disappointments to look forward to. But
democrats find their rejoicing already al
laycd bya visible admixture Of doubt
aud apprehension. 1t was quito notice
( able that when the President Of their
election delivered his inaugural in the
presence Of an audience beyond accurate
computation one portion thereof failed to
draw forth tho exultant cheers that
greeted its other periods And that por-
tion touched unpleAsantly upon the sub
iect that lies closest to the democratic
heart just now, tho all-ongrossing topic Of
tho offices.
ITO the visitor belongs the spoils" is a
doctrine In which the rank and file Of
democracy, with very few exceptions,
has an abiding faith. Its stead fast workers
are here in force, and thoy nro here for
the purpose of securing possession of the
offices that in their oyes constitute their
legitimate spoils. They have fddled and
fcastod and drank for few days, and are
| now ready to attend to business. But
already comes up the disquieting ghost of
the now.faugled doctrine Of civil service
reform, aud tho strong possibility that
Mr.. Cleveland Is really an honest believer
in its application just now. No approving
democratic shout rent the air whom the
civil service section OF the Presidents in
| augural was read. Tho painful silence
that prevailed at that moment has not
been broken yet so far as any democrat is
concerned. In their souls ono and all
they arc awaiting in hushed expectancy
to soc if he was really in earnest, and if
after all great army Of republicans are
to continue in their pres ent positions for
no better reason than that they are honest,
diligent, capable, and conscientiously
faithful in the discharge of their obliga.
| tions to the government.
1t is plain enough that If Mr.. Cleve-
land was in earnest several thousand very
comfortable salaries will continue to bo
drawn in the departments by republicans
and per consequence great many thou
sand democrats who hunger and THIRST
! for those salaries with hunger and
thirst beyond expression will also be too
mad for adequate expression. 1t was bo-
cause the shadow of such o possibility lay
over their enthusiasm that democrats
could not cheer Mr.. Cleveland's civil SER
vico declarations, and it is for tho same
reason that democracy will for tn o pres
ent maintain silence that may change
shortly to an angry roar of protest and
denunciation.