The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-05-28

that impression, was dissatisfac-
ton created in the ranks Of the party that
nominated him, and under whose auspices
he was elected. At first subdued muir
murs were heard then more outspoken
protests and finally a threatened revolt,
that if the s'spois system" was not
adopted and the .victors'' given their re-
ward, there would be a reyulsion all along
the line. Here was the law and the
pledges of the President on one side and
the clamors Of party adherents on the 9TH
er. To persist in the one policy was to
invite hostility from the supporters of the
other, and between the two there was very
little middle ground to occupy. The pres
sure upon the President and his Cabinet
became terrific. The Executive Mansion
and the Departments were besieged at all
hours of the day. The ''hungry and thirs-
ty' gathered in columns and divisions,
and with a voracity and tenacity with
out a parallel, urged their claims and de-
mandedther rights" This tension could
not last forever. Presidents and Cabinet Of
licers are made of flesh and blood like other
people. and by degrees they began to yield
to the pressure, until now it is generally
understood the ''victors' will revel in the
''spoils. " at least to the extent of the limit
of the favors to be dispensed.
The opportunity was represented, howev-
er, to institute salutary departure, look
ing to the great mass of the people for
support, and not to the rings and con-
claves which thrive about the court
houses. Had the President adhered to the
spirit and thought Of his first declarations,
he would have crystalized power which
would have grown to such formidable pro-
portions and irresistible force, during his
term of office, that it would have been
strong enough to have awed into submits
sion the mercenary elements Of both po-
litical parties, and made him master Of
the situation upon his own terms and con-
ditions. 1t would have required fortitude
and steady courage to have done so, but
self-poised and self-reliant, and appealing
to the conservative sentiment and patriot
ic impulses of the people, he would
have succeeded and maintained an admin
istration that would have stood out for all
time as the exemplifcation, of the broad
est and most exalted craftsmanship.
Instead of this, however, the tendencies
all point to the old fashioned Democratic
policy Of to the ''victors belong the spells.
! Party lines are to be strictly drawn, from
present appearances. The Republicans
will be forced to the defensive and pro-
voked to the use of all the power they can
command to maintain their rights and re-
sist fragrant aggression. Those who are
in position to act will judge of the suffi-
cheney Of the alleged causes for breaking
the contract Of commission, and to
this they viii be compelled by their duty
to the Jaw. as we'll as the obligations they
owe to themselves and the party they rep
resent.
The perpleXities have only commenced.
Those which are to come will be far more
serious than those present. While it is to
be regretted, the conflict now seems to be
inevitable, and when it does come it will
array parties in fiercer antagonism than
the country has witnessed since the mem
orable days of Andrew johnson. And it
will be all due to the opportunities and
clamors of the most pestiferous class of
politicians who consider Office the chief
end of man and the spoils of office the one
thing needful for present and future sal
walton. The great mass of the people
have no sympathy with the extremes of
ring managers, and would rejoice to see
rebuked the little lotteries who pose them
selves on the curb-stones and street-cor-
ners, magnifying their services to the par
ty and boasting of their influence in run
nng the machine. These, too frequently
are the false guides which lure par
ties upon reefs and breakers, and precipi-
tate them to defeat and disaster. The
popular conscience sooner or later re-
volts against them and seeks relief from
their insolence and presumption by turn
ing taeir backs upon the party they speak
for