The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1885-12-17
THE MESSAGE.
Communicated

We have waited patiently for the
Presidents message to Congress,
hoping that he would redeem himself
in the eyes of all men everywhere,
by washing his hands Of wumpism
and mugism, and by rising to the
height and measure of full grown
statesman. But We were doomed
20 sad disappointment.
On all minor questions upon which
he had been fully informed and posted
by the reports Of his Secretaries, he
takes a manly, dignifed position.
And in the outset we will say thatwe
must heartily approve OF all he says
so far as he went on all except the
Tariff. Silver, and Civil Service re-
form questions. We were in hopes
he would make many suggestions and
point out many ways by which the
government could be administered
on less money and the burdens of the
people made lighter. But in his judy
ment other things demanded all his
| time and attention such as increas-
ing the salaries Of his three unconsti-
tutional civil service bed-f.llows and
wumplsh pets and increasing the
Fsaiaries and outfits of our Ministers
Consuls etc, useless appendage
to Republican form of governs
ment in these days OF civilization,
railroad and teleg ;aphs and cable
graphs, in foreign lands.
Upon the Tariff question, one of
the great issues of the day.. he strad~
dies the fence, and is making desper-
ate effort to walk arm-clctched with
both Sam Randall and John G. Ca
isle as though he possessed the mi
raculous power of causing oil and
water 10 mix. :,
Upon the civil service question he
goes into spasms, and doesn't think
this grand Republic and gloricrs
county of ours, the home and bi:ih
place Of Jefferson, Madison, Jackson
Hendricks and a thousand other
such grand types Of American man.
hood and American democracy, could
possibly stand the strain of another
general election without going to
pieces, without the aid of the civil
service law and his adm;nistl alton.
In other words he and his mugwumps
have saved the COVE ament from dis
solution a:1d chaos, am, il there is no
weakening along the line of wumpish-
ness (of which he assures us there
will be none)will hand it over to the
next generation thorot .,Lly nor
American with all the occupants
Of the Offices III for life or good be-
havior.
AS to the silver question, he att
tempted to tim and split hairs
between the DemoC ate pay and
the Republican party. He also
tried 20 run between the gold men
and the silver men with a decided
lncl'ning to the yellow jackets.
He evidently showed IL
tie hankering after the silver ,
Kings of the West, but the gold
;ings Of the East succeeding in
pulling him on the,r side of the
ence. five could, IN jus zee to can
1or, we would hur-ah for the great
nan in Che White House. But at
ieart we do not endorse our Presi-
lent in AL his cape.;ngs, and must 4.
)e allowed to dissent. -.
From reading his messsceJ
Is whole, we cannot tell whether
t is democratic or republican r
document.
He certainly attempted to create
he impression that he Stood far
Sbove partisan influence and parti- Z
an COntlOl.
Andjus here we would say where
he common good of the cOun,ry
7as at S; AXE, he ought to stand lar
boz e pa 'tisan influence.
He evidently has studied neitherI
he Tariff nor Silver question. !
'ecau5e his message is as silent
3 the tomb on the 1elatiOns ,,
1 silver and gold to the va'ue 7
f property and labo-. He doesI
OF comprehend one 1act that ought O,
yer to be remembered that any :
uctation in the value of eltherl
old or silver, VIII always throw e,
he labor and comm cree of the O.
Dun,ry in a state of cfaos and con. m
lsiOn. p'
However, in spite of the Presi> a
emf. the cOun " j. safe. The =
arIf retOrlners AMI silver kings Of =,