National Republican., 1885-03-26

In the discharge of the very onerous
duties of his high office the President
will naturally and inevitably be brought
into contact with the "Mugwumps." So,
also, will tho several statesmen, both pro.
fessionals and amateurs, whom he has
selected as constitutional advisers. For
their information and to crafty the
curiosity Of many OF their political
brethren The REPUBLICAN consents to
part with store Of valuable information
gathered by patient research.
Judging by many incidents Of the late
campaign the naturalist, if called upon to
classify the "Mugwump," would AT once
sot 1t down as "retromingent." and a
hasty or young naturalist might cause 1t
to bo classed in tho genus mephHis family
feiis. But the older student of animal
life would not fall into this latter mis-
take. Mono of the members of the family
feiis prey upon their own young; 1t is
pachyderms that do this, aud this fact
settles tho classification Of the "Mug.
wump."
Animals of this species are not as rulo
dangerous. The old male in state of
nature sometimes becomes so, and there
is limited number of species growing
wild in Texas which are said to be OK
ceedingly ferocious, but the tame Mug
wump" is not dangerous animal.
Patient research into chronological his
tory has not yet definitely settled the
derivation of tho name. After an ex-
haustivo study of the animal in all its
shapes, and of the languages of all races
and nations, we arc inclined TO give the
word teutoniG origin. Wo find mug
gard" taken from tho German, means
20 sulky person." 80 grumble," and
''muggent," from the same source. mea us
20 species Of wild frcsh.watcr duck, 4"
while "fnuggy" means "a cloud of fog"
These words, coming from the German,
so accurately describe the "mugwump,"
and the fact that tho chief Of the order Of
/ "Mugwumps' is also German forces tho
belief that "mugwump" has been selected
| by some learned naturalist as the proper
name for tho animal lately discovered
and now known by that designation.
To be "sulky" and ito grumble" are
we'll known characteristics of tho mug
wump. That they are fresh water ducks"
of tho "wildost kind" no ono will deny,
when it is remembered that thoy were
Republicans who went to the Democratic
party to secure Reform. And that they
are in CLOUD of fog" now is patent to
every one.
We should accept this theory as TO the
origin of the word without question, but
for tho discovery lately made by distin.
guished naturalist Of the SOUTH who sayi
that after the tadpole loses its tail some.
time elapses before it becomes q frog, and
that in this transition state, when the
animal Is neither tadpole nor frog 1t is
known as 'mugwump." At any rate
we are certain that either our own, or the
theory of this naturalist is the correct one
Having classified tho animal, the next
question is, how to deal with it in poli,
tics, and this question must be speedily
settled, so far as we arc concerned. as il
is noticed that the political Mugwump.
have their snouts as far over tho fence
looking in the direction Of official pre-
feruent as thoy can be obtruded, ant
from the anxious appearance in theil
eyes, it is evident that they express, men
tally at least, the same wish as that mad,
by great lover OF eat dc pie, who saw
camelopard for the first time, and OK
claimed, Good Lord, if I only had necl
as long as that what a pleasure ther
would be in driuk Of whisky"