The Cecil Whig., 1885-05-23
AN AGED DEMOCRAT IN WASHINGTON.
What he Saw When Polk and Buchanan
were Presidents. and what he Sees Now.

From The Neag York San.
EDITOR OF THE SUN-.SW:: l am a
looker-on here, and have been for sew
eral days. | looked on here slightly
in the days of Polk, and a good deal
in the days of Pierce and Buchanan,
and | find the contrast in several re-
spects between those two Democratic
Administrations and this one very
marked. Under those Administrations
a Democrat felt himself quite at his
ease anywhere in the several depart
ments OF Government, conscious that
he was surrounded by Democrats and
friends. Now he knows that a large
majority of the offices here are filled
by Republicans, "the rascals" whose
vlllanies in office we're large part of
our stock in trade on the stump and
in the press during the late campaign,
when the necessity of turning them out
of office, to purify the Government and
to vindicate the rights of the people,
was urged as the chief motive to effort
on the part of Democrats. To all ap-
pearances, these ''rascals" feel quite
secure in their positions, and chuckle
over Democrats who need and would
like to get their places. Possession OF
office. therefore, now affords no evil
dence to the visiting Democrat, as of
old, that the incumbent is a friend, and
he walks as on eggs. This was not so
under old-time Democracy.
Again, under the former Democratic
Administrations members of the party
came here freely from all parts of the
country, not doubling that they would
meet with a cordial greeting from those
whom they had elevated to office, even
if they offered themselves for appoint
ment to official positions. Now sneers
await Democratic aspirants to office,
and they are advised to go home and
not annoy the President and members
of the Cabinet by occupying their pre-
cious time. Hundreds of Democrats
have gone home, declaring that they
wished never to return while such a
condition continues.
Then, again, under the old Demo-
cracy. great services rendered to the
party were promptly recognized and
honored, and the applicant for office,
who, in addition to the requisite quail
fications for the successful discharge
of its duties, could show the best record
of personal party services, had the pre-
ference. Now it is not SO. Indeed,
such services seem at discount with
this Administration. a majority of the
appointments already made have been
right over the heads Of applicants cqu-
ally and often better qualified for the
places, and whose record of services
rendered to the party is immeasurably
superior. This was not SO in the for
mer days of Democracy.
Then, again, several very important
offices have been given by this Admin
iatration to avowed and Jealous Re
publicans-offices which could be filed
as ably and satisfactorily by Democrats
who would have been glad to receive
them. As an instance l mention the
recent appointment of E. O. Graves
over the Engraving and Printing
Bureau, with I,2oo appolntees under
him. If no Democrats can be found
in the United States who are compe
tent to fill these places, the party should
never have control of the Government.
Such appointments, to my mind, are an
insult to Democratic intelligence.
In a word, the course of things here,
in my view, is directly tending to the
disintegration and ruin of the old Dem
ocratic party, and go home, not a
disappointed office seeker, for am too
old for Office, and, therefore, gouty,
but a disappointed Democrat, who
came here to rejoice once more over 4
Democratic victory, and to renew the
strength left me in my old age for per-
haps one more conflict with the enemy.
But | leave Washington, l repeat, a
disappointed and sadder man. find,
instead of pure, straightforward, hon
est, old fashioned Democratic Admin
istration, a personal Administrations
mixed, heterogeneous Administration,
Mugwump goodyism and Republican
dudeism trying to mix with Democracy,
and our standard bearers engaged in
stirring up the unnatural and nauseous
compound. 1t can't be done, and if
the effort is long continued, the last
victory of Jeffersonian Democracy in
this republic has been won. SENEx.