National Republican., 1885-10-31
Breakfast Table Letter to the Presi-
Ieut.

dent.
Mi.. PRESIDENT In the closing hours of the
contest for political supremacy in the state of
New York the Democracy, fearful of defeat
and disaster, appealed to you aud your admln-
istraton for aid. In response. you dictated
statement for public use, in substance that you
were a Democrat, that you favored the election
the Democratic ticket, and that you intended
togo home TO Buffalo vote. These declarations
and decisions the vast body OF your country
men, If asked for an opinion. would undoubt-
cdly approve, whatever they might think of
the proprlety or wisdom OF laying aside for a
time TIE pressing duties and high trusts dc.
VOWED upon YOU as Chief Magistrate of the
nation-laying them aside to discharge your
personal privilege as n citizen. Arthur aud
Hayes, while President, voted. Lincoln aud
Grant did not The weight Of example is left
for you to estimate
There is n difference of opinion, however, rs
TO the propriety and the usefulness of your ex-
ample as Il new departure In state elections.
Tor the President of the United States to send
an ambassador, In the person of his trusted
confidential, private secretary, to the execu-
tive committee Of political party, with
money to be used in influencing the elect
ors of state. The force and power of
such an example by the chief appointing
power of the nation Is more binding on fed
cral offceholdcr than an assessment Of his
rarty. Its, indeed, painful to behold reform
President influenced to such an extent by his
allegiance TO party as TO resort to the methods
used by the machine managers OF party, e.
Tccially President who received large vote
from the opposition for the only purpose of
directly and pointedly condemning such
methods.
May not these facts justify the statement
of Senator Sherman in his Petersburg speech,
that your administration was simply playing
with civil service Tcrorm2 1t is due to You
frankly to state that Senator Sherman says,
privately and publicly, that you are we'll.
intentloned man. 1t is proper for the Ma
TIoNAL REPUBLICAN, to state that this the first
public act where you have yielded to the press
ure of party i'll opposition to your personal
judgment. That you did not approve the act
Is manifest from the fact that you desired 1t
kept secret.
Henry Clay condoned political error ofhls
own by asking the hunters of Kentucky lftheir
trusted rifle should miss fire. would they throw
II away or pick the flint and try 1t asI lin?
They ail exclaimed 1--WE would pick the flint
o,.1 ,,i,,, ,l1 nata,. onntInr c,nu,,
This illustrates the charity OF the paople
toward man whose acts arc generally well.
intentloned.
Mr.. President; Your inaugural address
opened the administration upon high plane
ofpublic duty. You cannot separate tho mau
from the office. Your political example Is the
act of the President and largely oycrshadowi
the personality of Grover Cleveland, the Dem.
ocrat, What YOU may do rs the latter yor
may not properly do as the former.
The Democratic state committee of New
York should understand this, and ifthey hat
political sagacity, or were your friends, the,
would not have either urged or permitted you
| In any way, to interfere in the campaign Of tho
state of New York. A similar attempt by
President Arthur resulted in disaster to the
Republican party, and made You governor
There is powerful element of the Democracy
determined to shake your administration AM
| thwart your plans OF ciyi! service reform, They
win hereafter use the fact that You furnishes
money to attempt to elect David b, IIIll, a ma
chine candidate, of questionable political
character clouded by direct or Indirect con.
noctlon with the Tweed ring, and that you lef
your post of duty as President to perform Il
personal act of party allegiance, In order tn It
you might stand fair with the Democracy