The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-16
THE JEFFRsoNIAN DEMOCRAT.
He Visits the Capital and Finds the Old
Party IN Bad Way.

He Visits the Capital and Finds the Old
Party In ~ Bad Way.
'Senex," in New York Sun.
/ ana a locker on here and have been for sew
erai 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
respects between those two Democratic admin
lstrations and this one very marked. Under
those administrations a Democrat felt himself
quite at his ease anywhere in the several de-
partments of government conscious that he was
surrounded by Democrats and friends. Now he
knows that a large majority Of the Offices here
are filed by Republicans, 1.-The rascalsn whose
villanies in Office were a large part of our stock
in trade on the stump and in the press during
the late campaign, when the necessity of turn
ing them oui or Office, to purify the government
and to vindicate the rights of the people, was
urged as the chief motive to effort the part of
the Democrats. To all appearances, these ras
Gals" 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 evidence to the visit
ing Democrat as of old, that the Incumbent is
friend. and he walks as eggs This was not
Again, under former Democratic administra
tons, members of the party came here freeIy
from all parts of the country, not doubling that
they would meet with cordial greeting from
those whom they had elevated to Office even if
they offered themselves for appointment to
official positions. Now sneers await Democratic
aspirants to Office, and they advised to 60
home and not annoy the President and members
Of the Cabinet'by occupying their precious time
Hundreds of Democrats have gone home de-
claring that they wished never to return while
such a condition continues
Then again, under the old Democracy, great
services rendered to the party were promptly
recognized and honored, and the applicant for
office, who, in addition to the requisite qualif-
cations for the successful discharge of its duties
could show the hest record of personal
party services, had the preference. Now
it is not Indeed, such services seem
at a discount with this administration. A ma
iofity of the appointments already made have
been right over the heads of applicants equally
and often better qualified for the places, and
whose record of services rendered to the party is
UNNECESSARILY superior. This was not so in the
former days of Democracy.
Then, again, several very important Offices
have been given by this administration to
avowed and Jealous Republicans offices which
could be filed as ably and satisfactorily by Dem
ocrats, VINO would have been glad to receive
them AS an instance, mention the recent APP
pointment of Il. O. Graves over the Engraving
and FrlntDg bureau. WITH i, zW dppOfutSeS ull-
der him. If no Democrats can be found in the
United States who are competent 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 word the course of things here, in my
view, is directly tending to the disntegration
ana ruin of the old Democratic party, and go
home, not disappointed effce.seeker, for am
too old for Office, and, therefore. grouty, but a
disappointed Democrat, who came here to re-
5Aina mos n Dqmocratic md
to renew the strength left me in my old age fer,
perhaps, one more confiicts with the enemy
But leave Washington, repeat, disappointed
aud sadder man. find, instead of a pure,
straishtfsr yard, honest, old-fashioned Demo
cratic administration, personal administration
IA mixed, heterogeneous administration, mug
wump goodyism and Republican dudeism trying
to mix with the Democracy, and our standard
bearers engaged in stirring up the unnatural
and nauseous compound Ii can't be done, and
IL the effort is long continued, the last victory
Of Jeffersonian Democracy in this repnblic has
been won.