National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-05-30

MR. PRESIDENT This is Decoration day
set apart by the patriotic men and women of
the republic to honor the dead who died to
preserve the Union In the sacred observance
of this solemn duty orations are delivered,
poems are read, psalms are sung, and the
flowers Of spring are scattered by tender hands
over the little mounds that mark the final
resting place of the soldiers. While this is
done in honor of the dead the love aud rev.
erenco for the living and their descendants,
who fought for the same oatise, are deeply i'm
pressed upon the minds and hearts OF the
American people The national statutes bear
evidence Of this in the pensions for the
manned and wounded their widows, aud
their offspring. The magnitude of the appro.
priations for pensions has never been equalcd
by any government in the worlds history.
Tho law and public sentiment demand that
the Union soldier all things being equal,
should have the preference for all official posi-.
tons, either elective or appointive.
Mr.. President upon this solemn day II is
with real pain that 1t becomes necessary to
remind you and your Cabinet that the policy
ofyour administration has been just the re-
verse of what public law and public sentiment
demand in this matter.
II Is true that the leading northern Demo.
Gratis, tincturcd with apprehension, claimed
that you sympathizcd with them, and would
so act If elected. BE this true or false, the APP
pointment of copperheads and confederate
soldiers for prominent and minor positions to
take the places of tho Union soldiers and
Union men has shocked the country: has
made the services that are to be held to-day
mockery instead of an honor; has made the
widows and orphans whose husbands and
fathers lie entombed beneath the flowers that
will be laid reveronly before night feel that the
hopes they had that the names and memory of
those husbands and fathers would be handed
down the ages for the veneration Of future
generations, are shattered. For this reason
the great loyal German press of the
country that advocated your election is to-
day deprccating and criticising the acts OF
your administration with vigor and bitter
ness unparalleled in our political history in so
short u time after the Inauguration Of n preSi-
dent whose election IL supported, For this
reason the Union Democrats in one important
senatorial district in Illinois remained at home
and allowed the Union Republicans to elect n
state senator whose vote would ro.elect to the
United States Senate the gallant soldier, John
A. Logan, the father of tho present pension
system, and the friend and defender of the
Union cause and the Union soldier on all and
every occasion.
Mr.. President, the patriotism, the pride of
our people in u restored and united country
will cause them to give every blessing which
good government can bestow upon all our
| people. without regard to the disloyalty of the
past, but they cannot without pain, sorrow,
and humiliation sec the crown Of honor taken
from tho brow of the Union soldier, where it
should rest forever as an emblem OF loyalty
and devotion, and bright example for future
| generations, and conferred upon the confcd.
crate or the oopperhcad,
The action OF your administration in this re
gard under the present construction Of your
Cabinet was not unexpected Garland Lamar,
and Bayard, the experienced men in national
affairs, have naturally exercised an influence
upon you that the other members OF your Cahl-
net could not, because Of thor want of expert,
ence Tho Pilgrim has been ouigeneralcd by
the Cavalier, and were It not for the Offices you
have TO bestow, your administration would bo
wrecked In advance Of tho first meeting OF
Congress.
Mr., President, no matter what variance you
may have with your party upon questions of
currency or the tariff If the loyal heart of the
nation throbbed with sympathy and affection
toward YOU because of your own loyalty to
the Union cause of the nation, your admins.
tratlon could Withstand all opposition.
Mr., President, the exact truth is that both
political parties expect In the main that you
will appoint Democrats to Office The senti
mont OF the country says that in the north no
copperhead should DO honorcd In all cases
the Union Democrats should be selected 1t ia
recognized that you owe your election largely
to the solid electoral vote of the south-a re
suit obtained by the nearly united action OIL
the confederate element. Therefore, for The
local Offices in those states confederate and
Union men should be alike remembered, but
in the appointments to represent this country
abroad which represents the nation ia It's Gu
tirety preference should be given to Union men.
Tue NATIoSAL REPuBLloAS.