New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-12
SCYLLA AND CHARHBDIS.
THE PRESIDENTS SAD DILEMMA.

THINGS WHICH SENATOR EUsTIss OUTBREAK sUG-
GE ,Ts-A REMINIsCENCt.
IFRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF TIE rRIBUNE'l
WASHINGTON, May S.-Between the Mugwumps
and the deep and angry sea Of Democracy the young
Administration of Grover Cleveland is IN deadly
peril Judging by all sIgns-and signs In Washing
ton are budding as swiftly the May leaves-Dever
before was an Executive so enmeshed III tie meta
.physics of situation. KsOps worn fable of the
Old man. the boy and the donkey is a pallid allie
CORY IN comparison with the perpleXity which be-
sets the occupant of the White House. The hotels
of the city are stil more than half
full of Democratic place-hunters, whose demands,
strengthened by those of powerful friends IN every
part of the country, daily growing more impor-
tunate On almost any street corner Won conld near
for the week past, hundred times day II you
stopped to listen, courses not loud but deep"
launched toward the western end of the avenue
Mr. Cleveland came to Washington two months
ago novice. infatuated with the belief that, as
the head of the Democratic party. he could wag ITS
tail. Alter the SIXTY days he is just beginning to
find out the immense proiixity of coil TO that
eaudal appendage and the consequent vanity OF his
presumption. He fain would obge the Bourbon,
but the Mugwump spectre of Civil Service TO
which he bartered faith before election stands full
in his path, like the hon IN the way ofyoung
Samson on his road to Timnath. saving the mark
that Mr.. Cleveland IS no Samson So he rises
each morning with the song of the salvation
scheme ringing III his ears, " iou must DO ana
you can't do. and if you don't do you'll be damned;
but when you've done all you do not saved
undersaudP
When nearly quarter Of a century ago MoDcuIe
ID. Conway came to this city young abolition
jt from the West to expostulate with
Mr. Lin coin on his tempOrizing policy with the
sIaye-holding border States, he returned and made
report as follows to his Cincinnati congregation:
"Mr Lincoln wonld like to have God on his side,
bat be must have Kentuckyl" Mr.. Cleveland's
predcameat is worse than this, for be has not
yet discovered on which side God lies in his case
the Mugwump or the Bourbon The dilemma is
sphinx-hke in its aspect-death or solution, and
solution is potential death.
ApropOs of this state of affairs, daily
growing more desperate, the open rupture Of
Eustis of Louisiana with the White House as the
first violent outbreak OF Democratic dlsafeotlon Is
still much discussed here. All SIDES are being
heard Friends of the Administration affirm that
the Louisiana senator's revolt IS merely a petty
disgruntlement caused By the Presidents refusal
to recognize a bevy of small piace-hunters, corrupt
fellows, to whom the senator Is indebted for his
triumph over his rival, Jonas, for his place
IN the Senate; and the details are gwen
other hand it is claimed by numerous
friends of Eustls in Washington that he Is brave
and cultured nteman, who has been the first
with sufficient courage 10 strike an honest blow
against the hypOeritcal and shfless polices OF the
Wnte House aud that the stand winch he has
made is the first wave of a Hood tide OF party IN
dignation, which will shortly whelm the Cleveland
Administration.
the White House the other dW before ais sailing
for Europe | have recalled the figure of
the Louisiana Senator as saw hun few
times SIX years ago IN his seat In the Sen
ate. In manner and abilities EuAtls was one OF
those singular and surprising men who at rare III
teryaIs enter that body. He could have come from
feDreSeutat
the country but the lower South, where cOnstItu-
tiouai Incidence is not nfIequently associated with
reallyspieDdId taents-taenis so great as TO insure
certain results OF success IN spite OF ~
ertla. lie came here on his first election
TO the Senate an unknown parsonage ana
SEEMED quite content with hls obscnrlty fIll nearly
the end of his term. dark. Spanlsh-ooking. easy,
we-bfed, symmetrical beaded sort OF man,
dressed in clean br0adcloth and immaculate linen,
he sat for years 10 his place without stirring for
debate and seemingly Indifferent 10 it achieving
no repu alton save that with his fellows of being
the most arlstocratic hammered man on the Senate
floor. "Tne Chesterfield of the senate, when he
was here" heard adinirer say of him yesterday.
AS wSRs anS Ii, abilities an s w SGSy p 6e
thought of. Que day after those singular
years of calm he fron the shadow of the outer
most row of seats on the west side and electrified
the Senate. happened to be IN the gallery I'M
medlatey above MN aud witnessed the effect and
shall not forget it, 1t was the speech Of srOng
and contained man. He spoke without notes and
without apparent generalization, and yet every
sentence had the rounded polish OF a metaphor,
striking home with the force of the aural speaker.
lie stood for half hour not moving once from his
frst position, his gestures perfect and sat down
With with =. the reputation OF an orator: L
have listened to good deal OF Senatorial speaking,
bat have never seen ang accomplishment Oh the
Senate floor at once quite so forcbe and graceful
az that OF the Louisiana Senator. EustIs spoke
once or twice again while in the senate. and left
pleasant traditions beand him, whoss benefits he
will return next winter 70 reap. AS take il Mr..
his hostility as the Administration partsans affect
TO believe.