New-York tribune., 1885-07-07
Z" 1LTHOUGH,O

"ALTHOUGH."
Did we not know how fondly dear the name
of Grover Cleveland is to Tamhany Hall on the
one hand and how devOut worshipper at
Tammany's shrine Mr.. Cleveland is on the
other, we might suspect reading between the
lines of the recent correspondence between
Grand Sachcm Dugro and the President concern
ing the Fourth of July celebration Indicative OF
mutual distrust. 1t has been intimated that
the letters suggest political dyspepsia; that Is
to saw. an emptv stomach on one side and n sour
stomach on the other. In extending the invita-
ton TO the President to be present ut the long
talk. short talk, small talk and takee-talk with
which Tammany Hall usually celebrates lnde-
pendcnce Day, Grand Sachcm DugrO took oc-
casion to remark, concerning the duty OF the
President that the Administration should so
discharge all its functions rs to merit not only
the approbation of the people, but at the same
time insure n Harmonious party united III
.Jetlersonian Democracy" This was so natural
and proper thing to say, and in fact has been
said so many times and in so many different ways
in and ont of Tammany Hall, that the President
could not take offence at it. 1t sounds as if
Dugro had been inspired upon this occasion by
the SulrltS OF IlOIlliS JIH'i >'h 'h'
Rynders. Perhaps he was. IL Is no new thing
for spirits to manifest themselves In Iammany
Hail. IL could not Of course, have been uttered
in any spirit of criticism of the Administration.
IL must have been the fnrthest thing III the
world froIr the mind of the Grand Sachem to
intimate that President Cleveland, whom Tam
many Hall so dotcs upon, had done anything
except endcayor to ENSURE harmonious
marty united in )cflersonian Democracy
Upon such an occasion Durgo would never
have INDUCED i'll sarcasm. No Thought
of the appointment of Pearson or Burt
or Hubert o. Thompsons man conld
have entered the Grand Sachcm's pure
and unaduterated mind as hc discharged these
lofty land philosophic reflections into tine EX-
ecutiye ear. No, no. Dugro was simply moved
by the spirit of Jefferson OF Rynd-rs-or per-
haps both. About recent appointments. IN the
language of the modern drama, he wasn't
sayn' a word"
This being the case. 1t can hardly DO thit the
President meant 10 be rcsent.nl or sharp or
even ironical When he said IN reply that the
noble sentiments of the Grand Sachcm met ms
approval, although my conception ot the true
purposes and the mission OF my party con-
vincrs me that if the present Administration
merits the intelligent approval OF the people,
this result of itself certainly should insure
harmonious party united in Jciicrsonlan
Dcmocracy.'r The only thing that could give
rise to such II suspicion is the use oil the word
aalthough," which is perhaps unfortunate.
But when we remember that Mr.. Cleveland is
ulain. blunt man. who does not waste time III
choosing his words, but rather is his actions
nrove that he is sincerely devoted To the great
work of harmonizing the party, the suspicion Is
at once dissipated. 1t would have been better,
perhaps. if he had not used the unfortunate
word although" since it gives the enemies oi
Jcflersonian Democracy Il prcteyt for sly insin-
uations concerning possible reading between
the lines, and conveys the impression to the
minds of political sceptics that the President
and Tammany Hall do not love each other.
The better way to read this correspondence in
deed the only way to get at its true spirit and
significance, is to dvest the mind entirely M
the outset of all recollection of the circum-
stance that the President has made any APP
pontmcnts. or that Tamm my Hall has had any
candidates for Office. Or if that he too great
task, let us mt least consider that upon such an
occasion rs this neither Dugro nor the Prcsl-
dent would permit any but reflections of the
most purely patriotic character to obtrude
themselves upon their minds. Let us not do
them the great wrong to harbOr for a moment
the thought that in penning these charming
cpistles so glowing with patriotic fervor,one oi
them was thinking of his appointments and the
other of his disappoDtments. Both were
thinking only of the public wcal-and how 1t
should be divided The charge that one was
sarcastic and tho other rOnicll mlStibc dis
missed
President Cleveland and Tammnny Hall are
not at variance upon the essential doctrine OF
Jcficrsonian Democracy which is that the
Offices should be held by Democrats. What
ever minor and unimportant differences there
may be concerning the individual Democrats
who should shoulder this great burden, they
are agreed upon the essential thing that all the
offices belong to Democrats. The correct idea
seems TO be stated with great force and candor
by the alliterative Mr.. Spence Spencer, who,
replying to an invitation similar to that cx-
tended to the President, responded in these
vigorous terms:
Tlmmany Hall dii her part nobly for Cleveland
reform Let Us have the REFORM with Democrats boss
the Job II makes sick to read the excuses In Dem
Ocrac papers for turning out Republicans What we
want s to throw the greasy old pack side. got IA
deck OF cards. It is onr deal now, and should
deal tho best hands to Democrats We got good
hand when Republicans doalt 1t Is time VIC had q
change
Here now is Jeifersonian without guile. No
reading between the lines in his breezy answer.
Ills meaning is pliin and he uses figures of
speech that no Democrat can fail to understand.