National Republican., 1885-05-23
A Brealfast.rabls Letter to the President.


Mr. PRESIDENT: Among the political events
of the week Is the authorized publication Of
Samuel ]. Randall, In the Now York Herald, |
declaring in fayor OF your denomination in |
1885 for the Presidency. Mr. Randall is an |
experienced politician and legislator. To |
properly estimate the motives which actu'
ated him 1t is well to analyzc his charac.
ter US a public man. In order to do this cor.
rectly the writer availed himself ofthe judg' |
ment of those who had been associated with
Mr.. Randall in the House of Representatives.
One of them, when asked TO indicate the
proportion of statesmanship as to the political
cunning Ia Mr.. Raudalls character BY meas
uring the same on his finger said Estates
manship would end at the root OF the finger
nail; political cunning at the largest JOINT of
the finger" This reduced to vulgar fractions
would be onc-ilfth craftsmanship and four
fifths political cunning. In the public mind,
Mr. President, your nomination under the
circumstances seems a little previous, espe.
cially as you have not yet had an opportunity
to propose any public measure or make any
recommendations to the national Congress,
nor has that body had occasion to criti-
else and pass upon your public acts. 1t
is true you have appointed heads OF depart
ments, foreign and domestic; they in turn
have appointed heads of subdivisions, and
each and all OF them have vigorously com
menced to weed out the Republicans and ap.
point Democrats, in many cases without re-
gard to race, color, previous condition, or
loyalty. In numerous instances the Union
soldier has been exchanged for the confed-
crate soldier This fact certainly demon
strates that the war is over, and that the
saviors Of the republic are forgotten. Was it
for this that Mr.. Randall placed you in nomi-
tion SO early for Il second term?
Mr.. Presidest, n gentleman who holds the
position of postmaster in city not thousand
nor even hundred miles from Washington
met day or two since the representative
from his district and said to him "When will
the guillotine begin to work in our sectlonT
"yery soon" said the NJ. C. "IIow about my
placer" said the p. M. "Oh, you will have to
go; charges are filed against YOU" said the
NC. "well," said the p. NJ, 'If charges are
filed against me will go ana see about them"
So on Thursday the p. NJ. visited Postmaster
General Villas and said ~ understand charges
are filed against me. would like to have a
copy of or see them" The Postmaster Cen
eral responded: "we cannot make this office
court of inquiry to examine into
charges" "Do you propose to mako 1t
an inquisition where men are tried, con-
victed, and sentenced without knowing the
crimes with which they are are charged?
] want to sec what am accused Of" The Post
master General persisted in refusal, and
would not let the postmaster see the charges,
and the latter left, saying that he would ap
peal to higher court, When that postmaster
succeeds in reaching the higher court he willy
be met undoubtedly, with the charge of "of
fensivo partisanship.' When you gave thai
shibboleth to the unterrhed Democracy you
invented phrase, Mr.. President that is
synonym OF Gen. Jackson's; ITO tho victor
belong the spoils," 1t is only another way o.
stating the policy Of the administration, anC
Mugwumpwill find out This may be anothe
reason why Samuel J. Randall placed you IL
nomination for a second term.
Mr.. President, 1t is reported that the revol
Of Senator Eustis, OF Louisiana, and Senator
Blackburn, of Kentucky, is regarded by tn,
administration as movement that might enc
in a disruption of the Democratic party ant
for this reason you invited Speaker Carlisle L
visit you for consultation. This gentleman
possesses Il high reputation for judicial fairnes
4 toward his opponents in circumstances unde
, which most men would yiold TO the dctation {
party interest 1t would seem, therefore, tha
his advice would exert potent infuenc
, upon you and your advisers. To counterac
I the effect Of such visit upon the future di!
o trbution of patronage II has been inslnuate
: that Mr.. Randall was induced to place you
' nomination for second term.
b It would be we'll, Mr.. President, for you I
l remember that Speaker Carlisle represents tn
d free.trade Cavaliers Of the black belt,where III
: seryile laborers of the south are used for poit
cal power and for labor at prices SO unjust
% TO degrade all labor and destroy values, Vi
IS der these circumstances he comes fairly with
% the rule which the late John Hickman
y Pennsylvania, laid down regarding the reli
Is bility Of border statesmen In supporting Il
D cause of the Union at the commencement
% the civil war In speaking Of them, by WI
y OF illustration, he said "If hen lays an et
In Virginia and matches 1t in Pennsylvania,
= would not trust the chicken Itistrue tod
:, of southern atatssmen. Every other questiC
~ Is dominated by the race question; as much
as slavery ruled the south before the WI
- THE NATIONAL REPuBLIcAS, therefore, is
"a clined to the opinion that Mr. Randall,
n Pennsylvania, has the sagacity and I
"a nerve to take time by tho forelock aud sti
nr for the contest that inevitably Owaitsthe De-
Ia ocratic party upon the question OF labor a
nd the tariff, knowing full well that the DEM
r,r racy must be either for protection or for fl
an trade That a house divided against It's
A cannot stand That the Democratic Chica
Iy. platform was Janus or two'iaced, Any c
on pentor understands it,, Mr. President, VIII
he applied to Janus doorlooks, which are
u tended to work either way aud swing the a,
n right or left hand, Aud that was the kind
m- platform that was constructed tor the ca
an palgn, but Il will not work with the AmeIiC