The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-05-21
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, DC,
Nav 9th 1885.

NAY 1OGu, 1000 |
It is evident that the President has
concluded to disahuse the mind OF
those Mugwumps who think that the
administration is to be run distinct
lively in their interest. That Mr..
knows what he is about, is
as patent as anything in the line of
political manifestation can be known.
1t was expected that he would per-
form some acts of c~ondescension as a
token of Mugwumpian recognition,
but he never meant them as an indi-
cation that he intended to submit
himself humbly to the guidance o fthe
few Independents who have arrogated
to themselves the whole credit of Sc
curing the Democratic aecendency in
the Government. Having, as l said,
concluded to keep himself and his
administration perfectly untrammel-
ed by any presumed obligation to
this small coterie of smaller politi-
clans, we may reasonably expect to
see the columns of t1e N. Y. "Times'
and 'Harper's Weekly" and other
d~isgruntled journals pouring out
their walls of wrath upon the admin
istration because of its attitude of in
dependence. There has been, and still
is, a bitter feeling among many Dem
ocrats because the work of decapita-
ting Republicans in office has been
slow. From the stand point of the Of
flee seeker that work has. been slow,
but MI. Cleveland is not the Presi-
dent of the office seekers, and the
large number of changes already
made ought to be sufficient indica.
tion of his avowed purpose to go slow,
a purpose more firmly adhered to be.
cause of the tremendous pressure
that has been brought upon him by
these place hunters. l have to say
therefore that the President is deter
mined to transact the public bust
ness upon business principles, and
that the first business is to put Dem
ocrsts in Office to transact it.
In digging owe some rubbish a
the arsenal the other day, the cross
piece of the gallows upon which MR.
Surrat was executed in 1865 came 4
light to awaken some historical rec
objections of that tragic period in thu
life of our country. The opinion tina
this terrible punishment should MOI
have been visited upon this woma,
under the peculiar circumstances o
her connection with the conspirac,
to a%ssassinate the President, is nov
entertained probably by a large ma
jority of those who clamored for he
blood in the exciting time of her tria
and conviction by a military commits
sion. I went out to Mount Olivet tn
other day to visit the grave of thi
unfortunate woman, whose restin,
place is in a secluded portion of tn
cemetery. A simple stone with tn
inscription "Mrs. Surratt" is all tina
marks the spot. There is no date o
birth or death, no inkling of her ter
rible history, no fulsome epitaph t
sound the praises of friends or rela
tives, though some kind hand had re
Gently strewn some choice flower
upon the mound. 1t is said by thos
who knew Mrs. Surratt we'll, that sh
was the kindest of mot hers, a mos
devoted wife, a woman posse ssed Q
more than ordinary intelligence, an
wholly incapable of performing til
) part in the conspiracy which culmi
mated in the death of President Lin
coin, for which her life was sacrifc
ed. Be this as it may. it is not prob
, able In this day and generation tina
the motives and intentions that ACT
uated her in becoming an accomplic
! therein, will ever be discovered.
PHoNo.