Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1886-11-12
THE PRESIDENT AND THE RE-
CENT ELECTTONS

THE PRESIDENT AND THE RE.
CENT ELECTIONS.
The Democratic press, as far as we have
been able TO ascertain from our exchanges,
have been discussing, and not without much
division of sentiment, the question as To |
whether the recent elections indicate an en-
dorsement of President Cleveland's policy. |
There is much of political significance, in |
our opinion, in the recent elections, and We
think that the Democratic philosophers need
not travel far to discover it.
The Baltimore Sun, always discreet and
conservative, in well-timed and elaborate
article in its issue of the Sth instant, con-
tains among other statements the follow
ing:
ION the other hand, 1t is worthy of re-
mark that the recent Democratic victory in
the contest for the House of Representa-
tves is the only instance In which Demo
cratic administration has, since Van Buren's
time, obtained a majority of the House in
its second Congress. Polk lost the House
in 1916, Pierce lost tin 1854, Buchanan lost
it in 1858. The opposition has not Jared
much better. Tyler lost it in 1912, Fillmore
lost it in 1850, Grant lost it in 1874, Hayes
lost it in 1878 and Arthur lost it in 1882
Lincoln carried the House in his second
year, but the South was not represented in
that Congress, and in the election OF 1862
Lincoln suffered far more severely than the
present administration has at the late cleo
ton. Grant held the house in 1870, but lest
1t by decided majority in 1874"
Let it be remembered that from the close
of President Van Buren's administration up
to the time Lincoln was sworn into Office
the slavery question was the great disturb
ing and controlling element in the country.
The North and South were arrayed against
each other in the most hostile attitude and
public sentiment was the slave of partiality,
prejudice and passion-the consequence,
there were two parties before the people,
one the aggressive, the other the defensioe.-
Mr.. Lincolns administration was sustained
by bayonets; Grant lost the House in 1874,
but it was in consequence of the outrageous
fraud and corruption that existed in every
branch OF the general government; Hayes
lost it in 1873 because of his great crime
against the sovereign will of the people
Mr.. Cleveland went into office backed by
the united and enthusiastic voice of the De.
mocracy throughout the country There
had been period in the history of the
country when it was high treason to be a
Democrat, as there had been period, GOV
erlng twenty-five years, during which time
on the door OF every Department was label
ed the words: "No Democrat need apply
here" With the election and installation
of Mr.. Cleveland the Democracy expected
not only change in the administration of
public affairs, but at least fair share of the
Executive patronage Of the government
That President Cleveland's administra-
ton of public affairs has been clean and
honest, every candid and impartial man
must admit. That the larger portion of his
appointments are obnoxious to the great
mass of the Democracy is equally true
That he has ignored the bone and sinew of
the party is a fact 50 apparent that it cannot
be contradicted.
What is the result of all of this indifer-
ence, this non recognition Of the masses in
the distribution of the federal patronage,
the obnoxious appointments that have been
crammed down the throat of the party
The most absolute apathy, not over-confi.
dence, seized control of the honest, faithful
and Woodworking Democrat, and measures
- and men were left to care for themselves.
The House of Representatives, or the low
er House as is better known, is the popu-
lar branch of Congress. The Representa-.
tiyes come direct from the people and upon
issues formulated by the existing admins
tration. We are of that number who be-
lieye that President Cleveland, with even
liberal share of the Executive patronage
distributed in the party throughout the
country, could have 80 entrenched himself
AS not to have lost man on the fort-on the
contrary, he would have so fired the popular
heart of the party with enthusiasm that
many additional Republican strongholds
would have been shivered into atoms As
tbs, our majority in the House is reduced
from forty-five TO twenty, and In the dimi-
mutton or defeat have gone down some of
our best men.
1t is true, and il is at the same time a
source of congntulation, that here and there
We have elected Democratic Governor
here and there secured control of the Legis-
latures thereby electing Democratic Sen
ator. But it must be remembered that these
successes were not shaped or connected
with the policy of the administration, but
governed and directed by State and local
measures combined with the force of per-
sonal considerations and influence. In our
opinion the President can gather no conso
lation from this source. No, he must turn
10 his civil service fountain-the source of
whatever misfortuncs Or defeat the party
has sustained in the recent election, save
one or two exceptions.