National Republican., 1886-12-18
Breakfast Table Letter to the prosIden


Mr.. PRESIDENT: At no moment since your
Inauguration have strife and discord among
the leaders of the Democratic party been 80
apparent as now.
A brief review OF the situation may be In
struotive. Your recent message to Congress-
taken as whole, was well calculated to in.
spire public confidence 1t was weakened ma
terlally, however, by the antagonism of ideas
relative to the fundamental question OF taxa.
tlon between yourself and the Secretary of the
Treasury.
In the Democratic House of Representatives
the Democratic party. Mr.. Carlisle AMI Mr..
Randall are both politicians seeking the presl.
dency; both are dissatisfied because they have
not had unlimited control OF federal patronage
in their respective localities. You can depend
upon Carllsle's secret opposition. He has q
faculty Of talking one way aud constituting his
committees TO execute the opposite. This
quality in a politician is only to be known TO
the American people to destroy him. You can
safely consider Mr.. Carlisle TO be a gentleman
who has reached his acme and is now on his
"me-ac" In the next Congress his influence
will be much less than now, made SO by the
loss of the industry, shrewdness, and organlz-
ing power of Col. Morrison of Illinois.
Samuel J. Randall Is made OF different ma
terial; he is an experienced, cunning, fearless
politician. He believes that the labOrer Is
worthy of his hire, and is determined to have
the Democracy fill the offices, especially in
Philadelphia. Unless this administration con.
cedos that much 10 him there will be war. If
Prof. Bishop, the mind reader could have MI.
thoughts would be that this administration
not having confidence in him to namc
the offices for Pennsylvania, he (RaudalD
has no confidence in the administration to ex-
pend the public moneys. Therefore this ses-
sion will close with the least amount of appro.
priatlons possible. No change will be made
in the tax laws. The money will continue to
be boarded in the treasury, which will pro.
duce q financial crisis before the new Con.
gress meetJIn DECEMBER, Ioo', unless yo>-7u'
an extra session.
There seems to be no escape from disasters
tothe Democracy unless you invite the Demo
cratic chiefs to remove their war paint, assem-
BILE at the white house, smoke the pipe. o.
peace, ignore civil service, and adopt the
Tennessee policy: Secure "harmony with
hominy."
There is perfect outcry among the people
for coast defenses and a new navy. Oae OF
the last acts of the late Samuel j. TiIden was
| to oimplore Congress, in his letter to John G.
Carlisle, to appropriate large sums of money
for that purpose. Mr.. Tilden writes: n am oil
opinion that our seacoast defenses are
a paramount necessity. which ought to pre-
cede the reduction Of the revenue, and ough
also to precede an excessive rapidity in the pay
ment of the public debt 80" The property ex
posed to destruction in twelve seaports caunoI
be less in value than FIVE thousand millions oi
dollars" Again he says; "a small provision
ofihe best modern guns would take several
years. A million of soldiers, with thS
best equipments, on the heights surrounding
the harbor Of New York, in our present stat
oil preparation, or rather IN our tota
want of preparation. would be powerles
to resist q small squadron Of war steam
ers." Once more he writes; 1--WE should haT
the satisfaction of knowing that while we ar
availing ourselves OF the supplies which woult
primarily be unattainable, we were setting IL
motion important industries and giving EN-
ployment TO labor in period of depression
Establishments would spring into ex
istence capable OF supplying all OF the nationa
wants and rendering us completely indeDsnd
ent of all other countries in respect TO tn
means of national defense, I eadsapored
impress these ideas upon Mr. RandaA He la
time Ihdd the pleasure Of seeing him."
Mr.. President, your official recommendatio
and the patriotic appeal of the late Samuel J
Tilden will all go for naught unless you hal
monize Carlisle, Randall, Morrison, and tn
Democratic party at the federal feed trough.
THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN,.
| -----o---