River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-08-05
MADISON LETTER.
Pickings in Politics.
The Jewel, Consistency, AS 1t Is
Variously Exhibited.

l can see that l have laid out work
enough in my caption TO easily keep my
pencil employed for several hours, and to
test the columns of the JOURNAL and the
courtesy of its editor to the uttermost of
my welcome. The subject admits of in
exhaustible illustration, even if strictly
confined To politics; and if it is permissi-
bic to treat of morals in connection with
politics, the field is greatly enlarged and
the interest enhanced.
Having had more or less time to spare
for recreation and triyialities, | have
devoted portion of it to the perusal of
newspaper literature. Now do not con
slider that time spent in reading the New
York World, Chicago Times, or Madison
Democrat, is in any sense wasted. These
papers represent a tangible and positive
idea, or aggregation of ideas, as embodied
IN the Democratic party, including Free
Trade, State Rights, Negro Slavery,
Southern Supremacy, Public Plumber,
Polygamy, the Reduction of the Treasury
Surplus, and kindred tissues" which
have in times past, and which now re-
ceive the endorsement of that ancient
and obstructive party. 1t is therefore
profitable to read Democratic partisan
papers and inform ourselves of the tactics
of the opposition, and to learn just what
they advocate as the issue" upon which
the party proposes to take its stand. 70
read Mugwump literature, ON the con-
trary, is to take up the study of the sci
ence of apologies and the art of lodging
a point. In this direction there lies
wealth of mental recreation unimagined
| before the advent of the immaculate
AIugwump. Especially amusing are the
attempts of the religious Mugwumps to
dodge or condone the very offenses which
were charged upon Republicans two
years ago, and which were made the
basis of their reasons for seeding from
that party and uniting themselves with
the Democratic party. Rev. Lyman Alb
| bolt, of the Christian Union, exhausted
his vocabulary in condemnation of the
Republican candidate for the Presidency,
upon the unsubstantiated charge that he
had accepted stock in a corporation which
he might aid by his official influence
Mr.. Abbott's reform President, immedi-
ately upon his induction into office, calls
to his cabinet man who carries in his
pocket million and half dollars worth
Of stock which he has accepted as gift,
| the only return which he is expected to
make being the influence he may exert
in his official capacity for the enhance
ment Of the value of the franchise in
which he holds a majority of the stock
The Christian Union characterizes the
report of the Republican members of the
investigating committee which found Mr.
Garland guilty as a partisan document"
and drops it at that. 1t says that "the
Democratic reports either deny or con-
done all of the charges" 1t further adds
in summing up the whole matter: ''The
candid reader of all the reports will find
that they substantiate the position taken
at the outset by the Christian Union, viz,
that Secretary Garland has not been
guilty Of any criminal misuse of his Off
cial position, but that he was guilty of a
serious ofense against sound public mo-
rality in permitting himself and his assO-
ciates to make use of his public influence
A high sense of official delicacy would
have forced him to keep aloof from the
entire complication. Not only is public
office a public trust, but the influence
which attaches to that office is also a
i 4, Il - Ls, 4 f,r,
vate ends, and Secretary Garland's failure
to attain this standard of public action
has clouded his reputation and weakened
the Administration.
That is all,-"clouded his reputation"
just a little, and unfortunately, weak
ened the Administration" when it most
needed strength,-an unfortunate revela-
ton, attributable to the bitter partisan
ship of those Republicans who persisted
in stating the truth about the most bare
faced example of bribery ever known in
the history of any political party. Blaine
was damned to the lowest depths of per-
dition by this same political and religious
Pharisee. The above quotation is the
|
denim proven and admitted crime in
the very sdnctlm sGnctorum of the party
in which he was so recently a novitiate.
This is a specimen of NIugwump consist
ency, and it is well calculated to suggest
the query whether this same paper
should it become dissatisfied because it
could not dictate the polity of the Chris
tan church, might not secede TO the
party of the Prince of Darkness, and with
equal consistency become the apologist
of Satan himself. Certainly as a religious
teacher it may well be taken with grain
of allowance, and its catalogue of car
dinal sins be classified according to
whether they are applicable to his own
or some other mans acts. 1t makes a
difference, you see. Old Noah Webster
saw that point when he indited the fable
of the gored OK.
Another interesting Nugwump is prom
inently before the public just at present
Reverend and Revered Henry Ward
Beecher This immaculate exponent of
purity in politics" is now over the
water, upon the avowed mission of help
ing Premier Gladstone in his great work
in the cause Of freedom. 1t is suggested,
however, that he went over to lend his
moral support to his brother Dixie, who
has recently been subjected to the "a .ac.
ged edge" experience through which his
reverend sympathizer once passed, with
the added difference that the swearing
was not so elastic, and British law not
so much a respecter of persons as is
Brooklyn law. Another difference, also
in favor Of Americas representative, lay
in the fact that his companion was
ashamed Of her participation, and was
possibly held under some mutual spell
which sealed her lips, and saved her
reverend lover. Not so in the Dixie
case. Mrs. Crawford was apparently
pleased that an opportunity and an audi
ence was afforded, and went into particu-
lars with minuteness which left nothing
for the imagination, and which left moth
ing of her consost, Sir Charles Dixie. Our
apostle of political purity" can safely
unbosom his great heart To the inform