Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1886-01-23
FLUNKEYISM.

1T is rather remarkable that when
any Senator or Representative IN
Congress ON the Democratic side adj.
vances an individual opinion, or pre-
seats a bill rejecting a given policy
in accordance with law, it should be
taken as an attack upon the Presi-
dent and his administration. Should
it not agree with the known views of
the President, tits not only construed
as an hostile aSsa;lment of the Elk.
ecutlve, but the mover of the resolu-
ton is denounced as an enemy of
the administration, and his motive
assailed. 1t has come to pretty
pass under this reform of Jefferson
ian regime that the representative of
the States and the people are not al
lowed to think for themselves and
announce their conclusions in public
without being hostilely criticised, if
not shamefully abused. There is a
misrepresentation of public sentiment
in this respect. The people are not
yet prepared to accept the infallibili
ty of the President or any other man
and complacently surrender the right
to opinion which belongs to every
freeman. Congress would be a SUI
perfiuous appendage of government
If the dictum of the Executive were
accepted as law, and the conclusions
of the departments pass as the de-
termination of all questions of adj
ministration.
This bind offiunkeyism COMFORTS
with the pretentious mannorisms
which prevail in the court" circles
and fashionable entertainments of
the day. The questioned precedence
at receptions is one that is agitating
the minds of cabinet ministers and
Supreme Judges and Senators, and
all others who lay claim to recogni-
ton on the score of official position.
The disgusting mlmickry of English
and French courtiership in the days
of the Charles and Georges, and the
Louises, which now marks the social
craze in Washington under this
Jeffersonian administration" may
be the prelude to the aroused wrath
of the common people vino consti,
ute the government and ought to
be the source Gifts inspiration. We
may not look for IA Protector or a
Triumvirate, but we may reasonably
expect an indignant expression of
the People against such insufferable
tlummery and offensive apeing Of
the licentious mannerisms of corrupt
aud debauched court scenes, such as
reyolted the moral sense of the En-
glish and French people. While the
tinsel and flash and glittering splen-
dor of the ball room and parlor and
blue room and red room are exciting
the Jealousy and intaming the ambi-
ton of the devotees of fashion and
the sycophants of fleeing power, the
skeleton is at the doors Of hundreds
of homes, through which the winters
fierce winds sweep upon the half
naked, starving occupants, crying
for bread and fuel and apparel, right
under the shadow Of lavish plenty
and abundant waste. What do these
extremes mean in this land which
boasts of its christian civilization
DO they not point to a benumbed
moral sensibility and a perverse wick.
edneSs which must sooner or later
bring fearful reception and pro.
woke severe retribution It's not
Il government of the people and for
the people, where the many repine
and suffer and the few revel in the
wasteful luxuries ofpretentious shod-
dyism. Court tiummery and aggra-
waiting contentious over social preced-
dence are inconsistent with the SIM
plicity of Democratic institutions
which recognize the people as the
source of their existence and the
sooner the first step is taken of re-
turning to primitive manners and
methods, in cOnsonance with the as
pirations and ambitious of the mas
SEES, the better it will be. The wide
spread revolt against the exactions
of monopolies, may be Indicative of
the more fearful unheavel that will
follow against the disgusting man.
nerisms and offensive pretensions of
the shoddy imperialism that is
seeking a foothold in the capital of
the Nation.- Valley Virgiaian.