The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-10-30

nation, without the power TO pay his OWL
troops their legal dues until some selfish
quarrel between party and party was settled
Hard by sat another secretary, whose estab
lhhel functions seemed to be the misrcpre
senka.ion OF tho nation abroad by the leas,
characteristic Of its classes, tho politicians
and only then when they had been defeated
as politicians, and when their constituents had
declared them no longer worthy to be even
| their representatives. The national absurdity
was only equaled by another, wherein an ex-
politician was for four years expected to up
hold tho honor of a flag Of agreat nation
over all ocean he had never tempted, with a
| discipline the rldiments of which he could
scarcely acquire before he was removed, or
his term Of office expired, receiving his orders
from superior officer as ignorant of his
special duties as himself, and subjected TO the
revision of congress cognizant Of him only
as politician. At the further end of tho
avenue was another department so vast in its
extent and SO varied in its functions that few
OF the really great practical workers OF the
land would have accepted It's responsibility
for ten times it's salary, but which the most
perfect constitution in the world handed over
to men who were obliged to make it a step
ping stone TO future prefermcnt. There was
another department. moro suggestive of It's
financial functions from the occasional ev-
travagances or economies exhibited in It's pay
rolls-succrssivo congresses having taken othf
matters out Of its hands-prcsidod over by an
official who bore the title and responsibility
of the custodian and dsburscr Of the nation s
purse, and received salary that bank
president would have shifted ut. For 1t v as
part of this constitutional Inconsistency and
administrative absrdity that in the matter
of honor, justice, fidelity to trust and even
business integrity, the official was always OK
pectcd to bc the superior Of the government
he represented. Yet the browning mconSist-
ency was that, from time to tme it was sub
mitted to the sovereign people to declare If
these various Inconsistencies were not really
the perfect expression of the most perfect
government the world had known. And it
is TO he recorded that the unanimous voices OF
representative, orator and unfcttercd poetry
were that it was!
Even the public press lent itself to the great
Inconsistency. 1t was rs clear us crystal TO
the journal on one side Of the avenue that tho
country was going to the dogs unless tho
spirit Of the fathers once more terminated
the public; it was equally clear to the journal
~ al. thn. ,,,1,,
rigid adherence to the letter Of the fathers
would save the nation from decline. 1t was
obvious to the first named journal that tho
"letter" meant government patronage to the
other Journal it was potent to that journal
that the "shekels" OF Senator X really ami
mated the spirit Of the fathers. Yet all
agreed that it was a great and good and per-
feet government-subjcct only to the preda-
tory incursions of hydra headed monster
known as IA "ring" The rings origin was
wrapped in secrecy, it., fecundity was alarm
ing; but although its rapacity was preter-
natural, its digestion was perfect and easy.
II circumv olved all affairs in an atmosphere
OF mystery; it clouded all things with tho
dust and ashes of distrist. All disappoint-
ment of place, of avarice, of incompetency or
ambition, was clearly attributable 30 it, 1t
even permeated private and social life; there
were rings in our kitchen and household ser.
vice; in our public schools, that kept tho
active intelliynces of our children passive;
there were rings Of engaging, handsome, dis
solute young fellows, who kept us moral
but unengaging seniors from the favors
of the fair; there were subtle, conspiring
rings among our creditors which sent us into
bankruptcy and restricted our credit. In
fact il would not be hazardous to say that all
that WIS calamitous in public and private ex-
perienco was clearly traceable to that COM
binaton Of power in minority over weak
ness in ma or'ty-known Us ring.
HAPPY there was a body Of demigods, M
yet mnvoked, who should speedily settle all
that When Smith, of Minnesota, Robinson,
of Vermont, and Jones, of Georgia, returned
to congress from those rural soclsions so
potent with information and SO freed from
local prejudices, II was understood vaguely,
that great things would be done This was
always understood. There never was timo
in the history of American politics when, to
use the expression of the journals before al
luded to, "the present session Of congress" did
not IBID fair to be the most momentous In
our history" and did not, as far as facts so,
leave a vast amount of unfinished important
business lying hopelessly upon its desk, hav-
ing "bolted" the rest rs rashly and with as
little regard to digestion or assimilation as
the American traveller has for his railway
refreshment.
In this capital, on this languid midsummer
day, in an upper room Of one of its second
rate hotels, the Hon. Pratt C. Gashwler sat
at his writing table There are certain large,
feshy men with whom the omission Of even a
necktie or collar has all the effect of an in
decent exposure The Hon. Mr. Gashwier,
in his trousers and shirt, was a sight to be
avoided by the modest eve. There were such
palpable suggestions of vast extents Of unc-
tuous flesh in the slight glimpse offered by
his open throat that his dishablle should have
been as private as his business. Nevertheless,
when there was knock at his door, he un-
hesitstingly said, "Come I'M" pushing away a
goblet crowned with a certain aromatic herb
with his right haid, while he drew toward
him with his left a few proof slips Of his
Forthcoming speech. The Gashwiler brow