Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-10-16
The Administration and the Demo
cratic Party.
AUGUSTA COUNTY, VA, Oct. l4th.
To the editor of the alexandria Gazette:

-
cratic Party.
AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va, Oct. l4th.
To the editor of the Aicrandria Gazette:
I, in common with good many other rus.
tic voters, endorse the plain and forcible ut
terances of your editorial columns in regard
to the administration and its policy. The
quiet submission OF the great mass of our
newspapers to the present state OF things is
no true index Of the state Of public feeling,
nor does it embody the feelings of the
masses OF The party. We are beginning to
feel ri last that an overwhelming defeat has
come on the White House. 4 mild Gilu,icn
of the Hayes administration type is exactly
what IS being reproduced in the present in
cumbent's policy. Your declaration in an
editorial CT few days ago that the effect OH
our Southern cabinet officers was to make
them lose their heads rs result Of their
elevation, Ii supplemented bv another no.
ticeable feature which is something OF polit.
lcal phenomenon. Every democrat who is
fortunate enough TO secure place under the
federal government Immediately begins to
develop most significant spirit of fraternal
cotdlallty towards republicans and cor.
responding GOODNESS and air Of distrust, or
| at least indifference, towards those of his
quandam political complexion.
In visiting the various departments Of The
Government in Washington dn,ipg the
terms of Hayes and Arthur the writer
was struck by the courtesy and considera.
| ton shown them by the heads of divisions
and bureaus, contrasted with the air
of cullen suspicion and almost rudeness
that Is manifested now. The question
which it may be we'll for the democratic
party to ask itself now lf not too late for
tha, benign relic Of what was once a dis
tinctive political organization to be asking
anythinel IS how many votes have been
converted from republicanism 10 democracy
ny the extraordinary policy of the present
executive? Let the exhibit OF the
park Of artillery firing sautes last win
ter over John A. Logan's reelection to the
Senate, under his very nose, answer. HAYES
Was despised and repudiated by his own
party because he was declared to have re-
wardtd too many Of the opposition What
can be said of the course Of this so.cal!ed
democratic President, who, ignoring the
| millions OF democratic voters whose adher-
ence to the cause through years of defeat
and ostracism placed MIN in power, turns
| his favor ADD affection to The party whose
twelve hundred local malcontents in New
| York gave him his skinny majority, and
who promptly rejoinsd their party ut the
next election and have voted with il siucc.
God knows it would have been better for
Blaine to be in the White House today
for the course of The present occupant is TO
slowly but sothoroughly emascula;e the par
| ty, so diVest it of every faint and hue OF its
| distinctive complexion, that when he leaves
the seat he is keeping warm for the
next republican, the poor remnant
| will be 50 dead, so apathetic, that no
earthly power viii! ever resurrect it.
In this district, one easily democratic, the
result IS b matter OF doubt, by reason of the
want of spirit and enthusiasm which is mar
ifest in the file of the party. Men when ex.
horted to work, reply, ooh, what is the use ?
We always stop short CT the goal. When
the machinery of Government is given us.
by The verdict Of the people, we are afraid
to run it, and an election triumph is mere
| empty result, carrying with il no essential
changes This statement is serious, be-
| cause it is unanswerable. Defeat ct the
polls strengthened us. What defeat in the
| White House will do for us remains to be
seen. II is an anomaly in politics, and the
| result is worthy Of study. But the mass Of
| hhS panty ~ WIG iuli Couit 10 eNOlNPN,
will feel that in republican victory in 1888
we will have the consoling election tina;
Grover Cleveland and his servle cab.
met are relegated for ever and aye Ia
the same remote political cavern OF oblivion
| that holds the shades Of Rutherford HAYES.
who, whatever may be said Of him BY his
own party, was kinder friend to the South
than was ever Grover Cleveland OF any
member of his recreant and time. serving
cabinet. Every pestitential idiot who is
| honored by al audience with the executive
tells him how lovely and acceptable his poi
| icy is proving to all the backbone of the rar.
ty, until, like the husband of the woman
| who has gone astrav. he is the last one TO
| hear the true condition Of things, though
the mir is filed with the criticisms and cen
sure Of the community. 1t is only papers
| like the GAZETTE who have the moral s,i,
TO see the truth and tell il plainly and open
| ly, and then we fear it falls on ears too ut
tuned to the melodies OF mugwump bands to
ever heed it. At all events you voice The
sentiments Of out Of every 10 democrats
in the Valley of Virginia, and they are not
eXpeetants of Office nor ever will be.
AGRICoLA