The Washington critic., 1886-03-08
THE MATTHEWS BUSINESS.

The Washington correspondent ol
the Richmond state communicates to
that paper the following piece of infor-
nation concerning the Matthews ap-
pointment.
~ learn that about two weeks ago the pre'.
ident informed one of the applicants for the
Office OF District Recorder oi Deeds that he
had made up his mind TO a2pnin n New
York negro ns Fred Douglass sue icSsor be-
cause he believed that IL would result incap
turing almost the entire negro woe OF the
state of New York by the Democrats IN
would probably result In the election OF
Democratic United states senator In thn
place OF Warner Miller, The President aide
that the regru vote, If secured. wouli change
the result In many Assembly districts and In
Several senatorial districts, get TINS IRON Il
yretty straight source
1t has been given out in various
quarters, by way ofapology for the ap'
pointment, that sooner or later the Dis
trict Democracy would see 1t to be u
great stroke of political wisdom. This
is probably it.
If the story is true, the moral is
plain. II is that the Democrats of the
District of Columbia, having spent their
money with an almost prodigal liberal
ity for the last twenty years or more,
with view to the election of Demo.
cratic President, will now be excused
from making further contributions to
the cause by magnanimously suriend-
ering the best local Office in the Presi-
dents gift in order to elect Demo
cratic United States Senator from the
State of New York
We cannot quite understand why
some other Office some where else
wouldn't have suited Mr.. Matthews
just as well, and If he is the active
Democratic worker he is said to be,
much better, than the Rccordership OF
Deeds in this District; but the Admin
istrntion seems to be of different opin-
ion.
There's one thing very certain, how
ever, that the President in making this
appointment, however well.intentioned
il may be, has done Mr.. Matthews a
two.fold injustice. Not only is the ap.
pointment unjust to the people Of the
District, but to the appointee himself
and IL the President doesn't withdraw
the nomination Mr.. Matthews ought tC
decline it.
As he is q Jealous, influential. work
ing Democrat it is doing him grea
wrong TO transplant him to a locality
where he can be of no earthly service
to the party and least of all in manip
Mating a legislative canvass up in New
York Such man as he ought to b,
put where he can do the most good
instead of being rewarded foi his pas
achievements with disfranchisemen
and political cmasculaiion.
Mr.. Matthews is also man Of SOM
consequence at home. Here, even th
fact of his holding a commission from
the President will not save him from
a certain sort of social ostracism tha
he will find extremely distasteful. w
do not care to explain ii, nor to defent
it. We only know that II exists. Mr.
Douglass, with all his natural promi
nencc and intellectual smartness
knows that it exists, and could give hi
successor points on this interestin!
subject. In short, Mr.. Matthews ca
never be as near the President il
Washington as he was to the Govorno
in Albany. Thus is the personal in
justice of the appointment made two
fold. It's general injustice is manifold
We haye therefore only to protes
again that if the nomination is nc
Withdrawn or declined the Senat
cbpI11 raioct II