Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1886-03-04
A Fatal Defence.

The President has advanced to lofty pO-
sition of non-partisan reform. and with some
difficulty has dragged his party up after him,
ana now the Republican Senators demand
that he shall descend 10 their low level and
admit that he has made appointments for
political reasons, or they viii not confirm
the men appointed This is the version Of
the matter given by The Washington Post
in solemn article which smells Of the
White House. This article begins by as
serting that the Senate report brings to a
square and tangible issue one of the mos;
interesting. important and far reaching
questions ever submitted TO the judgment
Of the American people" Wha, i, the
question so solemnly introduced Whether
the President shall hide from the daylight
the dirty ISLANDERS which have been secretly
used as preteXIs for turning out Repuhl-
can officials Of unquestioned merit and integ
rItv.
Why should he not make public any good
reasons that were known 10 HIM for remov-
as made With sill It's inspired zeal, The
Washington Post can give no excuse. nor
can any body else, except the Oh, ious one.
tina, the removals had been for partisan
reasons. Every one can see that the Pfes-
dent would be IN haste 10 make public any
other Justification for his action. Even The
Washington Post blinded hy lts zeal to the
effect ct lis own admissions, makes It clear
that the President can give no reason for MS
removals except a desire TO make places for
Democrats. for II the wicked Republicans
could compel him to give his reasons, It sd
mlis, they would force HIM downward and
backward 10 the old plane of the spnls sls.
tenn" How on earth could he be forced 20
that plane nv ayowing his reasons. # those
reasons we're not purely and grossly paftl-
san
What the Republicans are doing. aud in a
great measure have already done. = sImpl.
stripping the mask from hypocrisy. The Pee
ident could not be forced back ~ the old
>pols system in public estimation # he had
not first gone back to the old spols stem IN
hi, action. He has made hundred, of re.
mo,al, and suspensions purely for partisan
reasons. and /, ulttrlv unable To give al,
other. Because he ha> acted a. a .pal.
partisan, he Exposure of his action does tend
to place him on hat low level IN public r,-
,matIon. Naturally i, 5 not PHEASANT To-
him TO have his acts conlrasief with h>
pledges. Natural, his partisai.> >l!Ne 10
have the mask Of hypocrisy removed. Th.,
would IKE to 20 on Indefinitely. getting re-
mosals and appointments from The Pres
dent for partisan reasons only. and VT pre-
tending that lie is a lofty and pare reformcr
who never does any such thing BIt cant
does not 20 down long IA this country, and
II there j. ANYTHING the people de>p.,r, 1t j. i
sham
II does mol seem to occur 10 the Pres
dent cr HI, apoiogists inspired OF uniu>p.r-
ed. that hI> predloament Is exact, the same
whether be gives reasons ur refuses A
the world sees that refusal j. confession Of
the only reason that he dare, not give Il
would help him infinitely If he could say.
Every removal va, justified d, evidence
that the person removed vas unfit" lh-
President cannot say that: /, would cover
him with disgrace Il would help him much
il he could say. such removals were made
upon charges affecting otiicia' character, far
whi"h tins or that Senator or Representative
j. responsible" The President does not
dare 10 uncover me men at whose bidding
he has acted i would put an end 10 oil pre-
fences OF reform II he should show lha, hr
had been puppet IN the hands Of such men
as Huber O. Thompson and German.
Every door OF excuse j. closed TO ham; he
can only tell the naked truth, If he answers
AZ all, namely. that he has chosen TO remove
Republicans because the, were Republicans
and TO appoint Democratic parry workers
because they had been and IN future could
be useful 20 the party. Bat the country
knows that Is the truth If he does not reply
at all. because he mas no other reply to give.
II was not IN the power Of ani BODY to put