Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-11-26
AN ERA OF GOOD FEELING.

title of the "Era of Good Feeling"
President Cleveland's administra.
ton has been harassed by public
men, in and out of Congress who
proclaim political fellowship with
him in a party sense, and yet resent
his refusal in his great Office to be-
come the agent of over.zealous par
tisanshIp. Newspapers that siren
uouSly advocated President Cleve-
lands election are equally with
Democratic politicians reprOachful
Of the President. Newspapers that
opposed Mr.. Cleyeland's election
are meanwhile exempted from any
criticism of his administration cx-
cept what shall bejudical, fair, and
in good temper as to its public and
official performances.
The President has been treated
by his political opponents in Con
gress, and IN the press not support
ers of his administration, with con-
spicuous fairness and Justice
Slight acquaintance with the record
of the Congress which will termin-
ate on the Fourth of March next,
and which will end with a greatly
reduced Democratic majority in the
House, and with slight gains by
the Democrats in the Senate, which
is Republican by a few votes, will
affirm this statement of the fair
treatment the President has re-
ceived from a branch Of the govern
ment coordinate with the EXecu-
tive. Both the President and Con
gress have appeared in equally good
humOr and amiable purpose OF pro
motion of the interests Of the peo-
pie, the difference being on matters
of opinion honestly entertained on
both sides. The President has
given abundant evidence of his po-
litical and partisan Preferences
Ontside observation would say that
these evidences ought to satisfy
complaining Democrats. Repubh-
cans and others who opposed Mr..
Cleveland's election are hardly
competent critics of his quarrels
with his political family.
The Presidents course or spoil
Cyl as 1t is sometimes called, has
unquestlonably opened the way in
the South to candid discussion OF
public men and to a higher plane
of political thought than that rest
ing upon mere personalities and
preiudices. For that result at least,
the President whether a conscious
or unconscious agent, is to be great
" commended or perhaps, 1t were
more accurately stated that the
fruits of his "pOlicy" were much
needed. The President, doubtless,
knows little OF the traditions, the
agencies OF of the personal influ-
ences of politics in the SOuth-even
in a State so close to the District
of Columbia as Virginia. 1t is
hardly reasonable to suppose that
he should know the issues, person
al and political, that have grown
out of the agitation of the question
of our public debt-a sO-called debt
yet cruelty exacted of a people who
never would have refused payment
of any debt properly accounted and
demonstrated. Probably he does
not know that his own party in
Virginia is absolutely committed
by every form of asseveration both
in its platform and from the mouths
of its most noted orators and Its
leading journals to the settlement
of Virginia's debt upon the basis
framed in legislation by the last
General Assembly in which his po-
litlcal opponents were in a majority.
President Cleveland has I'M
doubtedly learned of the severe crit
icism his administration receives
from Virginia Democrats. Con
gresham Barbour, Chairman Of the
State Committee and member Of
the National Committee, fOrcefully .
voiced that feeling on his recent re-
turn from Europe. Meanwhile
President Cleveland finds no accus-
ers of his fidelity to his party obi 7
cations among Virginians who did F..
not think that a political millennium
was to be wrought by his election.
Among his fairest and most candid /
critics, who deny him no praise .
that he has fairly earned, and Meth I
er smother him with honeyed as
surances nor assail him for failing
to crafty probably unreasonable
demands, are Virginians who sin
cerely desired his defeat two years /
ago.
With such conditions OF public .
opinion as now prevail, and which /
demand throughout the country
fair discussion and enlightened
thought President Cleveland may
close his official term with much Of
the general appreciation that mark
ed President MOnrOe's administra-
ton as the EZRA of Good Feeling"
North Carolina newspapers, sup
porting the Democratic organlza-
ton, evince disappointment at the
result of the late election in that
state and alarm as to the future
ascendency of their party in a