Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-04-27
Gl)e Ea,lfaster 1ntcIli9cuter,
LANCASTER. APRIL %. 1856.
An EX.presilput.

The newspapers are having their silly sea-
son about Mr.. Arthur. That he is a very
sick man there are signs. That he has a
very sensible attending physician, on one
point at least, is sure. This good doctor
obstinately refuses to issue bulletins about
himself, with some references to his dis
tinguished patient, as the Giant and Gar
field doctors did, so profusely and now
the correspondents have begun to abuse
the doctor, to lie about Arthur and TO la
ment over the country.
The physician is doing great public
wrong, we are told, in keeping back from
sixty millions of fearful and affectionate
people exact details of their late chiefs
condition; and in Withholding from him
their many tokens of touching sympathy
and profound solictude. 1t will strike
decent-minded and considerate people that
the physician is doing just the right thing.
The public have no claim whatever to
knowledge of Mr.. Arthur's condition. He
is a private citizen, entitled to all the pro-
lection of his position, no public interest
depends on his illness or recovery, and his
physician and his family are the sole proper
judges of what is to be given out about his
condition. His doctor is model of de-
pertinent, to be held up for the frequent
imitation of his profession and the instruc-
tion of the newspapers and the public gen.
orally.
That Mr.. Arthur is sick is enough for
the public to know; he may have one
disease or another; he may be better or
worse and to his bodily ills he may add
some melancholy of mind that is vaguely
limited it is not unlikely. He is probably
disappointed man. He had the reputa-
tion of being good liver that experience
generally brings its own physical penalty.
1t is mere vulgar curiosity-too often
pandered to by newspapers that know
better and should do better-which in
trudes into peoples chambers, inquiries
about and makes known all their private
affairs. And, at the same time, the
fashion spreads because a great many
equally vulgar-mnded people want their
affairs thrust before the public gaze: it is
hard for the newspapers to resist some of
them.
1t is not to be forgotten that Mr.. Arthur
came to most trying times and circum-
stances in his accession to the presidency
and bore himself with dignity through
them all.
The suggestion, made in some quarters,
that in his illness, his disappointment, his
alleged want of means to maintain his DO
sition, and other reported characteristics of
his situation, he is an example of the in
gratitude of republics or of the necessity
for making some new provisions for our
ex-presidents-this suggestion is also rot,
pure and simple. Our ex-presidents need
no such care. Men fit for the presidency
need no provision of the law to furnish them
proper retirement men unworthy of the
place should have no air cushion to break
Their fall. 1t pays enough for any Ameri. |
can citizen to retire with sufficient |
means to live in all the dignity that at |
tends them in private station; and any,
body ought to be willing and satisfied to |
+" have been " president of the United
States. The discussion about what the
public ought to do with them is silly and
proftless. Let them do for themselves.
Let them alone.