National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-11-13
Breakfast Table Letter to the President

Breakfast Table Letter to the President.
MIR. PRESIDENT. The Hon. John s. Barbour,
of Virginia, was honored Thursday evening
by cordial reception of his fellow-cltzens
welcoming and conEratulating hin upon his
safe return from his European tour Mr.. Bar
bour said: ~ have been among the Scotch, the
French, the Germans, and the slow.moying
Englishmen." Not one word has this Demo.
cratic political manager to say about 1rishmen
or the cause Of poor old ireland. Yet he does
say: my first question on laudiag was, How
has the old Democratic party done? For that
is the denrest thing to me in all the world"
Again he says: II ki,w tlOt the
men who did the wsrk in 1881
had not been lpecialy recognized. do ~
lament for myself | never asked for anything,
never wanted anything, bu, / do feel that
those who have been placed in power in the
high Offices of the governmant-'n positions of
trust and honor--1 do feel that they should not
forget those that put them there But 1t makes
no difference what any one does. You cannot
kill the Democratic patty. You canuot kill it
had some cause to complain Of the failure Of
the executive department to recognize the
Democracy of Virginia" "T am q
p'ahi, frank man, and tell you phdt Think."
Marc Antony said, on memorable occa-
sion:
"a am plain, blunt man, and speak right
on. ] tell you that which you yourselves do
know"
Thus you see, Mr.. President there is great
difference between speaking what you think
and what you know. II Mr. Barbours mem
ory has not failed him, he should kno,U that
| as chairman Of the Democratic state commit.
tee of Virginia, he led the crusade in every
department OF the government against Re-
publican oliceholders in Virginia, to undo
| and destroy what was designated as the uu-
holy alliance between Arthur and Malone.
With this battlecry your administration was
induced to make removals with rapidity
and in num,er without parallel in any
i state.
The speech of this Democratic leader cannot
be sincere, and bears evidence of btsc ingrati-
tudc. lie cannot successfully attribute the
cause Of the defeat of the Democracy in vir-
ginia to lack of federal patronage but rather
an abuse of 1t, by his advice and urgent solicit
tation, which created an organized force Of cx.
ofceholders wh) did Herculcan work for
revenge.
But there are other aud more powerful
reasons why Virginia elected only three Demo
crats out of q quota of ten, to represent her in
Congress.
Says all exchange zone of the most notable
features of The late political contest in Virginia
Is the immense gain which the Republican
party made in the white districts" The Tdpe,
I6giaida, published at staunton, Va, says
cditorially; "Ihc mistake made by the Demo.
cratic leaders was in undertaking the intelli-
gcnCe ofthc masses. Upon the tariff question
was this especially the case, The mechanics
and country people have given this subject
more thought within the past two years than
ever before. They have commenced to COM
prchCnd its benefits, to look to it for the up.
building of the state, and the prosperity of all
classes, and were prepared to instruct many OF
the young lawyers, who were sent out to
teach them during the last fortnight OF the
canvass, The facts might as well be faced.
The victory was a victory over the usual
methods of election 1t was Il pronounced
victory for protection. l. was an unmistaka'
BILE declaration in favor of the Blair bill and
the repeal of the internal revenue, and it re-
corded the untremmeled will of the people o.
Virginia, without regard to their previous
political Affiliations"
These are the reasons, Mr.. President, why
the people of Virginia gave an aggregate
majority in the several congressional distrct
of about 81 GOO for the Republican party.
THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN,.