Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-12-28
WHAT Il IT.

The origin of the name Of the mugwump
has been elaborately and exhaustiyely dis
cussed, for years-ever since the creature
was discovered, in the political canvass Of
1854. as the supposed cause of republican
defeat Not 50 much attention has been
given to the more important matter. the ma
ture of the animal itself. Happily, its true
character and attributes are evolving and
displaying themselves so that neither inves-
tigation nor discussion is necessary. The
mugwump is a type-frosh and new, from
the exigency of a great occasion, and he
stands out. by and of himself. distinct
and clear-cut specimen. The mugwump is
the mule of politics. and we do not feel
called upon. in making this comparison, to
apologize-either to the mule, or the mug
wump.
What is the mule but the result
of a concatenation of conflicting cir
eumstances, over which he, himself. has
had no control? And what is mugwump
but the aforesaid? A mule is not horse,
nor is he an ass. A mugwump is certainly
not horse Whether he Is an ass is per
haps a subject for closer contemplation than
we are now enabled to bestOw upon it.
Certainly he is not, necessarily, an ass. He
is an ass only as he makes all ass of him
self.
The mule has a mind Of its own.
He has a head on him. So has
the mugwump. The mule will not
listen TO argument: neither will the mug
wump. The mule cares more for his feed"
than he does for the republican party. So
does the mugwump. and both are at one in
their iron purpose to have their own way,
even If the heavens should be brought
tnnbling down 10 the earth.
But, on the other hand. the mugwump is
intelligent. Sc, also, is the mule. He al
ways knows on which side his bread is but
tered, so to speak. There is no nonsense
about the muEwump, We admit. But there
is no foOlishness about a mule, and he al
lows no one to fool with him. The mug
LTump has an abnormal backbone. So has
a mule. The mugwump IS kicker. So is
a mule. He was crowned king of all kick
ers, at the very time he first appeared in
the world. The mugwump has rather long
ears and lays them back, Ominously, on his
neck. He has no consideration at all for
his opponents. He will neither consult,
negotiate nor compromise. He wishes no
additional information on any subject. He
is thoroughly, complacently, satisfied with
his own attachments. He never reads the
republican newspapers. He never forgets
anything; he never learns anything. There
is none of the milk of human kindness in
his breast
Fortunately. he does not breed. He is
as a great wit has said-without ancestry or
hope of posterity. There were mng-
wumps-many of them-in 1854. There |
are only very few now. There will |
never be any more of them. What are lett /
are slowly passing away. Let them pass!
Some of them have gone into the democrat
ic party, and they will produce internal dis !
sentions among our respected enemies. |
Some are dead. Some have shown that |
they were not really mugwumps, but were
only falsely supposed to be such, by making 1
their re-appearsnce among the republicans.
They are not as beautiful as they once
were, but they are wiser. They will vote
for Blaine, the next time, if he should be
the nominee, and do il with an accent and .
a cadence. They will wear the whitest and
tallest of hats, during the campaign.
Those of the mugwumps who are left we
will put under glass, and treat them hu-
namely. They shall be neither punished.
nor slandered, nor msligned. They shall
be respected and esteemed. They are now
classified and known, and can therefore do
no harm. Nobody will try to tie to them
so that nobody will incur the liability of
getting left. And it may be that the entire
contingent will quietly fall into the plug
hat brigade and, marching along, keep step
to the music OF the union. They can IL
they wish to, Nobody will twit them -
70 bygoass.