The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-05-03
MATTER.
MlSused Power.

DEFERRED MATTER
Mlsused Power.
Roscoe Conkling was man of towering
intellectually, but his temper and ambl'
tion were more in the direction OF tearing
down than building up. He had proud,
| imperious will and was impatient and re-
I vengeful when confronted with opposition
in his plans and purposes. This was Illus
trated in two notable instances-the defeat
of Arthur at the Chicago Convention for
the Presidential nomination in June. 1884.
and the defeat of Blaine at the polls, after
he was nominated, in November. 1884. 1t
was his influence that secured, and at his
Vice President, was made, after the de-
| feat of Grant in the Convention OF 1880.
Arthur and Conkling had been fast friends.
When Arthur became President Conkling
presumed upon that friendship and de-
manded things that Arthur could not
grant. From that time on he was the en-
envy of the President. At Chicago he was
| represented by Geo. G.. Gorham, who had
been bitter reyiler of Blaine and full
some adulator of Arthur. But at Chica-
go, he played different and difficult role,
His splendid conversational powers, his
keen inyective and scornful cynicisms
were directed against arthur and his
power of voluminous and extraYagant adj
| ulation bestowed upon Blaine. Those who
knew him were puzzled and surprised at
his attitudes. But he averred that Blaine
was the one man who could reconcile the
stalwart and half-breed factions into which
the Republicans of New Y ork were divided
His nomination would secure the electoral
vote of the State, and elect Republican
President. His earnest representation
and eloquent and picturesque appeals had
their effect, and went far to influence the
votes of delegates who were not welded
to men, but were DESTROYS of party sue
cess Through his declarations and kin
bred influences, Arthur was defeated and
Inundated at Chicago. That was one ac-
count settled for Conkling.
Scarcely had the canvass opened before
Gorham turned upon Blaine, whose NOM
nation he had so vociferously supported,
and devised and schemed to encompass his
defeat. 1t was he. it was stated, who as
sisted in organizing Oneida county so as to
change over a thousand votes from Blaine
to Cleveland which made a difference
against the Republican nominees of nearly
two thousand-enough to defeat Blaine,
and did defeat him and elect Cleveland.
Thus was. Conkling revenged upon Ar
thur for refusing to comply with his de-
mands in the disposition of patronage aud
upon Blaine because of old scores and old
sores.
This was not greatness. but it was power
power used to satiate sordid ambition
to PROSTATE the men whom he could not
use, even though it had to be done at the
expense of the defeat of his party.
We have an illustration of the illuse of
power nearer home. No man in the South,
for the past quarter of century, has had
such an opportunity to employ his strong
intellect and versatile resources...for good
as was presented to Gen. Malone after
| the achievements of 1881. An indefinite
lease of political power was in his grasp
Had he appealed to the liberal intiu-
fuences which carried the Coalition party
to success in that year, a power would haye
been crystalized in Virginia that would
have been impregnable i'll the State and
extended its effects throughout the South
| But he seemed incapable of measuring up
| to the needs and demands of the occasion
and the events. Instead Of drawing the
support Of those of liberal sympathies. and
winning by Cancellation and generosity 9TH
ers who were ready to renounce the OBJ
structive and retroactive methods of the
Democracy, he by his arbitrary policy and
dictatorial disposition repealed the waver-
i ing and offended many OF the high.spirited
and gallant men who had contributed to
the victory of 1881. AdYersity seemed to
have no instruction for him. He disre-
garded it's portents-scorned to counsel
with others-was blinded by his own vanity,
and expended the resources of mind and
means at his CONN and to invite disaster
and multiply defeats.
This arbitrary use Of power is inconsis-
tent with the source and inspiration of
our institutions and the mental training
and processes Of free people. 1t may
succeed and be tolerated for time under
peculiar and abnormal conditions. But
when the leveling time comes-when the
popular mind has reached an equilibrium
and calm reflection succeeds fitful ex-
elements, then the manhood OF men
begins to assert itself. and those who may
have abused confidence and misused
power, will be certain to be called to an
account and reproyed and repudlated. An
opportunity lost from such causes is never
regained. Public confidence will never DO
restored. 1t will seek other objects and
trust to other hands the interests that
have been betrayed and the means that
have been perverted,
The people are the power. They will
not long tolerate it's absorption into any
one man. They do not consider any one
essential to their welfare and the purposes
of government, and only will continue
their trust and abide their confidence
when self is made subordinate to the pub
lie welfare and the good of the State made
paramount. The political highways Of all
times and all countries are strewn with
the baf1led hopes and selfish plots of the
over ambitious, and history will continue
to repeat itself through the cycles of time
It is dangerous to misuse power-to dis
trust the people aud pervsrt agencies de-
signed for the public good to the attain
ment of selfish ends.
4 Personal.
Mr.. N. H. Frohlichsten, of Mobile
Ala. writes: l take great pleasure in
recommending DR.. Kings New Discovery
for Consumption. having used it for q
severe attack of Bronchitis and Catarrh
1t gave me instant relief and entirely cured
. me and | have not been afflicted since.