Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-11-26
TUES BAY. NOV. 28. 1859.
Death Of George HI. Pendleton

dleton the Democratic party ioeoe one OF
the most distinguished men it has known
n later days. Twenty-Five years ago
Mr.. Pendleton and Gov. John 7. Hoff.
man would have been picked out as the
natural leaders of the Democratic party
men to whom the succession of its
highest honors would have been readily
conceded. The availability of Horatio
Seymour as a Presidential candidate,
ended, in his own judgment, in his de-
feat in 1868 by Grant. This fact left q
marked paucity of Democratic leaders of
the first class, Pendleton and Hoffman
looming over all others. Then came the
Tweed episode OF 1S71-72, which anni-
hilated Hoffman, although very uDjustly,
and threw Tilden to the front as a
national leader of overshadowing promi-
nence, eclipsing Pendleton and all other
rivals.
Mr.. Pendleton stumped the country
when he was nominated for Vice Presi.
dent on the ticket with Mcclellan in
1864. His campaign Was an able and
dignifed one, but he must have felt that
he was leading forlorn hope. The
principal incident OF his career was when,
as Senator Of the United States, he intro.
duced his celebrated Civil Service meas
ure in 1880, and pressed it to it's passage
in 1882. As the first development of the
kind in the history of the United States
this measure will secure Mr.. Pendleton a
permanence of fame which very few Of
our later statesmen can claim. There is
marked division of sentiment id the
Democratic party, and in the Republican
party for that matter, as to the wisdom
OF this measure, or as to it's consonance
with republican institutions. To many
people it smacks Of European bu.
reaucracy; and, in country like
the United States, where the
ascendancy of parties is constantly fluc-
tuating, it leads to great deal OF
hypocrisy and double dealing in its ad-
ministration. Today it is very much
mooted question as to whether, amongst
the masses as we'll as the politicians, it
should not be repealed. Yet so strong
is the charm of humbug that the Mo.
wump, who counted for very dtNa AZ
any time, and for less than aver now ia
enabled to bedevil both parties and in.
timidate them into 1nowing some respect
for the new fe-ngled notion, which would
have ben abhorred of Jackson and
Marcy.
But, whatever we may think of this
single measure, the splendid qualities
and sterling Democracy of Pendleton
made him beloved by large masses of his
fellow citizens. There was perhaps an
sristocratic bent in his temperament
which prevented his becoming
leader in the popular, magnetic sense,
but he was able, courtly and
the soul of honor. His manners were
gracious in the extreme, and procured
for him the nickname of Gentleman
George" His style of eloquepce was
chaste, masculine and convincing, OF the
logical and deliberative rather than the
rabble rousing type. He was an aspirant
to the seat in the Senate to which SEN
ator Payne was electsd, and his disap-
pointment was undoubtedly bitter one.
Appointed Minister to eermany by Presi-
dent Cleveland, he displayed in that
responsible post tact and diplomatic
abilities of high order. 1t can scarcely
be said that the deceased statesman real
lied to the full the expectations OF his
friends, who confidently expected to see
him President of the United States, but
he has left behind him an honorable fame,
and acquired distinction as statesman
which will be far more enduring than
that of many of his contemporaries who
kept themselves more continuously in the
public eye.