Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-02
Pernicious Political Activity of Most
of the Presidents.
WASHINGTON COULD USE WHISKY.
Gastronomies of the White House and the
Bills for Fine Wines.
HOW JOHNSON TOOK TOO BIG A DRINK
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DISPATCH. l

tendant at the polls on election days since
he became of age. He is following the e1-
ample of the Presidents of our latter days,
and it is now quite the thing for the Presi-
dent to leave Washington for the State and
National elections.
President Arthur voted regularly in New
York City while he was at the White House.
Cleveland not only went to Buffalo, but
gave his check for 500 to pay part Of
the expenses of one of the elections, and
Arthur not only gave literally to the cam
paign funds, but he sometimes visited the
State to regulate party nominations This
was the case when Judge Folger was nom
mated for Governor in 1882, and this act
undoubtedly did Arthur's prospects for a
denomination considerable injury.
LINCOLN HADN'T TIME.
The only President who went home to
| vote back of Arthur was Buchanan, whose
home was at Lancaster, not so very Jar from
the capital, and who went there regularly
to vote during his administration. Presi-
dent Lincoln never saw his home IN Spring
| field after he was made President. His
| career in the White House was such busy
one that ne had not time to think Of his
own ballot, though he undoubtedly kept
|
| ipulated them toward the great ends of pre-
serving the Union, which his genius largely
| aided in accomplishing.
There was no doubt about Andy john
sons politics He was q tempestuous parti-
| san, but he did not go to Tennessee to vote
his ticket during his term. General Grant
! never voted after 1860, when he vas
Breckenridge Democrat, until 1880, when
voted in New York. He had never voted
the Republican ticket until 16 years after
he was elected as the Republican President,
and Chief Justice Carter, who had much to
do with getting Grant to accept the Repub-
lican n nomination, said that the matter was
pushed because the party feared that the
Democrats would take up Grant and NOM
| mate him.
PRESIDENTS AS POLITICIANS.
There is nothing wrong in the President
going home to vote, and there is nothing
wrong In his taking part In politics to a
limited extent. All of the Presidents of the
past have been more or less of politicians.
George Washington was a irst-class politi-
clan, and he did not scruple to use liquor in
his elections. When he was a candidate
for the House of Burgesses in Virginia he
kept an account of his election expenses,
and among them was hogshead o. whisky
and a barre. of wine, which were used at
the polk.
Jefferson spent something like SO, 900 for
wines and liquors while be was President of
the United States, and large amount of
this went to conciliate discontented voters.
Jefferson was always laying political
wires, and he was by no means scrupulous
in his means of accomplishing his ends
Even while he was in Washington's Cabi-
net he kept man in the Department under
him whose chief duty was to write political
articles against Washington. Those arti-
cles were published in the anti-administra-
ito papers, and effersoa would mark them
and send them to Washington.
HOW WASHINGTON WAS ABUSED.
Few people appreciate how Washington
was slandered during his administration.
The papers then called him the stepfather o.
his country and the American Cesar. They
accused him of wanting to become king,
and In 1895 the New York journal had an
article on Washington as a thief. This was
written by the Clerk of the House of Repre-
sentatives, and it accused Washington of
having overdrawn his salary So, ,150.
1t was John Randolph, of Roanoke, who
proposed the toast at q dinner. "George
| Washington, may he be damned" and one
Of the leading writer's of the day even ac-
cused Washington of having committed
murder during the time that he was in Brad
docks expedition. 1t was at this time that
that noted scene occurred In Washington's 3
private office which Jefferson records in his
annals in which he got into towering rage
and said he had never repented but once of
having slipped the moment of resigning his
Office, and that WAS every moment since. 1"
And he went on saying he had "rather be
in his grave than in his present sit
uation. He would rather be on
his farm than the emperor of the world,
and yet they were charging him with want
ing to be a king" Even Congress went
back on him. and when he finally left the
Executive chair the opposition papers were
full of rejoicing.
THE TWO ADAMsEs.
The Adams family was made up of born
politicians. Old John Adams was fussy
little fellow as fat as butter and as vain as
a peacock. He was very angry when he
found that ne had to leave the White House
and he went away bag and baggage the
night before Jeferson's Inauguration, say
ing that he would not stay to see his enc
mics exalted. He was very Jealous of
Washington, and one day when one of his
friends in speaking of some occurrence that
had lately happened referred TO George
Washington and john Adams as having
taken part in it, he interrupted the speaker
Washington and John Adams, but you
should say John Adams and George Wash
ington, Tor John Adams made George
Washington"
1t was the same with John Quincy Adams.
He started out as politician before he was
out Of school and at the age OF 10 was draw
ing Government salary as Secretary OF
our Legation at St. Petersburg. He led of
the public pap during the whole of his life
and the salaries which he received from
Uncle Sam amounted to about $500, 600.
His election was brought about, it is said,
by political bargain which he made with
Henry Clay, and after he lett the White
House he again entered politics and came
back to Congress-.
JACKSON AND VAN buren,.
During the days of jackson and Van
Buren the Government had no use for any
man who was not a Democrat Jackson
was one of the most violent partisans who
ever sat in the White House, and he
schemed for the success of his party during
the whole of his two administrations He
helped Van Buren, to become his successo,
because he considered him frst-class
Democrat, and it was during his administra.
tion that the famous doctrine was brought
forth which is embodied in the catch words,
"To the victors belong the spoils."
President Harrison's grandfather was a
politician, and he was holding a petty
political Office at the time he was nominated
, for the Presidency. Polk was noted as 8
hand-shaker and a baby kisser long before
he was thought of for the Presidency. Hs
never had any idea that he would be nom.
, mated at Baltimore, and when he received
the news of his nomination he was trying Q
$40 Justice of the Peace case. His brothe,