Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-12-31
Jonas ChuzzleWit and the Republican
Party,

In an article under the above heading,
the New York Herald OF Monday last, after
that the controversy on the
Force. bill would be renewed in the Senate
on that day, says that SIT is both pathetic
and pitiful to observe the solicitude with
which the republican leaders nurse this
bill and try in vain to keep it from gasping
its poor little fretful soul away.
If they honestly feel that the common
sense of the North has deserted them, that
they have nothing lsft to depend on except
the vote of Southern negroes, and that it
is necessary to drive even these to the polls
at the point of federal bayonet, the peo-
pie should look with something like COM
passion on their desperate attempt to
wiring one more Presidential victory from
an unwilling country before they pass into
history as mere "reminiscences.
The party which they represent began
its political life with the quaint, sturdy,
royal Lincoln; it is ending its life with
Grandfather's Hat, and that-empty.
The people at last recognize the sad fact
that this party-once full of noble ideas
and patriotic impulses-has come to re-
semble Mark Tapley's bed, which, he said,
was populated by lot of vampires"
Its only hope lies in the Force bill,
which will give its bosses the right to
make house to house visitation through
the South and apply to the ballot.boxes
that peculiar method of counting which
always enables it to elect it's man, the
method which was so beautifully exempli-
fed in the case of Hayes and which Senator
Chandler is now introducing into New
Hampshire.
The bill, however, will be defeated un-
less the gag law can be applied to demo.
cratic Senators. Ventilation of its stroci-
ties must be estopped, and Senator AL
drich has rushed to the front with his reso-
luton for the suppression of debate.
The republicans of the Senate must lose
no time, therefore, in explaining this gag
law to the people. They should not be too
modest to declare that when they have
finished speaking there is nothing more to
be said on the subject. and that the argu-
ments of democrats are simply waste of
the country's time and money.
Like Jonas Chuzzlewit, they long since
adopted the motto, "You can't overdo tax
ing care of yourself" If they have ever
wavered in their loyalty to this eternal
truth we have not heard Of it. No bull
dog ever hung on to the seat of tres
passer's trousers with half the tenacity
with which they have chung to the solemn
duty of looking after Number One.
The soft rhetoric with which they de-
scribe their own salntliness, even when
they carry an Ohio election by fraud and
Doodle, and the agonized adherence with
which they denounce all democrats, would
make the old Pharisees of Jerusalem green
with envy. Indeed, one gets the impress
sion that if the Almighty should abdicate,
Mr.. Harrison, with Quay and Dudley as
councillors, could run the universe on alto.
gether improved principles.
The Force bill is the embodiment of all
that is holy and beautiful, all the sweetness
and light in the republican party. 1t may
cause another civil war, may leave on the
far South a trail of blood, may incite a
contest of races which will reduce that
section to something worse than the origi.
nal chaos, may light up our wintry dark
ness with the flames Of burning dwellings,
but what of it? If the republican party
can thereby be saved and the denomination
of Harrison assured, such sacrifice will
regarded as mere bagatse h atten
tion is that the republicans must be kept
alive at any cost.
By all means, therefore, apply the gag to
democrats in the Senate. Let it be done
at once. If any of them shrugs his should
ers at the hobby of Hoar, Harrison and
Blaine boil him in oil. Let there be no
half measures. TO the dungeon with all
who dare to criticise the republican policy.
And let all other public business be laid
aside until the Force bill becomes law
Appropriations for the current expenses of
the government are hot worth considering.
They can wait. Better that the whole
country should be driven into bankruptcy;
better that we should drift into a war with
England on the seal fishery question, and
defend ourselves; better that the grave
| financial problems which are vexing the
people should remain forever unsolved,
than that the republican bosses should lose
their grip on Office and patronage. We can
get On without a government, without a
country, without navy, without business,
without prosperity, contentment and hsppi-
ness, but in heavens name what could we
do if the republican party should cease to
make this otherwise wicked world radiant
with virtue and patriotism?
Republicans of the Senate, brush away
other legislation, let US all go to the devil if
we must, but stick to that Force bill, push
on your gag rule. bind up the jaws of every
democrat and remember your divine proto-
type Jonas Chuzz!ewit, who said:-"You
can't overdo taking care of yourselves"
A DECEPTIVE BUNDLE.-When Charles
Foster, who lives at 345 Fourth street,
Jersey City, returned to his home, shortly
after midnight Christmas morning, he
found paper bag il the hallway and car
ried it into his room, under the impression
that some friend had undertaken 10 sur.
prise him with Christmas turkey. Foster
deposited his find upon the kitchen table
and then awakened his wife to inform her
of their good fortune. Mrs. Foster lighted
lamp, and the couple proceeded to ex-
anime the contents Of the bag. Mrs.