Los Angeles herald., 1891-06-09
HARRIsoNIAN IMPUDENcR.

A marked copy Of the Helena, Mont,
Journal (Russell Harrison's paper) has
been sent to Mr.. Blaine, the markings
calling attention to this quasi-oficial
order: "Heads lof each of the great
departments are at liberty to initiate
and suggest, but can only go forward
with any project after advisement and
after the president has directed them to
do so. 1t might occur, as it did in the
case OF Buchanan, that members of the
cabinet had more ability and experience
than the president, but no such con-
tingency as that can arise with man OF
President Harrison's caliber in the
white house. "-[ Exchange.
This is not only insulting to Mr.. Blaine
but to much greater man. The Re-
publican attempts to belittle Mr.. Bu-
chanan have simply had the effect OF
the boomerang, and in the clear light OF
history have knocked over the throwers.
The only offense of that great man and
pure statesman was that he found him
self confronted by state of things for
which no provision was made in the
constitution of the United States. Cen
eral Jackson promptly met notification
on logical grounds. 1t was obvious
to his robust intelligence that
no state could remain in
the union and vet defy its
laws. The issue of states withdraw
ing from the union was a new one. 1t
was first suggested by Massachusetts,.
The more numerous branch of the legis-
lature of the old Bay state passed res
olution on the admission of Texas, in
the following words Resolved, that as
Texas is in the union, Massachusetts, is
out" William Lloyd Garrison called
the constitution of the United States a
covenant with hell and league with
DEATH" Horace Greeley wrote leader
in the New York Tribune, the foremost
Republican paper in the United States,
under the heading, "Let our erring
sisters depart in peace" About the
same time appeared in Greeley's paper
the celebrated poem, devoted to the
American flag, beginning,
Tear down the Haunting lie,
Half mast the starry flag.
Mr.. Buchanan found himself in the
midst of distracted and uncertain pub
lie sentiment, and he did just what any
other patriot would have done under
the circumstances. He threw himself
on congress, pointing out the involved
character of the issue, and calling
upon that body to initiate national
policy, as it was right and proper that
he and it should do. He replaced Mr..
Cass in the state department by Mr..
jeremiah S. Black and the latter gentle
man as attorney-general by Edwin M.
Stanton. Congress failed to grasp the
situation, and things drifted along until
the fusillade on Sumter fired the ma
tional heart. And yet, at no time prior
to that event, did even Mr.. Lincoln and
his cabinet know what to do. Up till
that sensational incident number of
that statesman's cabinet, including Sal
mon P. Chase, were in favor of allowing
the seeding states to go.
The attempt to belittle Buchanan and
elevate Harrison is one OF the absurdi-
ties OF the day. The Pennsylvania
was giant in intellect and character
compared to the Indiana midget. 1t is
said that it is safer to kick a dead lion
thah live jackass. Mr.. Blaine by no
means belongs to the latter category
He is immeasurably superior to his
nominal chief. But he would be obliged
to take several bitches at his trouser
straps to draw himself up to the height
OF his fellow Pennsylvania.