The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-10-27

light If his disease should result IN death.
Unless we argue that it is the habit OF
healthy Democrats TO throw up their hats
over sick Republicans. it is difficult to IN
derstand WHY an exhibition of ordinary
everyday humanity from president or
ex-presicent should call for expressions OF
satisfaction uttered with the accent Of sur
prise, as if the humane thing, the courte-
Gus thing. was the unexpected thing IN
such a case So far as the world could
Judge neither Arthur nor Hancock felt
happy over the murder of Garfield, or if
they did, they did not express ii except in
prayers OF silent thanksgiving. That
Hancock, as an officer and gen.
tleman by education and associa-
ton, should not Lave capered and
shouted for Joy over Garfeld's murder;
that he should have consented to go to
the funeral, or, having gone, should have
RETAINED from all con temptuous treat
ment of the corpse, was most surprising
and very greatly TO his credit" but how
Arthur was ever kept from throwing up
his hat, bursting into yell Of triumph
and dancing on the new-made grave was
most difficult to understand except on the
assumption that Hancock and Arthur
were really gentlemen, not human tigers
in American politics. That two of the
foremost men in the nation should have
really felt and acted humanely at this
time was surprising to the charitable
press. which charged Conkling and Arthur
with having uttered words that loaded
Guiteau's pistol, and the charitable press
magnanimously conceded that sit was
very greatly to their credit" that Arthur
and Conkling did not cheer the news of
Garfeld's death. If it was, then We sup
pose that the Cleveland bouquet, given to
the dying Arthur. was another big display
of political magnanimity. and We all
ought to feel relieved today that ex-Presi-
dent Cleveland is not a brutal barbarian
after all; that his iron eye sometimes
softens at the sight OF suffering; that he
did not gleefully count on the sickness
and near death Of Mrs. Harrison keeping
the president out of the swim and strategy
OF the campaign; that he is sometimes so
sorry when the angel of death hovers over
the household Of Republican president
that in the spirit of gentlemanly weak
ness and criminal political courtesy he
ventures to express his sympathy with
affiiction.
What a reflection on the previous con-
duct of our politics is implied in the
description of a simple act of ordinary
humane courtesy as an exceptionally
graceful and generous expression Every
greatly to the credit of bitter political
opponent" 1t will be cold day for the
nation if political differences have become
so intense that the ordinary humanities
and courtesies of war are such exceptional
victories of peace that ex- President Cleve-
land is Landed because he sent ex-Presi-
dent Arthur bouquet and kind wishes
for his recovery; because he expressed
sympathy for President Harrison watch
ing by the bedside of dying wife, or
weeping over her new-made grave. What
less could any gentleman in tine case of
ex-President Cleveland do than. as all the
people did when the presidents wife
died, send message of regret and condo
lence. Greatly to his credit" forsooth.
Is it become 50 bitter and bad in politics
that grasp of the hand and the inquiry,
"How art thou, my brother?" between
political opponents is the unexpected
thingP 1t is greatly" to no mans credit
to be ordinarily humane amonghis fellows
if he is man of ordinary Christian intel.
tgence and civilized associations.