The record-union., 1892-06-23
WEAK ASSAULT UPON PRESIDENT
HARRISON.


anew with failing to give due credit to
the heads of executive departments of his
administration. The charge has never
been specific, but always general and
As matter of fact, the record Of the adj
ministration does not show that in any
instance there has been any communica-
ton, foreign or domestic, emanating
from the Government that has not come
through and from the proper department.
A search has been made, and it has not
been discovered that the President has at
any time acted without first consulting
with the department Secretary related to
the business On hand. The President
himself has in no official or other com
munication claimed any credit due to an
other.
On Monday when the committee to
notify him of his denomination addressed
the President, he said in the course of his
reply: 1.-THE faithful and highly success
full work done by the able heads of the
executive departments and representa-
tives abroad I desire most cordially to ac-
knowledge and commend" The truth
is that the conduct of affairs at sthe Ma
tional Capital by President Harrison and
his official lieutenants has been so clean,
manly and dignified, and with such re-
gard for the courtesies of official life, that
the opponents of the President cannot
find any specific instance upon which to
hinge a charge to feed jealousy and en-
gender within the Presidents party
heart-burpings and fiction.
All Presidents have had warm debates
with their Cabinets. Every one of them
has met with the occasion when duty die
tated to them disagreement with one or
more of their lieutenants. There has been
no President who has surrendered his in
dividuality to his secretaries, and has per-
mitted them to administer affairs ire
spective of his own convictions of right
policy and justice. The people would
have no respect for a Chief Executive
who should commit himself wholly to
his official advisers, and become merely
the figure-head of the administration.
Yet thus far the enemies of General
Harrison have been able to lay no more
serious charge against him than the I'M
founded one that he has snubbed Cabinet
heads, and has been jealous of the success
of department chiefs. But this has been
manufactured very nearly out of the
whole cloth, such element of substance as
is in it being due to the fact that in Cabi-
net councils President Harrison has been
strong, firm and vigorous in assertion of
his views, though he has not, say his Sec
retaries, in single instance cut short or
refused to counsel with any head of Cabi-
net departments, nor has he acted indie
pendently of them in any case without
consultation.
That the Eastern opposition press can
fnd to this time no graver charge to pre-
fer than that to which we have called at
tention, is one of the very best evidences
that can be adduced OF the cleanliness and
dignity that has marked the administra-
ton of President Harrison. The cam
paign will not be one evidently, of mud
f1ingiug; if there is to be any fever OF
contention worked up in it, it will not be
IN the direction of dividing the Presi-
dents party upon questions of his per-
sonal conduct. But it will move upon
the line Of debate of national questions
economic administration and the wisest
policy to be adopted in choosing for the
Chief Executive a safe, patriotic, states
manlike administrator, who will grace
the office and preside over the nation
with dignity, and in a manner to com.
mand respect abroad and admiration al
home.