Year: 1878

The Administrat ion Policy.


The st. Louis Westiiche Post indulges an
editorial article on the programme Of the
Administration, which is attracting consid-
cradle attention, inasmuch as its author
ship has been attributed to the Hon.
CARL SCHURz, who is connected with
that journal If not written by him
self, it has no doubt been produced
under his inspiration, and may account
for some of the eccentricities Of the
Administration during the last ten months.
The aim Of the article Is undoubtedly to
overthrow the assumption that the Presi-
dent, to secure o successful administration,
must have a party at his back, for it makes
declaration that ito say that the President
of the whole country must have personal
party behind him is extremely ridiculous"
This is understood to be the opinion enter
tanned and often expressed by Secretary
SCBURz since he became identified with the
to be reduced 70 practice, Is as full Of
Inconsistencies and absurdities as the crude
and undigcsted system Of Gvil-seryice re-
form that has been introduced into the
Government under the same inspiration.
Even the President himself has indicated
that he feels tho need and Importance Of
having q party behind him, for while his
acts have In some degree ignored the party
which elected him, he has been engaged In
an effort through the patronage of the
Government to draw personal party
around him from the two existing political
divisions in the country. For instance, the
appointment of Nh. KEY from the Southern
wing of the Democratic party was no doubt
with view to secure following from that
direction. The appointment of Mr.. SCHURS
from the recalcitrunts Of 1872 was designed
to attract that element to his partisanship.
Then the selection of Mr. EvARTs for Cabi-
net position was expected to call
around him from this State that peculiar
element in the Republican party, which is
Republican on convenience that is, when
the weather is fair and everything is lovely
in its own view, but which ia uniformly
found sntagonizing the live and active men
in the party. II was, no doubt, expected
that Mr.. EvARTs would prove u magnet of
sufficient power TO attract the anti-CoNK-
LING element in the State to the Admins
tion. The other appointments to Cabinet
positions were made with a view 70 gcograph-
ical advantages-and all for the purpose
Of securing personal following of the
| President. Circumstances GO TO confirm
the belief that this was the purpose of the
President at the outset, but nearly twenty
five per cent Of tho Presidential term has
transpircd and both the old political par
ties remain intact, without even q respect
able nucleus brought 70 view for a Presi-
dental party. In this view Of the case, il
is apparent that If at this late period the
President Is convinced that he has no need
OF a personal party behind him, 1t Is
for the reason that none is practicable, for
up 10 This time, outside the Cabinet and
other official retainers, an ordinary cal
would accommodate the entire following OF
the Administr alton in Its isolation from
Republicanism.


The programme Of the Administration
according to the Westlichs Post, is composed
of equal parts Of reconciliation, eivil-seryic'
reform, and financial and revenue reform
This is an unexceptionabls programme; but
out a backing? So far reconciliation hai
reached bat one class and that quite linn
tied, IN the South, and it is at that section
that 1t 10 aimed. The Democrats are recon
ciled so far as they are permitted to enjo,
Office at the hands Of the President or ar,
enabled to hold colored citizenship in
bondage more fearful than the chains O
slavery; and without these there IL n,


reconciliation in the South. WADE HAsTpTo,


was reconciled when the President deserte,
CHAMBERLAIN, whose title to tho Cover


norship is equal to that of the President Il


his position, and Republican legislator


in South Carolina was mstamorphised int


q machine to make Hamburger BUTLER


member of the United States Senate. MI


KEY was reconciled when he became


member OF the Cabinet, and NIKE WAL


DRoS, when he was appointed Marshal o
> Tennessee. NICHOLS was reconciled whe


he was permitted to usurp the Executiy


powers of the State of Louisiana TO the es
Il clusion of PACKARD, who was elected Go,


ernor if Mr.. HAYES was President FITl


SIMMONS was recOnciled when he was az


pointed Marshal Of Georgia. And in fa,


every Democrat who could get Federi


appointment has become reconciled, but nc


man of that stripe outside personal col
sideration of some kind gives token {


reconciliation. The balance of that ella!
in the South and some at the Mort
are now reviling the President as frau
who is occupying position that rightiull
belongs to another. This, then, is Il
measure of reconciliation at the Sout
which has been achieved at the expense
, the confidence, respect and good FELLOWSHIP


of the mass Of the Republican part


throughout the length and breadth Of Il


nation. Is it worth what it has cost?


= Civil-serViCe reform is the next plank
! the programme of the Administration, an
I when it is not made to mean more than /
D terms imply, it receives the sanction
f every Republican. But when II is used
! depose faithful, upright and capable of
= cials to give place to other and untried m
d terial-when it is made an engine Of pr
, scription and persecution as faction
] Ia In,