the cleveland era-第2章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


That　such　a　situation　could　actually　exist　in　the　face　of　public　disapproval　is　a　demonstration　of　the　defects　of　Congress　as　an　organ　of　national　representation。　Normally；　a　representative　assembly　is　a　school　of　statesmanship　which　is　drawn　upon　for　filling　the　great　posts　of　administration。　Not　only　is　this　the　case　under　the　parliamentary　system　in　vogue　in　England；　but　it　is　equally　the　case　in　Switzerland　whose　constitution　agrees　with　that　of　the　United　States　in　forbidding　members　of　Congress　to　hold　executive　office。　But　somehow　the　American　Congress　fails　to　produce　capable　statesmen。　It　attracts　politicians　who　display　affability；　shrewdness；　dexterity；　and　eloquence；　but　who　are　lacking　in　discernment　of　public　needs　and　in　ability　to　provide　for　them；　so　that　power　and　opportunity　are　often　associated　with　gross　political　incompetency。*　The　solutions　of　the　great　political　problems　of　the　United　States　are　accomplished　by　transferring　to　Washington　men　like　Hayes　and　Cleveland　whose　political　experience　has　been　gained　in　other　fields。

*　Of　this　regrettable　fact　the　whole　history　of　emancipation　is　a　monument。　The　contrast　between　the　social　consequences　of　emancipation　in　the　West　Indies；　as　guided　by　British　statesmanship；　under　conditions　of　meager　industrial　opportunity；　and　the　social　consequences　of　emancipation　in　the　United　States；　affords　an　instructive　example　of　the　complicated　evils　which　a　nation　may　experience　through　the　sheer　incapacity　of　its　government。


The　system　of　congressional　government　was　subjected　to　some　scrutiny　in　1880…81　through　the　efforts　of　Senator　George　H。　Pendleton　of　Ohio；　an　old　statesman　who　had　returned　to　public　life　after　long　absence。　He　had　been　prominent　in　the　Democratic　party　before　the　war　and　in　1864　he　was　the　party　candidate　for　Vice…President。　In　1868　he　was　the　leading　candidate　for　the　presidential　nomination　on　a　number　of　ballots；　but　he　was　defeated。　In　1869　he　was　a　candidate　for　Governor　of　Ohio　but　was　defeated；　he　then　retired　from　public　life　until　1879　when　he　was　elected　to　the　United　States　Senate。　As　a　member　of　that　body；　he　devoted　himself　to　the　betterment　of　political　conditions。　His　efforts　in　this　direction　were　facilitated　not　only　by　his　wide　political　experience　but　also　by　the　tact　and　urbanity　of　his　manners；　which　had　gained　for　him　in　Ohio　politics　the　nickname　of　〃Gentleman　George。〃

In　agreement　with　opinions　long　previously　expressed　in　Story's　〃Commentaries；〃　Senator　Pendleton　attributed　the　inefficiency　of　national　government　to　the　sharp　separation　of　Congress　from　the　Administrationa　separation　not　required　by　the　Constitution　but　made　by　Congress　itself　and　subject　to　change　at　its　discretion。　He　proposed　to　admit　the　heads　of　executive　departments　to　participation　in　the　proceedings　of　Congress。　〃This　system；〃　said　he；　〃will　require　the　selection　of　the　strongest　men　to　be　heads　of　departments；　and　will　require　them　to　be　well　equipped　with　the　knowledge　of　their　offices。　It　will　also　require　the　strongest　men　to　be　the　leaders　of　Congress　and　participate　in　the　debate。　It　will　bring　those　strong　men　in　contact；　perhaps　into　conflict；　to　advance　the　public　weal　and　thus　stimulate　their　abilities　and　their　efforts；　and　will　thus　assuredly　result　to　the　good　of　the　country。〃*　The　reportsigned　by　such　party　leaders　as　Allison；　Blaine；　and　Ingalls　among　the　Republicans；　and　by　Pendleton　and　Voorhees　among　the　Democratsreviewed　the　history　of　relations　between　the　executive　and　legislative　branches　and　closed　with　the　expression　of　the　unanimous　belief　of　the　committee　that　the　adoption　of　the　measure　〃will　be　the　first　step　towards　a　sound　civil　service　reform；　which　will　secure　a　larger　wisdom　in　the　adoption　of　policies；　and　a　better　system　in　their　execution。〃

*　〃Senate　Report；〃　No。　837；　46th　Congress；　3d　session；　February　4；　1881。


No　action　was　taken　on　this　proposal；　notwithstanding　the　favor　with　which　it　was　regarded　by　many　close　students　of　the　political　institutions　of　the　country。　Public　opinion；　preoccupied　with　more　specific　issues；　seemed　indifferent　to　a　reform　that　aimed　simply　at　general　improvement　in　governmental　machinery。　The　legislative　calendars　are　always　so　heaped　with　projects　that　to　reach　and　act　upon　any　particular　measure　is　impossible；　except　when　there　is　brought　to　bear　such　energetic　pressure　as　to　produce　special　arrangements　for　the　purpose；　and　in　this　case　no　such　pressure　was　developed。　A　companion　measure　for　civil　service　reform　which　was　proposed　by　Senator　Pendleton　long　remained　in　a　worse　situation；　for　it　was　not　merely　left　under　the　congressional　midden　heap　but　was　deliberately　buried　by　politicians　who　were　determined　that　it　should　never　emerge。　That　it　did　emerge　is　due　to　a　tragedy　which　aroused　public　opinion　to　an　extent　that　intimidated　Congress。

Want　of　genuine　political　principles　made　factional　spirit　only　the　more　violent　and　depraved。　So　long　as　power　and　opportunity　were　based　not　upon　public　confidence　but　upon　mere　advantage　of　position；　the　contention　of　party　leaders　turned　upon　questions　of　appointment　to　office　and　the　control　of　party　machinery。　The　Republican　national　convention　of　1880　was　the　scene　of　a　factional　struggle　which　left　deep　marks　upon　public　life　and　caused　divisions　lasting　until　the　party　leaders　of　that　period　were　removed　from　the　scene。　In　September　1879；　General　Grant　landed　in　San　Francisco；　after　a　tour　around　the　world　occupying　over　two　years；　and　as　he　passed　through　the　country　he　was　received　with　a　warmth　which　showed　that　popular　devotion　was　abounding。　A　movement　in　favor　of　renominating　him　to　the　Presidency　was　started　under　the　direction　of　Senator　Roscoe　Conkling　of　New　York。　Grant's　renown　as　the　greatest　military　leader　of　the　Civil　War　was　not　his　only　asset　in　the　eyes　of　his　supporters。　In　his　career　as　President　he　had　shown；　on　occasion；　independence　and　steadfastness　of　character。　He　stayed　the　greenback　movement　by　his　veto　after　eminent　party　leaders　had　yielded　to　it。　He　had　endeavored　to　introduce　civil　service　reform　and；　although　his　measures　had　been　frustrated　by　the　refusal　of　Congress　to　vote　the　necessary　appropriations；　his　tenacity　of　purpose　was　such　that　it　could　scarcely　be　doubted　that　with　renewed　opportunity　he　would　resume　his　efforts。　The　scandals　which　blemished　the　conduct　of　public　affairs　during　his　administration　could　not　be　attributed　to　any　lack　of　personal　honesty　on　his　part。　Grant　went　out　of　the　presidential　office　poorer　than　when　he　entered　it。　Since　then；　his　views　had　been　broadened　by　travel　and　by　observation；　and　it　was　a　reasonable　supposition　that　he　was　now　better　qualified　than　ever　before　for　the　duties　of　the　presidential　office。　He　was　only　fifty…eight；　an　age　much　below　that　at　which　an　active　career　should　be　expected　to　close；　and　certainly　an　age　at　which　European　statesmen　are　commonly　thought　to　possess　unabated　powers。　In　opposition　to　him　was　a　tradition　peculiar　to　American　politics；　though　unsupported　by　any　provision　of　the　Constitution　according　to　which　no　one　should　be　elected　President　for　more　than　two　terms。　It　may　be　questioned　whether　this　tradition　does　not　owe　its　strength　more　to　the　ambition　of　politicians　than　to　sincere　conviction　on　the　part　of　the　people。*

*　The　reasoning　of　〃The　Federalist；〃　in　favor　of　continued　reeligibility；　is　cogent　in　itself　and　is　supported　by　the　experience　of　other　countries；　for　it　shows　that　custody　of　power　may　remain　in　the　same　hands　for　long　periods　without　detriment　and　without　occasioning　any　difficulty　in　terminating　that　custody　when　public　confidence　is　withdrawn。　American　sensitiveness　on　this　point　would　seem　to　impute　to　the　Constitution　a　frailty　that　gives　it　a　low　rating　among　forms　of　government。　As　better　means　are　provided　for　enforcing　administrative　responsibility；　the　popular　dislike　of　third　terms　will　doubtless　disappear。


So　strong　was　the　movement　in　favor　of　General　Grant　as　President　that　the　united　strength　of　the　other　candidates　had　difficulty　in　staying　the　boom；　which；　indeed；　might　have　been　successful　but　for　the　arrogant　methods　and　tactical　blunders　of　Senator　Conkling。　When　three　of　the　delegates　voted　against　a　resolution　binding　all　to　support　the　nominee　whoever　that　nominee　might　be；　he　offered　a　resolution　that　those　who　had　voted　in　the　negative　〃do　not　deserve　and　have　forfeited　their　vote　in　this　convention。〃　The　feeling　excited　by　this　condemnatory　motion　was　so　strong　that　Conkling　was　obliged　to　withdraw　it。　He　also　made　a　contest　in　behalf　of　the　unit　rule　but　was　defeated；　as　the　convention　decided　that　every　delegate　should　have　the　right　to　have　his　vote　counted　as　he　individually　desired。　Notwithstanding　these　defeats　of　the　chief　manager　of　the　movement　in　his　favor；　Grant　was　the　leading　candidate　with　304　votes　on　the　first　ballot；　James　G。　Blaine　standing　second　with　284。　This　was　the　highest　point　in　the　balloting　reached　by　Blaine；　while　the　Grant　vote　made　slight　gains。　Besides　Grant　and　Blaine；　four　other　candidates　were　in　the　field；　and　the　convention　drifted　into　a　deadlock　which　under　ordinary　circumstances　would　have　probably　been　dissolved　by　shifts　of　support　to　Grant。　But　in　the　preliminary　disputes　a　very　favorable　impression　had　been　made　upon　the　convention　by　General　Garfield；　who　was　not　himself　a　candidate　but　was　supporting　the　candidacy　of　John　Sherman；　who　stood　third　in　the　poll。　On　the　twenty…eighth　ballot；　two　votes　were　cast　for　Garfield；　although　he　protested　that　he　was　not　a　candidate　and　was　pledged　to　Sherman。　But　it　became　apparent　that　no　concentration　could　be　effected　on　any　other　candidate　to　prevent　the　nomination　of　Grant；　and　votes　now　turned　to　Garfield　so　rapidly　that　on　the　thirty…sixth　ballot　he　received　399；　a　clear　majority　of　the　whole。　The　adherents　of　Grant　stuck　to　him　to　the　end；　polling　306　votes　on　the　last　ballot　and　subsequently　deporting　themselves　as　those　who　had　made　a　proud　record　of　constancy。

The　Democratic　national　convention　nominated　General　Hancock；　which　was；　in　effect；　an　appeal　to　the　memories　and　sentiments　of　the　past；　as　their　candidate's　public　distinction　rested　upon　his　war　record。　The　canvass　was　marked　by　listlessness　and　indifference　on　the　part　of　the　general　public；　and　by　a　fury　of　calumny　on　the　part　of　the　politicians　directed　against　their　opponents。　Forgery　was　resorted　to　with　marked　effect　on　the　Pacific　coast；　where　a　letterthe　famous　Morey　letterin　which　Garfield's　handwriting　was　counterfeited；　was　circulated　expressing　unpopular　views　an　the　subject　of　Chinese　immigration。　The　forgery　was　issued　in　the　closing　days　of　the　canvass；　when　there　was　not　time　to　expose　it。　Arrangements　had　been　made　for　a　wide　distribution　of　facsimiles　which　exerted　a　strong　influence。　Hancock　won　five　out　of　the　six　electoral　votes　of　California　and　came　near　getting　the　three　votes　of　Oregon　also。　In　the　popular　vote　of　the　whole　country；　Garfield　had　a　plurality　of　less　than　ten　thousand　in　a　total　vote　of　over　nine　million。

The　peculiarities　of　the　party　system　which　has　been　developed　in　American　politics；　forces　upon　the　President　the　occupation　of　employment　agent　as　one　of　h