The New York herald., 1867-03-21

tne ItOpie
The newspaper organs and stump orators on
both sides in Connecticut are making q pro-
digious fuss over their old party platforms,
principles and records, including all The usual
tricks Of noisy demagogues in whitewashing
their own ticket and in blackening that OF their
opponents The rebellion, treason, copper
headism, Southern reconstruction, State rights,
negroes rights and negro suffrage are the lead
ing elements Of these party discussions but
in the midst Of oil this "sound and fury, signi-
flying nothing" the real issue before the people
still looms up into bold relief The issues OF
the war for the Union and the issues Of Southern
reconstruction, the penalties OF rebellion and
the civil and political rights henceforth Of the
black race under the constitution and laws Of
the United States are substantially settled.
They can no longer be affected by Connecti-
cut election one way or the other. In fact,
the only general and practical issue before the
people Of Connecticut now is one Of political
morality, involving the moral character OF the
State, the good name and influence Of our
popular institutions abroad and strongly sug-
gesting ga decent respect for the opinions Of
mankind"
Barnum, the Snowman, as a candidate for
Congress, brings this great issue of morality,
decency and propriety before the people of
Connecticut in q bold and palpable shape.
Let him and the general ticket with which he
is associated be elected, and hereafter, at
home or abroad, when the question is asked,
"What sort Of people are those of Connect
cut" the answer will be supplied in refer
ence to Barnum, the Snowman. They will thus
be understood, parsons, professors and people,
as community Of those traditional Yankees
in the South who flourish upon hypocritical
professions and false pretences They may
answer, Suppose you look nearer home and
tell us Of Connecticut something Of the moral
character and moral influence of the city Of
New York in the political world" We will.
New York is city Of million Of inhabitants,
and as the great financial and commercial
centre and settling house of this continent this
city, with its million of people, ought to have
ten times the moral weight in Congress of any
other community of million in the country.
But what is the fact? This imperial city has
no influence in Congress, none whatever, that
we can perceive, beyond the strength in the
yeas and nays of its six Representatives.
Certainly they do not WELD the twentieth
part of the power Of the ten Representatives
from Massachusetts,, nor the weight Of any six
members from the western border Of civiliza-
ton. And why! Because the antecedents,
the intellectual calibre, moral character and
political make up of the members from this
metropolis in Congress amount to nothing but
yea or nay.
The question then naturally follows, why,
then, do not the people Of this great city elect
better meni We are constrained to answer
that it is because "the roughs" have the ma
jority, and as they alone make our political
elections their special business, they manage
the nominations and the elections to suit them
selves. In Congress, however, and before the
world, this powerful metropolis, this strong
right arm Of the government in its defence and
maintenance, suffers the humiliation Of mil
lion of people without any recognized infiu-
ence in the government-yea, Of . people in
capable Of governing themselves. Our city
councils and their shameless spoliatons, our
riots, our primary elections, our elective
judges. in most cases, and our members Of
Congress are all to some purpose, among the
monarchists of Europe, employed as unanswer-
able facts and arguments in proving the de-
moralizing tendencies Of popular institutions.
We may say, too, that II this city has been
saved from still more deplorable evils, it has
been, from time to time, by the seasonable and
saving interventions the State.
Does the State Of Connecticut desire to stand
on the same stool of political humiliation,
penance and repentance with the city Of New
York; If her people desire 1t the way is open
before them in the election Of Barnum, the
Snowman, and his political associates for the
same vicious elements which in New York find
or John Morrissey have him in Connecticut in
the Snowman, Barnum. When nominations not
at to be made, and the moral delinquencies OF
such nominees, are brought into the field to
"tickle the ears Of the groundlings," and are
winked At by moral professors and pious par
sons, the community concerned are in danger
Of falling into the low political scale Of the
city Of New York. The republicans Of Connec-
Acut, in falling from their high estate into the
embraces Of the Feejee mermaid and the
Jeremy Diddler Of the woolly horse, have made
bold departure to denoralise their party and
disgrace their State and hence We may
properly appeal 10 the religious and moral
people Of Connecticut to beware Of stealing
the livery Of Heaven 10 servo the Devil in"
Mayor Holman has the reputation Of . respec-
table man but his associations with the rings
political, pugilIstic and gambling, Of this city,
and their candidates for Congress, were the
death Of Holman. The State could reach him
and did, though II could not directly reach his
most obnoxious oonfsderatss. In Connecticut
they can reach the obnoxious Snowman and his
supporter and spologiss, and they should all
be held 70 rigid responsibility for the grave
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