The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-09-22
Senator wade's spesoh %.


Time was when II was believed that dignity
Us well as honor, integrity and love of coun-
try, was 70 be sought for and found only in the
ranks Of the republican party. The platform
on which a. party they originally started
was good the programme commended itself;
the cause with which Tor time they were more
than identified was the cause of the nation ct
large; but latterly the falling OF has been
great even serious, and many lips have been
asking tho question, virtue-whsre shall we
find heri
Among the many men OF the republican
party to whom the nation looked up with hope
and confidence. few occupied more prominent
position than Senator Wade His superior
natural talents, his peculiar training, his great
force OF character, his devotion to the Union.
singled him out a. man Of prominence and
encouraged the hope that be might yet wear
and honor the chief laurels Of the Common
wealth. We have been sorry, however, to eb-
serve that, like 80 many others of our statesmen
OF later times, Senator Wade has been sadly
wanting in that dignity which, Of eli other
qualiies, II necessary In ono who wonh
occupy prominent position in Common
wealth which IL a. proud as it is free, prosper
GUS and powerful II would not be difficult to
Illus rae our meaning by copious quotations
from the Senator's speeches. We shall content
ourselves by calling attention to but one of
these. We refer to his Cleveland speech on the
10th instant In reply to Davis, who had twit-
tod uit fho Co, ,afh NJ
own State. Wade, as he himself tells us, replied,
eyes, sir; they will leave you in the lurch, as
the Devil did the man that trusted him." OF
Vallandigham, who had supported Judge
Thurman for Governor, Mr.. Vale says, "If the
people think of trusting the affairs Of govern
mept in this. State to the bosom friend of
traitor, they may as we'll turn religion over to
Judas Iscariot" Of the same man, who had
been refused admission to the Philadelphia
Convention, he says, "When man is 30 mean
that he is refused admission into such society,
he is ft neither for heaven, nor earth, nor
hell" Scurrilous abuse Of political opponents
and blasphemous appeals to Heaven are TO be
found in abundance in the same speech. When,
however. it is borne in mind that we are deal
ing only with one speech, it will be admitted
that our quotations are sufficiently numerous.
We make an appeal to the American public.
We ask them If they consider the dignity Of the
republic reflected in suoh language as that we
have quoted. We ask the honorable and edu-
Gated men of the United States If they are
willing that it shall go forth to the world that
the men who use such language are the repre-
sentative men of tho Unioni The world is
already convinced that our Congressman are
gathered from very questionable class but
we ask the question whether the American
people are perfectly satisfied that the language
of their best men, their Senator'S, their potent,
grave and reverend seigniors," should be the
language of the pothouse and the brothelf
We put it mildly waen we say that we know
OF no country in the world in which leading
statesmen in public speeches would use such
gross, vulgar, abusive and vllanous language.
A Palmerston, q Russell, Gladstone q
Bright Disraeli, Cavour, Kossuth, q
Berryer-who would dare to associate such
language with their lips? The earlier states
men of our OWE Commonwealth were not in
the habit of making rash appeals to Heaven or
of comparing their political antagonists with
Judas Iscario. or with the Old Serpent
The people, however, are after all, to
blame; for if their representatives misrepre-
sent them they must still confess that they are
the men of their own choice.