The New York herald., 1868-08-20
The Presidential COntest-The Degradation
of the Party Press-SOme Specimen Bricks.

The Presidential COntest-The Degradation
of the Party Press-SOme Specimen Bricks.
Henry A. Wise, of Virginia, who, although
fre-eater, has always been something of
philosopher, once upon time, on the lower
floor Of Congress, thanked God that there was
not newspaper in his (the Accomac) district
He had seen enough of the vulgar personali-
ties and scandalous accusations of the Richmond
party press of that day to be thankful that
there was no newspaper within the limits of
his baillwick. Nor, with all our "modern
improvements" since that time, has party
journalism, North or South, improved in the
matter of decency? 1t is, as it was, disgrace
to the American press and a scandal to the
country. Appealing to the basest passions
and prejudces of the baser sort, it shocks
the moral sense of honest thinking men. We
give this morning elsewhere in these columns
a specimen editorial from leading republican
organ and sample from very pretentious
democratic organ, and some other extracts, as
illustrations of the reason why the aforesaid
Wise, in his Chinese isolation, felt thankful to
God that there was no newspaper in his Con-
gressional district.
First we will glance at leader from the
New York Tribune, headed "Vallandigham on
the Finances" in which these dainty passages
occur to strengthen the argument" Mr.. Val
landigham deliberately lies "Whoever con-
troverts this is foolish, reckless liar" "Any
villain who now says they (the fve-twenties)
are payable in greenbacks would as readily say
they should never be paid at ALL" ''Mr.
Vallandigham says the bondholder paid only
five hundred dollars for bond calling for
a thousand. Herein the villain lies no less
basely than before" "Mr. Vallandigham says
that he is in favor of 'one currency for all and
gold for ALL In this he lies as usual ;" and 50
on, with "knavery," "swindling," 'scoun-
drelism," and "indelible infamy," to the end
of the chapteN These are pet phrases with
mild and benevolent Greeley that his party
contemporary, Raymond, acquired the title of
'the Little Villain" and the venerable Thurlow
Weed the distinction of 1.-THE Old Villain"
And we think it was to the waterfowl and
patriarchal poet Of the Post that the Tribune
censor called out, "You lie, villain, you lie !"
Such is the philanthropy of our radical phioso-
pher in discussing party politics. He scolds
them like q very drab, and "as the old cock
crows the young ones learn" Hence from the
debasing lessons of their leading journals the
general decentralization of the party press and
the reeking corruption Of our political parties.
Next we give leading editorial from
prominent copperhead organ-a great pre-
tender to dignity and decorum as we'll as chop
logic-an article headed '.Insanity in the Sey-
mour Family" In this article a certain state
ment of facts in reference to ''insanity in the
Seymour family" is, In a roundabout way, con-
sidered but the facts are not denied. The
advocate of Mr.. Seymour undertakes rather
to show that the danger Of hereditary insanity
is less to be feared in public man than
''beastly intoxication." For instance, it Is
urged that Ito whatever ancestral tendencies
Governor Seymour may be exposed it will
not be disputed that up to the present time he
is man of sound mind;" that ''his faculties
have never once been clouded or disordered
or his self-control lost by beastly intoxica-
tion." Again:-"He was never compelled by
his incorrgible addiction to strong drink to
resign O commission in the army to avoid
dismissal" And yet again: Between ma1
who is not insane and one who is an inebriate
1t is safer to rely on the mental soundness Of
the former than of the latter" Here, as an
answer to presumption of possible lunacy
against Seymour from republican organ, we
have q positive charge from a democratic
organ Of ''an incorrigible addiction to strong
drink" against Grant. The same charge, how
ever, in 1868, was brought up from vicksburg
against Grant by committee of Puritanical
Maine law men Ito Honest Old Abe" And
what was his reply? ''Tell me, gentlemen,
the favorite brand Of his whiskey, and 1 will
send barrel Of it to every general in the
army"
II would be sorry state Of affairs indeed
If at this important epoch in our history the
American people were reduced in their choice
of President to drunkard or a lunatic.
But while It Is simply impossible that any man
with an intellect in any degree clouded OF
obscured could have giv0us the public record