New-York tribune., 1868-05-18
pRINCLPLES OR hrccESSt

al should regard the passage of this BILL "
said Mr. Spalding in the House OF Repre-
sentatives. cas- the death-knell of our hopes
"as political party, In the Presidential
canvass" The debate was upon the question
of COlorcd Suffrage in the States. and specially
upon Mr.. Stevens's amendment securing the
right to vote upon national matters to all
citizens of the United States, without distinc-
ton of cutice. That point we do not propose
at present to take up; our purpose now is to
call attention to Mr.. Spalding's opinion that
great matters of grave legislation are to be
decided by consideration of their future
influence upon the fortunes of the Republican
party. We confess that to us the success of
any party, when il has been gained by the
abandonment or by the concealment of its
principles is, In our opinion. something little
more to be dreaded than the most disastrous
failure Get money-honestly, if you can
but at any rate get money" said the expiring
hoarder to his child. Get votes" says Mr..
Spalding, honestly. if you can-but get votes. y
This is a kind of policy which also includes
bribing treating, ballot-stufling, box-smashing,
naturalization frauds, head breaking, false
swearing, double OF even quadruple voting,
intimidation, and every form of ingenious and
expedent inquity known to New-Y0rk cleo
tiOn. Mr.. Spading only states in new form
the principle, long ago exploded, that " the
"end justifes the means" If it could be
shown probable that the Republican party, by
refusing to advocate and support the re-
establishment of Human Slavery. would be
beaten in the next Presidential election, then
it is either the business of the Republican
party to fight, tooth and nail, for such re-
establishment, or it is its duty to submit to
defeat and save its honor. If there be any one
in the country who has heretofore enjoyed
Republican victories more keenly than we have,
he must have been upon certain occasions an
extremely happy man. but we must frankly
avOw that the most monstrOus majority con-
ceivable would give us only pain if we knew
that it had been obtained by that worst of
frauds, q c0neealment of principles or that worst
of treasons, an abandonment of truth and
Justice. Success of this dubious kind is always
predestinate and speedy defeat. We believe
that nine -tenths of the Northern Democrats
really detested Slavery in their hearts, but
they were governed and guided by a tradi-
tional notion that the party would go to wreck
and ruin without the support Of the Slavehold-
ers. SO they gave up their principles-in Mass
achusetts, for instance, where the Democratic
party at one time was somewhat anti-Slavery
in its sentiments-they gave up their princi-
pies and thereby secured-what did they
securei The election of James Buchanan,
and with it just about tho most lamentable
experience which has befallen anybody since
tho old days of Nebuchadnezzar. The Demo-
cratic kind Of prosperity, mainly promoted by
eating dirt and fishing for majorities as boys
bob for eels, is no doubt extremely pleasant to
Members of Congress of certain breed-gen-
tlemen who do not expect to live forever, but
who like to keep their Districts while they do
lve-but it will not be found, in the long
run, that such prosperity wears well. 1t Is too
much like spending a shilling to save six
pence, or borrowing money to sustain busi-
ness at five per cent per month.
There are two ways of looking at party
organizations. Some men regard them as mere
arrangements for ousting A and for putting in
u. or for keeping in G and keeping out ID