New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-15
THAT MIGHT HAYE BEEN.


escape from ruin. A few more such cOmbina-
lions as that which gave it q triumph in Ham
ilton County, (Cincinnati,) would have made
George H. Pendleton Governor-elect Of Ohio.
And, as there are nominal Republicans else
where as we'll as in Cincinnati who prefer the
qualification of their ambition, their greed. or
their malignity. to the triumph of the princi-
Piles which they profess to cherish, such a re-
suit was within the limits Of possibility.
Had it been effected, nothing could have
stopped the nomination of PendletOn for Pres
ident in 1872. The old Rebel-sympathizing
element, which loves the Nations creditors ex-
actly as the adversary of souls does holy
water, would have jumped to the conclusion
that the pay-n- Greenbacks swindle was
card sure to win in the next Presidential contest.
Just as the grand muster of Rebel Honorables,
Generals, and Colonies, at their last National
Convention, temporarily Invested the Northern
Copperheads of what little sense they have left,
and spurred them on to their insane nomi-
nation of Seymour and Blair, 80 the triumph
of Peudleton in State 80 strongly Republican
as Ohio would have convinced them the New
Way to Pay Old Debts would lead them to
power and fortune For PendletOn is the re-
sponsible author of the Greenback scheme, and
the man who should run for President if that
scheme is made the party Shibboleth Seymour
does not believe in it; no more does Hoffman
and, if they shall ever assent to q pay-in-
Greenbacks platform, they will do so under
duress, and without heart or faith. Elect either
Of them President on such q platform, and he
will find some hole to creep out of If possible.
PendletOD, on the other hand, means it, Had
he been born in his ancestral Virginia, he would
have been a very active Rebel; born in Ohio,
he was as nearly q Rebel as circumstances
would permit. In Congress from the beginning
to very near the end of the War, he never
made q speech nor gave vote that Jefferson
Davis or Gen. Leo could have objected to.
He denounced Coercion he opposed the act
enrolling and calling out the National forces;
he fought against Legal Tender; he resisted
and execrated every act which recognized and
dealt with Slavery as the core and handspring
of the Rebellion. In all this, we believe he was
honest and sincere. Believing that White Men
only are fit to have q voice in public affairs,
and that Slavery is the best condition for the
Colored races, he would have been most ilogi-
cal and inconsistent had he failed to sympa- |
thize profoundly with the Shareholders Rebel
lion. And there is not an unreconstructed
Rebel in the Soath who would not hail his |
election TO the Presidency as practical re-
yersal of the verdict recorded at Gettysburg |
and AppOmattox.
Mr. PendletOn, ths0gh not great man nor
q genius is o gentleman and q scholar. If
chosen President, he would fill the office cOur-
teously and respectfully. Yet it Is none the
less true that his accession to the virtual lead
ershp Of the Democratic party would be tri-
umph of the worst over the merely worse ele-
ments whereof that party is composed. 1t
would make such men as Brick Pomeroy. and
Chauncey Burr, and Clay Dean, and Sam Cary,
(ugh y the master spirits of the concern. They
are the boys who would run the machine.
Whittier they would run it. no considerable. in
telligent politician can doubt.
We repeat that the Democratic party has had
a narrow escape from ruin. 1t may be beaten
in '72 any how-we presume it will be-but it
is not already beaten. as it would have been
had Pendleton vaulted TO its leadership from
the Governors chair Of Ohio. This country
cannot afford to repudiate its Debt, nor even
half. repudiate it. The mere attempt, if formi-
dable. would whelm Industry, Business. Prop
ertv. in measureless disaster. Our Currency,
our deposits in Savings Banks, our immense
estates nursed by guardians, trustees, receivers,
&C., &C.. utterly forbid the thought. There
would be desperate struggle between
the thrifty and the thriftless classes II the
Pendleton platform were really adopted by the
Democracy, but the result could not be doubt
full. Thrift 10 never vanquished by Thnftless-
ness unless through trsachery; and Pendle-
toms nomination for President would have
sealed bis party's d99q, Oar pemQOrstie chiefs
q tx course Rgrst bis mIshap-just TIA a to- Court
of Spain was wont to put on mourning for
some infant scion of Prussian or Swedish roy
atty, the notice of whose demise made Its
claorIv Int fhav uiil