New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-11-10
THE MORAL or 1T.
action.

There are Republicans enough in this State
for one successful party, but not enough for
two. Such is, in short meter, the explanation
of our last defeat
Two years ago, we all went to the polls and
voted, rolling up a larger aggregate of legal
votes for Grant and COlfax than any other party
ever polled in this or any other State. Then
we were overwhelmed by our adversaries'
gigantic, systematic frauds; now, we are beaten
by our own feuds and the apathy thence
resulting. We were cheated some but not
nearly enough to determine the result. Nearly
One Hundred Thousand Republicans, seeing
that their leaders were more hostile to each
other than to the common adversary, stayed at
home and let the election go as it might.
This should not and need not have been.
There is no question of principle which seri-
ously divides and weakens the Republican
party We are distracted mainly by our de-
votion to certain men and our antipathy to
others. And, so long as this shall be the case,
we must be beaten. We are beaten in 1870 as
| Silas Wright was beaten for Governor in 1916,
and as the Democratic party was beaten by its
"Hard" and "Soft' factions in 1876.
1t were idle to trace the genealogy of the
| feud which has divided us into what are of
late designated "FentOn" and COnkling" men.
| Suffice it that the distraction exists, and works
inevitable disaster. Last year, Truman g..
YOunglove was heated for Senator in a strong
| ly Republican district by Republican efforts
and votes. This year, James NJ. Marvin, who
was the master-spirit Of the opposition to
! YounglOve, is nominated for Congress in the
same district, and is in like manner struck
down. We do not justify either bolt; we sym
pathize with that great body of the Republi-
cans who, whatever their personal preferences,
voted last year for YounglOve, this year for
Marvin; we only insist that the nomination of
Marvin this year, while last years bolt and its
consequence were fresh in the public mind,
was little less than insanity.
So in the Chautauqua district. A bitter
feud there elected q Democratic Senator
in 1867. Now, it was insisted that the candi-
date who then ran lowest among three, though
he had the regular Republican nomination,
should be run for COngress-he and nobody
else. He is run accordingly, and elected at a
heavy cost to the Republican State ticket.
And so in other cases.
We cannot afford to have two Republican
parties in this State. If we attempt it, we
shall soon have none. And, in order that we
may have one, it is essential that all who habitu-
allyvote the Republican ticket shall be regarded
and treated as friends by the Federal Admin
istration. If a part of them are treated as
step-children, we cannot keep the field.
Our last State Convention fairly indicated
our fatal distraction. More effort was made
in its election and organization to triumph
over Senator FentOn than to defeat Gov. Hoff-
man. To be known as friend of that Sena-
tor was to be suspected of hostility to Gen.
Grants Administration. We cannot doubt
that Federal offices were bestowed OF promised
to secure an anti-FentOn preponderance in that
Convention And, in selecting candidates for
our State ticket, the question of Fenton or
anti-FentOn was more regarded by many
than the nomination of strong and popular can
didates. Since then, every Fenton man" $50
called) who holds Federal Office in our State
has felt of his neck each morning 10 be
sure that his head was still attached to his
shoulders.
Unless this can be changed, the Republicans
OF New-YOrk are henceforth of no more ac-
count In the National scale than the Democrats
OF Massachusetts. Until reunited in the bonds
OF National adversely, we shall be of no
use save as make-weights in q National
Convention.
what needs to be done is easily told. We
must frown upon all who would nernotuote
our senseless feuds, and the Administrator
must help us by steadily ignoring all dstinc-
tions between "Fenton" men and "ConkIncu
men. 1t must cease to make removals or an.
pOintments in the interest of either &c
our Senators, or to regard the friends of
one with more favor than those of the
other No competent, worthy Republican
must be removed from Office because of his