New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-05-23
SHALL I'VE SAIL OR DRIFT INTO THE


We believe the next Presidential campaign
will be the hottest within the memory of this
| generation. At the last, with the enormous
odds of popular soldier as our candidate in
the first election after the war he had triumph
antly closed, our contest was so close that
the change of few thousand votes in three
States in the October elections would have
turned the scale against us. Such the vic
tory was, our opponents may claim that they
won it for us themselves. The Demo-
Gratis elected the Republican ticket, in Tam
many Hall, in July, 1865 If Mr.. Clement
l.. Vallandigham did not perform the
work when he forced Horado Seymour
upon the astounded New-York delega-
ton, Gen. Wade Hampton fairly finished
it when he secured place on the ticket for
the author of the Broadhead letter. Mr. Val
landigham's late resolutions, and their indOrse-
ment by the Democracy of the leading city in
his State, are notice that they don't intend
TO repeat the performance. From another
quarter John Quincy Adams takes up the
word with his treble note and swells the new
Democratic cry for the Constitution as it is
For that, if the incOngruOus elements of the
new movement can have their way, is to be
the watchwOrd of the Democracy in 1872
What Mr.. Vallandigham means now is what
Alexander Long meant and The World shame
facedly struggled for in 1668-tO put the
war and all its fatal memories be-
hind him, to accept its results, to
bow 10 the XIVth and XVIII Amendments
to the Constitution, not as articles originally
to his liking, but as integral parts now of the
fundamental law of the land, and therefore
entitled to his unquestiOning support. Mr.
Vallandigham does not intend again to insure
in advance the adverse decision of the People
who put down the Rebellion and hold in per-
petual detestatiOn its allies and supporters
He will avoid arousing alarm for the safety of
what we fought for; will go as far as the
Grand Army Of the Republic or Mr.. Wendell
Phillips in maintaining the right of the late
slave to his ballot and affirming the per-
petuity of the indivisible Republic.
1t is not, indeed. clear that the Democracy
can be brought to this patriotic platform, or
that if it is the people will care to accept its
too late reJentant authors in any other way
than on probation. The Cincinnati Enquirer,
the great organ of Mr. Vallandigham's own
State, regards him askance, and THE 81. Louis
Republican,, the organ of the farther West,
openly houts him. Give the Democracy few
local triumphs between now and their nomi-
mating Convention and they may lose their
heads as completely as they did after the
Oregon election in 1868, and fall into the
hands of the Reactionists once more as COM
pletely as they did three years ago in Tam
many Hall. On the very heels of the Tax
Payers Convention the other day, at Column
bia, came the Ku-Klux Outburst and attempted
murder at Newberry. All the fine efforts of
Vallandigham and Adams may lead to an eX
actly similar end.
But we cannot count on it, and we tell our
Republican friends wrangling over the publ
cation of Treaty at Washington, or dividing
the spoils of office in New York, or frittering
away their influence elsewhere in needless
contests and relentless personal feuds, that the
new movement means danger. To repeat our
warning The next Presidential campaign is to
be the hottest of generation. RancOrous wran-
giles and inexcusable tyranny in the Senate;
crusade against the Press of the whole coun-
try, aroused with absolute unanimity in defense
of what it thinks its right persecution of
prominent Republicans because they favor this
man for Senator, or do not favor that man
for the succession to the Presidency; warfare
upon the Republican Administration in the
hope of killing off a Republican candidate;
interference in local politics in the hope of
building up one-are alike unwise means of
preparing for the contest. Whose taketh the
sword shall perish by the sword. The men
who begin and force upon their associates
such struggles may not succeed in dig
cling the grave of the Republican party, but
they will not fail to dig their own.