New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-07-07

"of the country for the last five years." the
iron ribbed Democracy" will "assail fraud,
violence, perfidy, corruption, and usurpation
in any quarter where they may be found
by which euphonious language no evidently
refers to the Constitutional Amendments.
In this conflict of policies we look for gliid-
ance to DIR. Tweed The State of New-York
is entitled to give the keynote upon which
the discordant factions may harmonlze. one
of the New-YOrk Democrats IL perhaps ut TINS
moment the most prominent candidate Tor the
Democratic nomination, and the sachems OF
Tammany are the working managers who VIII
arrange most of the little jobs and bargains,
and furnish most of the money required IN
the course Of the campaign. The Iammany
meeting, therefore, on the Fourth OF July
ought to have had deep political meaning.
The only truth deducible from it seems to be,
however that no understanding has yet
been reached Mr.. Tweed, to be sure,
made beautiful speech. He appeared,
for the first time on any stage, IN the
character of champion of "a strictly
economical government. He proposed
to wrest the National Government from
the hands of those who are now betray-
ing il, to restore our ships and commerce. ana
TO 90 forward "a he did before" This Is
not consistent If he goes forward as he did
before, he can't have an economical govern
ment, whatever else he may get. Neither can
he restore our maritime prosperity; for 1t was
going forward "a he did before that brought
on the war and destroyed our commerce. and
they were his Southern partners who swept
our ships from the sea. Not word dld he
say of the New Departure, not word to
reconcile the rival schools of Democracy and
the orators who followed him were almost
equally vague and provoking. Gen. McOlellan's
letter, we must do him the justice to say. was
frank and to the point trust that our leaders
will see," said he, &" which of the issues that
"have so long agitated the country are irrevo-
cably settled and that we shall not be called
upon to contend for corpse" He urged
that universal suffrage and equal rights should
be accepted without reserve; and then he pro-
posed that we should stop paying of the debt,
reduce the tariff, and do various other things
which we do not purpose here to discuss But
Gen Mcclellan processes to have retired from
public life, and at no time were the Demo-
cratic managers disposed to follow his advice.
When he was nominated for President it was
upon platform so repugnant to his pa
triotism that he took the particular
pains to repudiate it in his letter accept
ing the nomination. He has never been
a representative of the policy of his party,
and if there had been any question about the
importance to be attached to his letter as an
authoritative party declaration, the doubt
would have been removed by the letter of
Gov Hoffman read at the same meeting.
Gov Hoffman is for the nOnce the standard
bearer of the New-York Democracy. He is
the spokesman of the most powerful local
organization in the country. If not from Mr..
Tweed, then certainly from him we were
entitled to know what position the New-YOrk
Democracy meant to take. Ii seems to have
taken no position at all. The New Departure.
says Gov. Hoffman, is a mere trile Acceptance
or non acceptance is not practical question.
We promise nothing. We make no pledges
which it may not be convenient to fulfill.
oct lis take for our cry, Federal Usurpatlon.
1t sounds big and awful, and nobody can
define it, because it has not any meaning
Such little matters "a universal suffrage and
equal rights may be settled by and bye, when
we have more time. The only question now
Is, snail we nave SuohS 5o'oihn0hU VA
strong people
Thus it appears that while the Democrats OF
the South are camoring for a retrogressve
policy, and their brethren in several OF the
Northern States have already committed them
selves to forgetfulness of the past and new
issues for the future, Tammany, instead of de-
Gliding between the two and trying to har-
monte conflicting views, contents itself with
glittering generalites. and has not word OF
hearty encouragement for the one side or OF
honest rebuke to the other. Tammany Is only
a great party machine. 1t turns out money,
and il manufactures candidates, but it never
srnnl;as the marty with ideas.