New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-01-31
THE NEW DEMOCRATIC EXPERIMENT

THE NEW DEMOCRATIC EXPERIMENT.
The World, discussing the connection be-
tween reconstruction and the choice of Gen.
F. p Blair as Senator from Missouri,
cites with approval Blair's recent declaration
that he adheres to every word of the Broad
head letter of 1863. For writing that letter
orignally-or rather for writing what proved
to be unpopular-Ihe World proposed to drop
Gen. Blair on the eve of the Presidential cleo
ton. But now, says our contemporary, the
public temper has changed. Then our canCi-
date was trying to row against the current
now the current is with him. Z" The insane
recklessness Of the Republicans may render
"Gen. Blair a very important man. There Is
"a limit beyond which forbearance ceases to
"be O virtue If this means anything at all,
it means that Frank Blair and Tho World
have struck hands for a new alliance, to try
once more the violenta and sensational policy
which accords so well withzthe natural tastes
of both of them.
The new Senator is not as plain-spoken,
however. rs his newspaper comrade pretends.
In his address the other day before the Gene
raj Assembly of Missouri he alluded TO the
Broadhead letter as nothing but declaration
that the President could not be required to ex-
ecute an unconstitutional law. But 1t was
something much stronger than that. There
ais but one way" he wrote, Ito restore the
Government and the Constitution, and that
ais for the President to declare these Ire
construction acts null and void, compel the
"army to undo its usurpatiOns Mt tho South,
"disperse the carpet-bag State Governments,
"allOw the white people to recognize their
"own governments, and elect Senators and
REPRESENTATIVES The House Of Representa-
"tiyes will contain q majority of Democrats
"from the North, and they will admit the
Represen natives elected by the white people
"of the South and with the cooperation of the
President it will not be difficult to compel
"the Senate to submit once more to the obj
"pations of the Constitution" This was as
clear threat of revolution as ever was made |;
and that The World and the whole country
understood it so, the political history or the
month of October, 1868, abundanty proves.
Plainly as the proposal was repudiated in
1858. we are not surprised at its being re-
newed. even though the provocatiOn for it Is
less than ever before. Frank Blair Is NO
lent, versatile, and able adyenturer, with just
enough of the fool in his composition to be
dangerous to his own party. He has on ex-
traordinary talent for making himself uncom-
Portable to bis friends and serviceable to his
enemies. He will be valuable auxiliary to
the Republicans in the Senate, and he can do
us still greater kindness by accepting Ihe
Worlds invitation to become national
leader of the Democracy. Wherever stu-
pendous political blunder is possible we can
depend upon Frank Blair to make it. Nor
are the vagaries of The World less startling
than those Of Mr.. Blair. That paper Is an
adventurer In journalism, just as Blair is an
adventurer in politics. 1t is not the con-
sistent advocate of principles, but restless
speculator, watching the fluctuations of the
political market-a bear to-day, bull to-
morrow, always trying to anticipate by just
a day or SO the changes in the current, and
always making mistake in its calculations.
The reputation of Blair in 1868 was o COM
mercial venture which did not pay. The re-
pudiation of Tweed and Hall was another
which likewise failed. They were good news
paper sensations, however, while they lasted
and so long as The World is conducted on the
hand to mouth principle of anything for the
"sake of noise" we may expect Frank Blair
with his visions of revolution, like Tweed
with his robbers, and Hall with his cor
ruptonists of the Ring, to be alternately
taken up and patted, and then thrown down
again and kicked.