The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-10-01


and the popularity of the situation has i'm
posed sort of restraint upon the democratic
journals The absurd failure of the Louisville
movement prevented any noteworthy bitter.
ness within the ranks of the unterrifed, and the
object of the party organs has been rather ia
win over refractory members by argument and
reason than to take up arms against them. II
has been different with the republicans. In that
demoralized organization the rebellion has been
decisive and the war has been fercely and re.
morselessly waged. The consequence has
been terrible revelation of the secrets Of the
party and malignancy of personal attack
heretofore unknown in the most heated Of
our political contests. In one conspicuous
instance in our own city the columns of a
daily journal have for months overhowed
with scurrility. Scarcely an epithet in the
vocabulary of abuse that has not been hurled
at the head of Mr. Greeley, from traitor down
to idiot. Independent Of the sing-song cry OF
Tammany corruptionist applied to such DEM
ocrats as Belmont, Tilden. Schell and their
associates Of the regcnerated Wigwam. each re-
publican who has declared for the liberal
cause has been marked with some one
of the ready-made brands of all sorts of
villany. Summer, Banks, TrIimbull, Curtin
Schurz, Fenton, have oil in their turn been
made criminals of q greater or less degree
and the world has been led to believe that the
heretofore most honored members of the
republican party, its founders and champions,
have been for years among the vilest of our
population. On the other hand, counter
assaults are made by the liberal organs against
those republicans who still remain true to the
faith, until the people, if they credit the
tales of both sides, must arrive at
the conclusion that more dishon-
est political organization than that Of
never had IN existence in
this or any other country. The humbug Of
political reform is shown in the fact that
whatever promises may be made before cleo
ton the successful party is always found to
run in the old rut as soon as it obtains power.
The humbug of political reformers may be
seen every day during the present campaign in
the recklessness with which abuse is showered
uipoh uAA pOAIOlCut 'oHIpoHCAto oAN VIC VAtuCo
that are claimed indiscriminately for oil po-
litical friends.
As an Independent journal, laboring for the
prosperity of the city and the interests of the
people, the HERALD earnestly desires reform,
without regard to the politicians, and will sup
port any party that will in honesty and sin
certify carry out the work Of official purfca-
ton. In the national administration we find
good evidence that Congress is but little less
corrupt than our own notorious State Legisla-
ture. We have no charges to make against
any individual; but it is undeniable that the
Pacific Railroad schemes, the Credit Mobilier
and other jobs have been carried to
success only through the corruption of
legislation and at the expense of the people.
In the federal Offices there is foulness at every
step. Custom houses in all out-of-the-way
places, as the democratic contemporary has
been recently showing, are made the excuse
for farming horde of idle pensioners upon
the public Treasury. The business of all the
departments could, no doubt, be done as
efficiently as at the present time with very
material reduction of the force and q great
saving of expense. The national bank system
might be proftably overhauled. In our
State government there is doubtless ample
room for improvement. The Canal Ring, of
which the people know nothing and care little,
is a heavy swindle upon the people. The
Legislature is, of course, in the lowest depth
of depravity and dishonesty, and can scarcely
be worse than at present. In the city we
know what is needed, and the urgent neces-
sity of good government So far as the
present campaign is concerned, the national
and State issues are already joined, and the
people are called upon to choose in the
one case between Grant and Greeley
in the other between Herman and Dix.
General Grant is known as national
Executive. For what there is to praise
and for what there is to blame in the general
government he is accountable. We have
already shown that reforms are needed, and
we are promised complete overhauling of the
civil service III case ola reelection of the Presi.
dent. MIR. Greeley, on the other hand, ia the
protested candidate and champion Of reform
in the federal administration. Pledged to a
single term of Office, with reputation to make,
with unfriendly predictions to falsfy, he
would seem to have especial reasons for
carrying out his pledges should he be
successful at the polls. Between these
candidates the people are to choose. In the
State the rival tickets have about an equal claim
to public confidence. General Dix has a rec
ord which needs no comment. Mr.. Herman is
pronounced by all who know him as a
man of strict integrity and high moral
worth. AS Governor of the State either
Of these candidates would doubtless
do his duty conscientiously and honestly.
The city nominations remain to be made, and
in these the people have the deepest interest.
1t is because we have no faith in the profession
Of politicians that we desire to see candidate