The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-09-28

The Personalities or tho Canvass-Thc
Degradation OF Party journalism.
A few days ago the HERALD took occasion
to animadvert on the personal character of the
warfare waged between the rival political par
ties in the present campaign. We pointed out
that the organs of the several factions had
abandoned the discussion of the principles in
volved in the contest. and substituted in its
place the grosseat Islander and abuse of indi-
viduais. We showed that the stump orators
on both sides were falling into the bad habit
of emulating in their speeches the scurrility of
the partisan press, or were wearying their
hearers with explanations and defences of their
own conduct instead of arguing the issues of
tho campaign. We endeavored to carry home
to the convictions of the politicians the folly
Of such course by holding up before their
eyes the disgraceful condition in which their
examinations and recriminations are calculated
to place all the political organizations of
the country. On one side we exhibited men of
assumed truthfulness and honesty branding as
q corruptionist, confirmed drunlkard, an
incompetent and unfaithful public officer a
President for whom they claimed the support
of the American people four years ago, whose
competency, virtue and sterling integrity they
could not extol too highly up to within the
last twelve months. On the other side we
presented to view the spectacle of a party
that had for twelve years laid especial claim to
purity, disinterestedness and virtue denounc-
ing the leading and most constant members
Of that party as thieves, traitors, bribers,
swindlers, slanderers, liars and idiots. We
asked what the honest people Of tho country
could think of the honor and patriotism of
those who had advocated the election of Gen.
eral Grant to the highest Office in the gift of
the nation, when, as they now declare, they
knew him to be unfit for the positionp And
what could be their opinion Of o self-canonized
organization made up of such men as republi-
cans now paint each other to be? Senator
Fenton has been time and again before the
people Of New York for their suffages
and the career painted in such vile colors by
the regular republican organs and orators was
as well known to them then as now; yet not
one of them, journalist or speaker, but has
lauded him to the skies and begged votes for
him as an able and honest man. Either they
are slandering him from malice now or were
a dishonest man for Office then.
Greeley, Sumner, Schurz, Banks, Trumbull,
Blair, Sprague, Curtin, Farnsworth, Julian,
Grow, were oil extolled for years as pure and
able men until their present detection sudden
ly opened the eyes of the party, that have so
often boosted of their many virtues, to the fact
that they have all along been knaves or fools.
Conkling, Boutwell,, Wilson, Colfax, Blair,
Scofeld, Bingham and others would have been
praised and championed two years ago by the
liberals who have left the republican ranks,
and now in what colors are their portraits
painted by their former associates? We warned
the politicians in our former remarks that
these facts were being noted by the people,
who were becoming nauseated by the abuse
banded between the fighting factions and dis
posed to set down all political parties as cheats
and frauds from beginning to end.
For time it appeared as if our advice had
not been thrown away, but was likely to bring
about some good results. Several journals of
standing took up the theme and
united with the HERALD in deprecating the
of the canvass. One of our city
contemporaries, the leading and politically
able organ of the democracy, it is true, criti-
cised our remarks and advanced the opinion
that personal discussion" by which, we
is meant the discussion of the per-
sonal character and habits of candidates-are
not only excusable, but necessary, in cam
paign. Political principles and issues, says
our contemporary, must, of course, be dis
cussed but SO also must the personal qualif-
cations and the personal conduct of candi-
dates and officers, in order that the people
may have the means Of judging Of the fitness
of the one and of the fidelity of the other. So
we are carried to the conclusion that per-
sonal assaults upon the characters of pub
lie men never deserve censure merely because
they are personal, but only when they exceed
the limit of truth. We pass over the personal
discourtesy of the allusion to the HERALD as
trimmer" made apparently to point the
because we have long since dis
CONereu tutt uO OIbuu OWllS PoAloi0"A oOiNASo
to party can appreciate or even understand
the true position of an Independent journal
which, like the HERALD, gives hearing to all
sides, conceals nothing, perverts nothing, mis-
represents nobody and praises or censures as
honesty demands without regard to persons or
parties. No one would be disposed to dispute
that the personal qualification Of 9 candi-
date for PUBLIC office il Q proper subject Of
discussion, or that the "pers9nal conduct Of
o public officer, so far as his official life is
concerned, may without improperly be ex-
amined But the personalities that have dis
graced the present campaign, of which we
have complained, are of very different char