Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-11-01

When Mr.. W. W. Eaton was nominated, in
the Hartford district, against Gen. Hawley,
as candidate for congressman, we eX-
peeted an honest discussion of the real
issue between the republican and democratic
parties. The views and aims of the two
parties are fairly represented by their candi-
dates; and we knew very well that Gen. Hawley
would be outspoken. Mr.. Eaton has always,
heretofore, been positive and downright in the
utterances of his extreme Bourbonism. He has
never shrunk from showing that he is an ar
dent Calhounist and persistent supporter of
the ideas and influences which ruled the south
and the democratic party before the war. His
record was made with a free hand, and we sup.
posed he would be in this canvass as open and
positive as he has never before failed to be. We
have been disappointed. Mr.. Eaton's views re-
main unchanged; he stands by his record he is
politically just what he has been for the last
thirty years; but he avoids a discussion of his
record, and aims to confne discussion to some
thing else.
Gen. Hawley invited Mr.. Eaton TO public
discussion; but this failed through the disin-
genuous management of Mr.. Eaton's friends
1t was plain that he was unwilling to engage in
such discussion, and would not consent to any
arrangement that approached being fair and
honest. Gen. Hawley might have left the mat
ter here, and we, in his place, would have done
so; but he tried again TO induce Mr.. Eaten TO
''lace the music" The reply to his letter
seemed at first to promise success; but
the farmer tactics have been used
to make an arrangement impossible, and
nothing has been settled. Gen. Hawley finally
proposed TO refer the whole matter TO arbitra-
tors If there has been response to this propo-
sition, we have not heard of it. Mr.. Eaton has
never seemed to lack courage in expressing his
views, but he shrinks now, and he is undoubt
eddy correct in supposing it bad policy to meet
Gen. Hawley in fair public discussion.
In seeking to avoid discussion of his actual
views and aims in politics, Mr.. Eaton represents
the policy which led the Baltimore convention
to nominate Greeley and Brown. They intended
to keep their real meaning out of sight, and
turn the discussions of the presidential canvass
to something else. In fact, they expected this
canvass would be nothing more than a contin-
uance ofthe furious assaults on Gen. Grant and
his administration, begun in the senate, and
carried on by Schurz, Trumbul, and
others; and they believed that little or
nothing would be required of them
beyond clever management of the
policy of assimilation, which Mr.. Greeley,
seeking to influence republicans, has described
as conversion" We do not see that Mr.. Eaton
dissembles; he Islands by his record" but he
shridks, and avoids discussing what he believes
and means in politics; and this is precisely
what the whole democratic party has been doing
since the Baltimore convention. We supposed
that such man as he would scorn lodging. 1t
was mistake, and the expectation that the
actual issue between the parties would be dis
cussed, has been disappointed. But Mr. Eaton
has record and cannot hide himself.