, 1872-04-11
Independent journalism.


The Independent press of the country
is now the power upon which the hopes
Of the peopleare centred for the correc-
tion of party abuses and the maintain
ance of our republican institutions in
their purity and efficiency. There is t. :
day, throughout this broad land, scarce
ly a public journal which either COM
Inands or is entitled to public confidence,
which can justly be characterized as a
"party organ" Nearly all the political
newspapers of the largest circulation
and influence, such as the Nen York
Ecening Post, Tribune and Sun; the
Chicago Tribune and Times; the st. Lou
is Republican; the Cincinnati CONNER
ctdl; the Springfield Republican, and
many others of lesser note, heretofore
representing respectively tie two great
political parties of the country. have
openly renounced their allegiance to
party and declared their independence
of party dictation.
Narrow partisan politicians, miscon
strue and in their selfishness misinter-
nret these signs of the times. Because
Republican papers protest against parti-
san abuses by the Administration, Dem
ocratic politicians suppose them just
ready to go over to their party; and be-
cause some Democratic papers avow
their. willingness to surrender their par
ty organization to the public demand
for reform, Republican partizans con-
strue it into confession of the superb
ority of the Republican party to their
own. Both of these suppositions are
groundless. These declarations of in
dependence by the leading Journals on
either tide, involve no change of prin-
ciple, policy, or allegiance, but are a
common protest against party oorrup-
tions, for which neither of the present
party organizations offer any remedy.
The independent Republican press will
in no event support the nominees of the
Democratic party, nor will the independ-
ent Democratic press support the nom-
nees of the Republican party. There
must either be a common ground of
operations found outside of present par
ty lines, or the next Presidential contest
will present the same forces on either
side as heretofore; the victory will be
strictly party triumph, with its hosts
of partisans to be rewarded from the
spoils of Office, special franchises and
government jobs, and that will be the
end of the reforms now apparently so
unanimously demanded.
The New York EueninJ Post, the most
able and honest expounder and advocate
Of Republican principles that party ever
had, defines its present position thus:
The Evening Post is daily asked on
which side it stands in this contest; that
is to say, what faction and what candi-
dates it will support in the November
election. Is it for General Grant? or
will it join the " Cincinatti movement
and strive to elect reform Republic
ean?" Having nothing to conceal and
detesting indirect and deceitful ways.
even in politics, we are always ready to
answer such questions as caudidly and
directly as possible, though it is, of
course, not possible to answer it in one
article for strangers, as plainly as our
daily course for many years has answer
ed it for our regular readers.
This is not partisan journal. 1t
gers or political leader. 1t has always
carefully refrained from supporting or
nominating any men as its candidates
until political parties had been organ
lied. with their principles defined and
their candidates agreed upon. The Eve
ming Post has then in all cases thrown
its influence In favor of that party whose
success, on the whole, promised to con-
tribute to the triumph of the political
principles which seem to US sound. We
do not propose to change our settled
policy in this matter now. Until party
lines are drawn and final nominations
made, we shall hold ourselves free to
criticise with entire independence the
proceedings of all party leaders and fac
lions, and to do what we can to induce
them to adopt true principles in their
platforms and to nominate true men for
their candidates. We shall represent"
as an ''organ. no party, no faction, no
candidate, but when the issue is finally
drawn between opposing parties, one
of which must control the government
for four years to come, we shall then
support, with all our ability, that party
whose success shall seem to us to prom
Use best for the country.
Our readers know we'll by what stand
ard we shall judge them. We believe it
essential to the safety of our institutions
that the recent amendments to the Con-
stitution shall be accepted by the whole
country as final settlement of the ques-
tions growing out of slavery. We there
fore hold that it would be dangerous to
put the control of the government in the
hands of the demagogues who managed
the New York ticket of Ku-Klux and re-
sudiation in 1868. The democratic
leaders may have repented, but they
must have time to show works meet for
repentance before they can be trusted
with power. And the Evening Post
.annot support any party or faction
which means to give the army and treas
ury into.the hands of rebel sympathizers
or of men who would dishonor our cred
it. Again, among the questions of the
past which it disgraces our country not
to have settled is that of universal am