New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-08-15
Continued Evidence OF DeteriOr:l-
tiGn i'm the Tribune.

Continued Evidence OF Deteriora-
ti0n i'm the Tribune.
It Is but a short time when many intelli-
gent people were accustomed to look on the
New York Tribune not only as their chief
source of information, but as a political guide
a. well as model Of paper. There was, to
all appearance, SO much carnestness and
fidelity in its advocacy of the chief principles
of Republicanism, which found expression in
most ably written leading articles, not less
remarkable for their powerful logic as for the
fairness with which even antagonists were
treated, who at no time were refused hear
ing. Love Of truth seemed a conspicuous
feature Of the Tribune, and consequently it
kept singularly free from those perversions
and falsehoods so often resorted to in journal
istic party warfare for the sake of getting a
momentary advantage over an enemy, and,
Notwithstanding it. zeal to unearth and ex-
pose dishonesty, immortality, and abuses
wherever they existed, it never INDUCED in
merely personal attacks or private scandal.
It is true, there appeared at times queer
things, such as the admission of tho right of
secession, the proposition to pay compensa-
tons to the shareholders and the like, which
would startle intelligent readers yet SO firm
was the confidence in the Tribme's true devo-
ton to Republican principles that even such
heresies were looked upon rather as mere
eccentricities and alterations of judgment on
the part of its chief editor, springing from
kind of monomania on the subject of peace
and war, and owing to erroneous notions of
magnanimity and leniency than as evidence
Of any lack of devotion to the Republican
cause.
But what change has taken place! En-
tirely aside from the apostasy, the change
from Republicanism to Democracy with all
its most Odious features, State rights, dis
elimination on account of color, and all the
other Democratic pet doctrines included, who
would detect any trace Of the noble lofty
spirit, the dignifed tone that distinguished
the great Republican organ of former times
from the Democratic non-party organ, yet
partisan mouthpiece Of the CINCINNATI and
Baltimore candidate! Indeed, if after hay
ing known Q man for many years, and al
ways found him sober, dignified, gentleman
like, and honorable, we should meet him at
once a confirmed drunkard, rowdy, and hum
bug, the contrast could not be more striking.
Glazing Inconsistencies, perversions of truth,
low personal attacks, and odious insinuations
and vili6cations Of the character of almost
every prominent Republican brought forth in
q low, querulous sometimes would-be witty
tone, these are the characteristic features of
the present Tribune, which show that while
formally fighting journalistic rowdyism and
dishonesty, it has been the docile pupil of its
old antagonists, and is actually initiating their
warfare to such perfection as to Guido even
the Blatherskite.
Browbeating its opponents is one Of the
chief resorts of the Tribune of 1872; muddlng
facts by perverion so as to confuse public
opinion is another, and they are used with
truly Democratic audacity, but they fail usu-
ally for relying too strongly on the credulity
and the incapacity Of the reader to judge for
himself. One of the most glaring instances
attempt to whitewash Mr.. Greeley from the
charge Of having concluded the famous Sc
cret bargain with Horatio Seymour as early
a. October, 1871. The charge was too grave
TO be ignored; silence would have been an in
direct admission, yet even such admission
would have resulted in less disgrace to Mr..
Greeley than that intended vindication. A
more transparency untrue, insincere, weak,
and clumsy piece of work never yet was
cooked up in an editorial office. MIR. Gree.
ley endeavors to blind and confuse the pub.
lie by evading the real point at issue and
dwelling on secondary questions. He denies
charges which nobody made, and alirms
what nobody denied, and since he is moi
able to impeach the crushing evidence
brought out against him, he sets out on the
hopeless task of neutralizing it by ridculina
his accusers on account Of their comparative
obscurity. The insgnificance Of the Bing.
hamton Republican compared to the over.
whelming Importance Of the Tribune, the in.
difference of an affidavit made by a man 70,
unknown to fame, are about all that he has
70 say, and the forced laugh that he raises
will not call out one isolated echo, since it il
evidently but an Intellectual attempt to hide
an outcry OF pain, and the unprecedented as
sumption that the sworn testimony of mar
never yet accused Of any dshonorable act O,
falsehood, should not be deserving of any
credit when damaging to a man of Mr.. Gree
ley's enormous fame and consequence, is q
little too absurd to be swallowed even by the
most infatuated Greeley worshiper. The
main point. Mr.. Greeley's bargain with Mr.
4 Seymour, is entirely ignored, and thus has t.
be taken as an incontrovertible fact which nc
raising the wind and dust can cover up.
Why this deterioration in paper which
through its vast means can yet control able
writer's in abundance? Talent Is by nc
means incompatible with lack Of principle
and conviction !, and thsrs seams to be nc