New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-08-10

The reader will understand that the above
mystical character is intended 10 represent .no
nersonal pronoun, and that the noun for which
it is personally pro is Mr.. Stanley Matthews
The DAYS and nights continuing TO De some
what hot, we have read, since we last referred
TO il. only q few inches more OF MI. STANLEY
Matthews's Speech at Clifton Hall, August :,
A. d. 1872. The interesting part of it to which
we have specially directed our attention Is that
in which the brilliant barrister says Upon
"my sole responsibility as a private cltlzen'
4" profound and sacred az i regard Ito
al have marked out for myself tho pain
"of political duty We are pleased
TO say that here Mr.. Matthews speaks the TRUTH
the whole truth, and nothing but the truth I;
nor will anybody who knows him require nm
TO make affidavit that in politics he acts Tor
himself exclusively. We consider this, too, to
be one of the highest compliments which could
be paid to his head at least, if not to his heart
for man who changes his base so suddenly
and so eccentricaily must be regarded by the
world as non cOmpOs ments, unless ne can sue
cessfulIy plead that he has made money by his
wheeling about and turning about ana doing
inst SO. When we recall the tender personal
affection with which Mr.. Stanley USED 10 IT,
gard Mr.. Greeley, when we think or the warm
personal assurances OF support which, ny
letter and by speech, he offered Mr. Oreeiey,
we come at once to the conclusion tnat III
would have broken Mr.. Stanley Matthew's
heart if he had been obliged to go back on"
Mr. Greeley without making something pretty
by the operation. Gentlemen of tremendous
ability like blr. Stanley Matthews do not eat
their own words without at least modicum
of mint sauce. Let us see
Upon the Cincinnati stage, in the presence
of the Cincinnati Convention, Mr.. Stanley Mat
thews, Temporary Chairman of the said Con-
yention, was moved by some spirit good or
bad, to say:
SO. gentlemen, in every department Of the Govern
ment the slow poison Of CORRUPTION, only not snl-
GENTLY slow. TO have pervaded the whole civil
and political administration of the country from head to
foot"
BY "head we presume Mr.. Stanley Mat
thews meant the Hon. Mr.. Grant. BY foot we
should have thought he meant himself (being
modest man, only on that particular day he
did MT happen to be so conspicuousy In the
ranks of the Grant retainers. He is there
now, and entertans much better opinion OF the
Head than he did May 1, 1872 He would DO
serpent Of ingratitude if he did Mt The
moment these burning and virtuous words OF
S. NJ. were published to an astonished world,
he was asked Geographically by friend on
behalf of tho War Department, If he referred
in his dreadful denunciations to that branch
of the Government and to the management
of its legal affairs. The hint was SUM-
cient, and he assured his friend that he
did not by any manner OF means reter
to that Department, adding significantly
that he was beginning to feel that AS
"President-maker lie was not success lie
was too modest by half. He had bulded bet
ter than he knew. He had said in letter to
Mr. George Olmsted, March 90, 1872, 81
"would heartily support Horace Greeley if he
should be considered the strongest man for
" the race;n and his candidate of whom he
had said so many handsome things, was NOM
mated almost unanimously. And yet, after
the adjournment of the Convention, the soul
of Mr. Stanley Matthews was heavy within
him. The attorney-at-law asserted ITSELF
What if the other side should withdraw
its present retainersq What if 1t should offer
him new and bigger onesi "As PRESIDENT
maker / am not success" observed
Stanley with q sickly smile. That was the
most valuable opinion which Squire Matthews
ever gave in his life. The Government offered
him $1,000 fee in the Plank-road DlstllleTy
case and this rigid Roman began at once to
relent. AS an attorney he might be success.
The woman who hesitates is lost, but this
| gentleman seems to have been lost without
| any hesitation. A change came DER the spirit
of his dream, and he concluded, as he says in
his speech, that he preferred " to bear the ills
we haven rather than "hy to Others that
1" we know not Off In fact, MIR. Matthews
remembered the old proverb, Bird III the
| Hand is Worth Two in the Bush, and acted
| accordingly. He asked himself the question
! wide the great Clinton Hall specify,
"shall throw myself from tho cliff into the deep val
lev or return by crcuitous and winding descentf
Shall initiate the cataract that wastes its flood and
tears the earth Its violent plunge, or the gentle r
and rivuet that picks its quiet way channels down
the side till IL flows fertzing river through the broad
plainP -
Flow on, thou shining river! Better is it to
meander through the rich meadows of the
Treasury than to plunge from the cliff into the
deep valley of political experiment. Right,
gentle Rill Correct, most sagaciOus Rivulet!
We understand now why your speech was so
washy!
TIE REBEL PENSION FOLLY ONCE MORE
| Dr;,afo LATHAM from n Iayuvor in 81 paul