New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-07
THH CAMPAIGN IN OHIO.

IF the campaign in Ohio is not fruitful in
the discussion of political philosophy it at any
rate furnishes q good deal of lively elOquence.
Both Republicans and Democrats, in the lack
of principles to fight about, have given the
contest highly personal character, and their
speakers are bandying compliments with
yigor that recalls the battles of a year ago.
Senator Morton found fault with the Demo-
cratic candidate for Governor, the Hon. Will
liam Allen, because he was too old; and the
patriarch playfully replied that 1T did MT
"become Morton to introduce this ques-
"tion about physical ability,"-whereat
of course the audience was immensely
delighted. When Mr.. Allen furthermore
INFLATED his chest, elevated his voice to the
"hghest possible pitch" and added, az adj
"dress you in a voice which | don't think
"Senator Morton's lungs would enable him to
"produce," the satisfaction of the house was COM
nlete The substance of the address, Of which
this little passage was the chief ornament,
was an Indictment of the Republican party
for the prevalent laxity of morals, the thefts,
and defacatOns, and Credit MObilier scam
dals. and Back Pay abuses which have filled
I'D so much of its recent history. Senator
Thurman, in his speech last week at KentOn,
devoted great deal of time to tho same and
kindred subjects. In short, financial irregularl-
ties of various sorts have been the burden of
debate all through the canvass and in every
part of the State. Gov. NOyes has even been
assailed personally az little better than
thief, and the Commissioners of Hamilton
County have been induced to bring suit to re-
cover the sum of S13,525 alleged to have been
fraudulently and deceitfully drawn by him
from the Treasury while he was a Judge of
Probate in 1868, 1869, and 1870. The Cincin-
matt Commercial, which cannot be suspected
of undue partialty for the Republican ticket,
regards the suit as mere exhibition of partisan
malice but it will perhaps have its effect
on the campaign.
AS for the Republicans, they have every
where been thrown upon the defensive. To-
day Senator Morton is compelled to apologize
for the Salary Grab, having kept his own share
of it until, as Mr.. Allen said, the deep fur
rowed frown upon the brow Of his own party
forced him to drop it and run. Yesterday
Gen. Garfield undertook similar duty, and
felt himself also obliged to explain that the
mischievous financial policy of the Republican
Administration had nothing to do with the
panic. Gen. Grants connection with the Sal
airy bill, Mr.. Shepherds management of the
finances of the District of Columbia, Secretary
Richardson's transactions with the First Ma
tional Bank of Washington and the forty
four millions of reserve-these are some of the
Irregular scarers" which the orators of the
Republican party have been forced to tackle;
and candor compels us to say that the orators
have not been generally successful.
Whatever may be thought of the prospects
in Ohio, the Administration leaders must real
ize what very uncomfortable thing it is to
fight in a false position. They have laid
themselves fairly open. 1t was their Christian
statesmen who were overwhelmed by the
Credit Mobilier exposure. 1t is their financial
secretary who has tempered with the Treasury
accounts and kept the country in ignorance of
its real position. 1t is their President who
pardons defaulters, and promotes " Boss Shep-
herd" and tries to foist Butler upon the
people of Massachusetts, and declares I'M
mistakaby by his official acts that he
does not require public officers to be
above financial suspicion. OF course we
know that neither party enjoys monopoly
of rascals. We know that Democrats voted
as heartily for the Back Pay bill as Repub-
icans, and that the Rings of Philadelphia and
Washington have had their parallel in the
Tammany Ring of New-York. But because
the Republican party has lacked the courage
or the conscience to expel the rogues and adj
venturers who have robbed tho people under
its protection, because it has not dared Ito re-
hulra hn 1a,N ,ba 1oa rxoI oil
these irregularities, it finds itself in the posi-
tionof an apologist, where the great majority
of its members would greatly prefer to see it
an assaant.