New-York tribune., 1873-02-19
VEpY FEERIR RESOLUTION.

The TRIBUNE Is reminded Dy an AunIhiS-
tration organ in Ncw-Hampshire that, although
the New-H Hampshire Republican Convention dld
not refer in its resolutions to the Credit M0Dlher
business, because the investigation had not then
developed anything, the Connecticut Republl-
cans did pass q resolution on the subject,
which is thought to be quite the thing on that
head. We presume the following resolution Is
the one TO which reference is made:
Resored, That congratulate the country upon the
steady disappearance Of the spirit OF violence at the
South and the passing away Of the revolutionary neceS
sity OF any interference with the affairs OF the States
We denounce tho corruption Of men Of all parties In high
places We have apology excuse for those OF our
own but desire tho fullest investigation and demand tho
punishment Of the guityconscous that the Republican
party is strong enough TO purify its own ranks-tha 1t
cannot be strong II It negecs its duty In this respect
aud It only continue to command the confidence
Of the country by purgng itself OF unworthy clements
This is the vigorous taking hold of a great
public wrong to which we are pointed as evil
dence that the Republican party of COnnecti-
cut holds high ground on the subject. What
does it sayi Why, in the most general way,
i'm the middle of resolution, 1t denOunces the
corruption of men of all parties i'll high places,
and in a muddled way offers no apology or
"excuse for those of our own" What does
that amount tol There is not energy enough
i'm il to frightcn q sparrow out of a strawberry
bed. 1t is not intended to frighten anybody.
II does not so much as mouth protest against
the infames that have been brought to light
in the past three months. Here is a great party
holding its first State Convention after Pres
idential election. Since that election was car
ried. it has appearcd-and in this we put the
very mildest construction upon the exposures
that the most prominent and most hOnored OF It's
leaders were guilty of repeated and persistent
deception of the people in the course OF the
campaign. The characters of some OF the best
men have been besmirched and their repnta-
tions destroyed. Beside the startling dlsco-
sures of these two months other current ques-
tons are small and insignificant. The people
not the newspapers or the pOlltlclanS-are
asking with anxiety and alarm whether there
is any honesty left in Congress, and whether
corruption is not so widespread among our
lawmakers as to make honest Legislation impos-
sible. There is no other question to-day IN the
politics of the country. Did this Convention
meet it Did they even walk around 1T!
Read the resolution. 1t is the merest palaver;
amounts to nothing; says nothing. They
"denOunce cOrruptOnn-of cOurse-we have
hardly yet reached that condition in which a
party could go to the people without at least
a pretense of virtue And then they hold up
their hands and say they do not apologize
cor excuse those of our Own," whatever that
may mean. Why, it is emptier of meaning, If
possible, than the resolution on temperance,
which was confessedly bait for votes.
The TRIBUNE intended to do the Republi-
cans of New-IIampshire and Connecticut no in
Justice. Ii would rejoice to see them take
manly and Outspoken position upon this subject.
If they think they have done this in the reso-
luton referred to we have not a word to say,
except to quote it and ask judgment thereon.
1t strikes us as being utterly impractical and
meaningless; in short, just such a resolution
as a partisan convention, after wrangle of
night and day over candidates, with no word
in the whole debate that related to this absorb
ing question of the hour, might be expected to
pass as a cheap political fetch.