The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-11-10

dislodged from the executive branch of the
government by extreme folly on their own
part, combined with extreme prudence on
the part of :heir adversaries.
The Chicago Times thus comments on the
political breakup: What the October cleo
tons foreshadowed the November elections
have fulfilled; the rag money Reputation
list majority will be largely increased in the
next House of Representatives In this re-
spect, the result is unquestionably a triumph
for the putrid reminiscence. 1t gives 10 the
reputation democracy in the next house
that which they vainly tried to gain in 1868,
namely, the power to prevent a return
to hard money, and to assure
the ultimate reputation of the
national obligations contracted on ac-
count OF the ~pro-slavery rebellion. Aside
from this large increase of the repudationist
strength in the next house of representa-
tives, the political revolution plainly i'm
plies, among its consequences, either the
overthrow of the administration party in
1876, or a speedy and complete change in the
policies and purposes which the representa-
tives of that party have heretofore either
pursued or encouraged. Whether il will be
possible for the administration to set it's
house in order,t to the satisfaction of the coun-
try, within the next two years, is, TO say
the least, extremely doubtful. > = > If
the administration hopes to regain public
confidence it must proceed without delay TO
shift the Southern responsibility from its
own shoulders to that OF the Southern peo-
pie, by Withdrawing entirely every agency
of federal interference or menace in the
affairs of the Southern States. IL must get
rid of the political leeches, of every name.
The amazing result in Massachusetts is a
plain indication of a kind Of politics and Of
politicians that the country has grown
tired of. The Washington administra-
ton has carried these men and their
political schemes as long as it can. It must
begin and carry into effect an honest and de-
termined reform in the civil service and the
revenue; two reforms of which the admins
tration politicians are probably as incapable
as the old Bourbon politicians are. And,
finally, 1t must take positive ground in favor
of hard money, and ~inaugurate by legis-
lation the coming winter a definite plan
OF early resumption of gold payment, at
a day fixed in 2 way TO give the country as
surancS tina it viii not be postponed. Such
a step, taken by the administration party
with unanimity next winter, would ''take
the vino out of the sails" of the Eastern
hard money oppositionists, while it would
Of course tend to unity and consolidate the
various rag-mOney and reputation elements
in one body, n to bring honest men of all
political labels into a united opposition TO
that monster Villainy.
The Louisville Courier-Journal speaks
thus of the moral of the victory: Every
thoughtful and patriotic man in the country,
be he of republican or democratic antece-
dents, should look upon the result of the
general elections through which we have
passed with entire satisfaction. It is the be-
ginning of a needful change in the national
administration; but it implies a
change so gradual, and in such con-
formity to the theories on which
our government repoSes, as to quiet the
fears of the most conservative. 1t should
i~nvigorate and cheer the waning faith of
those who, like ourselves, had almost aban-
doned the hope of a right-up in our federal
machinery. In a popular system, such as
we rely on, the occasional substitution OF
one party for another is indispensable to
the efficient and honest disposition of
public affairs. All parties are alike
in this, that, too long entrusted with
power, they mistake themselves for the
State; they fall into the keep of shrewd
managers; they become corrupt, and ac-
quire the resolution and the means of self
p~erpetuation. The late republican party in
teusitied these characteristic features. 1t
came upo the stage at a critical moment;
it was inspired by a passionate impulse; it
achieved a magnificent victory. >
- They have assuredly
held their own for a long time.
But they made the mistake of supposing
that they could rob and ruin one section
without affecting the interests OF the other.
3 $ - The people north and south want
peace. They do not hate each other. The
country wants TO pay its debts and move
forward prosperously. 1t refuses TO stum-
BILE under any party, and, whilst it has been
and is grateful to the repub-
lican party tor its services in
the field, it rightly thinks it has paid every
penny of the debt it owed that party. II
n1-nC thu 6nnaD0rafia norfu hQCon=n ~ 10
weary of seeking reforms in the republican
party. II has at last found out that no
party reforms itself in power-it is defeat
that chastens. The defeat of the repub-
licans is Experimental trial of the
democrats. It saves the country, how
ever, from some serious impending dangers.
It may strengthen General Grant with his
party; it may throw the party back upon
Grant; but it weakens the party to an ex-
tent which assures us against any further
progress in the sort of enginery by which
its leaders expected to secure the
next and the next presidential cleo
tions. The machine, as a machine. is
smashed. The republicans, like the demo-
Gratis, will have to face the music-that is,
the people. Their relative positions are
eaualized. Neither can lord it over the
other; both must bow to their common mas
ter, which the one has so long ignored. The
old poiSe and balance are restored; and we
can look forward with something like a
guarantee of good conduct in our rulers, re-
publican and democratic.
The New:Y ork..Tribune thus comments on
what it calls "the end of Grantism: :" The
verdict of the country against Grantism is
delivered. There were only two great ques-
tions before the people at this election. One
was whether the administration deserves the
public confidence, and the other was whether
it ought to be perpetuated. They have
both been answered in the negative, so
loudly that even the president must
hear the verdict. .
As to the result in this State, it will every
where be received with satisfaction, modi-
fed by sincere regret that Gen. Dix chose to
attach his fortunes to the laundering bark
of Grantism. Nh. Tilden will make one of