New-York tribune., 1874-12-05


might be justified, is when unfair and corrupt
means arc used to control it, or a corrupt ana
unfit man is nominated. Well enough to say,
but consider for moment that the tribunal
before which the question must come, whether
the bolter is justified in charging thae '"o
caucus was carried by unfair and corrupt
means, or that the nominee Is corrupt ana
unfit, is the caucus itself. For under this sys-
TEN the caucus is the supreme judge. 1t ad-
mits or it communicates. Not that IL can
exercise its power over any mans privilege to
vote as he plcases at the polls, but 1t passes
upon his title to admission to the counsels OF
the party, to its primary meetings, its caucuses
and conventions, to voice in the selectioh ol
its candidates. The Rev. Freeman Clarke as
serted individual freedom in the Massachu-
sets Convention of 1873, when he said he
should not vote for Mr.. Butler for Governor
even if the Convention should nominate him,
because he did not believe him to be an hon
est man. And Mr.. Butler stated just as clear
" and squarely the prevailing view among
politicians of the caucus system when he an
swered, every well, cOncede the geDtlemans
"rght to vote as he pleascs, but and my
friends deny that he has any right to take
"part in o Convention by whose action he
"does not propose to abide uncOnditionally.'
And it was Mr.. Buffers theory that the Con-
ventiOn recognized, for no man OF his bit
terest opponents except Mr.. Clarke dared take
issue with him; and Mr.. Dawes, who was not
at one with him upon a single political issue,
had handed In in advance his agreement TO
support him in case of his nomination. lt Is
because the system has become In the hands
of scheming demagogues an instrument OF
tyranny, and the best men in the party have
become through blind partisanship its abJect
slaves. that honest men protest against and
oppose it, Do we need to instance the use
which the small men in the Senate made OF 1t
to drive out of the party some of the purest
and wisest statesmen in that body, to show to
what base uses and mischievous purposes it
can be applied
In tho case in hand in Name which has
given rise to this discussion, Dlr. Hamin has
been charged with permitting bad legislation
to go unchallengcd, and cOnsenting to acts
ruinOus to the good name of the nation. Ills
influence is bad at Washington and at home,
since he allows his name to be used as a cover
for iniquities that disgrace the country and are
breaking the back of the Republican party
He is in short very unfit man to return to
the Senate But it is charged also that
through his control OF Government patronage
in the State, and his ability to command the
services of tho active politicians who hold
offices, he has already secured majority
of the Republicans in the Legislature. When
that packed majority go into caucus and
vote down the minority who consider him
unfit, does that action bind the conscience
and Judgment of the latter7 Is he any the
less unfit because this packed majority have
SO yotedi If not, thcn why should the minor
ity cease their oppostioni They are supposed
to be intelligent, thoughtful. candid; should
they vote for Senator whom they believe to
exercise an injurious influence upon politics,
only because by means of that very Influence
he has outvOted them in caucusf There Is
no convenience in such an institution as that
except it be for rogues who have the handling
of it. The question ought not to stop with the
result of the caucus. If the anti-lIamlin Re-
publicans conscientiOusly believe that unless
he is elected some worse man will be, there
will be then some show of reason in their
supporting him under protest But if upon
consideration they believe that the Buterism
which he is said to have organized III Maine
is the thing which the times demand shall be
put down, then no caucus or anything else
ought to be permitted to influence their dccis
ion. And it Will not be very dangerous to
bolt either. People, in the Legislatures and
ont, are voting this year pretty much as they
please.