New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-11-02

help concluding that the article must have
been written by an aid-de-camp In full uni
form, with nodding plumes and numerous
brevets. 1t speaks of "distrust and dissatis-
faction, divided councils and wavering lines,
captains with uncertain companies, generals
with uncertain battalions, who know not
against which side their fire win be turned,
"under what flag they will rally until the
"battle line Is formed" 1t also refers to the
journals which do not support the Admiuistra-
ton az being in open revolt and rebellion"
The prospect is evidently regarded as in the
highest degree disloyal and INDIGENOUS by
august persOnages at the capital.
But the most interesting thing about the
Washington manifesto, is that they have dis
covered down there the true cause of the de-
feat. 1t is q lack of leadership which has
slain the party. at is led to the slaughter by
" commanders who ought to be only cor
"porals," says this sagaciOus organ. We has
ten to explain that this does not refer to such
commanders as Grant and Logan and Butler,
as the hasty reader might infer. 1t means
Mr.. Dawes and Mr.. Garfield and Mr.. Foster,
who once admitted that there might be some
thing wrong in the party, and permitted in
vestigaton. This was certainly very indis-
Greet of them. We agree with the organ that
they ought to have known the party would
not bear investigating. But what makes the
grief of the faithful too heavy to endure, is
the thought that Foster and Garfield have been
reelected, and scores of true and devoted
Administration men, who have never doubted.
never investigated, never refused to do as they
were bid, or to take whatever they could lay
their loyal hands on, have been left by the
waysde, cropped in their beauty and bloom.
1t may not be worth while to try to give a
lesson of edfcation to party organs 80 sOrely
stricken, but we will venture to advise them
to look little deeper for the causes OF their
woe. 1t is true they have lost their leaders,
but they blindly refuse to see how they lost
them. For the loss of some, Mr.. Cakes Ames
was responsible. They were crushed like
Spring flowers between the leaves of his men,
orandum book. One of the best went off, cheap
as dirt, to Mr.. Durant. One passed into disas-
irons eclipse in Topeka tavern in private
interview with one YOrke. Others went to
their own places in their own ways The most
serious losses, however, were of different
kind. Mr.. Trumbull and Mr.. Schurz have left
no one behind them in the party who can
handle their weapons. Greeley, Chase. and
Sumner were lost to the party before they left
the world to mourn them. The causes which
made these irreparable vacancies in the Admin
istratiOn ranks are worthy tho most serious
consideration to those who still support it.
But there are some possessions more disas-
trous than any poverty, and everybody out of
Washington begins to see that the leaders who
remain are more fatal to the Republicans than
any who are gone. II they could only shake
Gen. Batter out of the saddle, how much
healthier the party in New-England would be.
If they could lose Kellogg in some still bayou,
it would wonderfully invigorate them in the
Southwest. And if the very Head of the
party, whose name is most loudly applauded
in Republican meetings to-day when mutual
friend asserts with tears in his eyes that the
President will not run again-if he had only
said few weeks ago that he proposed to
eliminate himself from the future history Of
the party, the pale army of slaughtered inno-
cents would be far less numerous next Wednes-
day than the faithful organs now anticipate.