New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-08-05
AN APOLOGY FOR THE INDIANA DEM
OCRATS. ..

/
INFLUENCE OF SENATOR, MORTON AND MR.
| vOoRHEEs-EDIANA DEMOCRATS NOT FOR IN
| FIAIIoN.
| 20 me Editor OF The Trtdune.
SIR: THE TRIBUNE is justly severe upon the
currency expressions OF the Democratic platform OF n-
diana considered absractly But 1t seems to me to be
hardly far considering the conditions under when tue
Convention met Consider the evil influences that nave
made such q platform possible. Senator Morton ana
The Indianapolis Journal the Republican party IN
Indiana. they have bewdered themselves with hnan-
cia fustan. They talk OF the best currency In the
world" and increase Of 1t equal 10 the bus-
OF the country" That impressive salary grabber
d. W. Voorhees,, his uncouth followers have been al
equally vicious in the Democratic party though
their financial demagogry took another form OF ex'
| preston Whatever Of opposition there was In
the Republican party to Morton and The Journal had
| no TO speak for II. The small men Of the
party-and all small after MortOn-are far too cow
ardly openly to oppose the Senator and The Journal
though they should advocate return to the beads and
shells early Indians It has been long the rule in
the Democratic party this State for the weakest men
TO dictate the party policy and the convictions.
The better men-Iendricks, Kerr, Mcdonald, ana men
| like them-have simply talked among themselves In
protest. This is well established Democratic usage
Many men this city have been led by the unexamped
increase IN the population and wealth OF Indianapolis
speculative purchases of property. which Morton
Voorhees, and their followers tell them will be vastly
profitable il currency Ia issued An accurate cen
sus will increase population here Of fourfod
| in ten years. IL is unvarying rule that such an
amazing should be attended by overrading by
men of insufficient means. This class, noisy enough
to seem numerous. are all Morton-Voorhees men III
| finance.
| The Conventions OF Indiana met under these cond
lions. Each wanted to take popular ground First
the Independent Convention. 1t went for in'ia
ton after the Maine went for Gov. Kent in the
1 NJ lopc The Republican Convention
| in better rhetoric did the Is 1t wonder then
that the Democratic Convention huDgriiy seeking some
thing that would be popular" and cursed with It's
timedespsed leaders of the shallow Voorhees, pattern
should be suspected OF inclination TO better tue ex
ample OF its predecessors That 1t did not do so badly
gave its friends such cheer 1t natural for them
TO say "let us thankful" This the principle upon
| which would be congratulated as lucky" II
tree-a tall sycamore for instaueeshould fan upon him
and he should just escape with his life, though MANNED
The tall sycamore of the Wabash 1.-THE name Voor
bees has locally won-fell the Convention pal
sled, wind-brokcn horse might fall on child. An es-
cape with life is worthy OF graduation under such cir
cumstances. Ii in reporting this prevalent feeling
that the mpress gwen by your occasional cor
respondent" Of the Convention, that the men who had
hoped for better things satisfied with the Conven
TONS work The Convention under its conditions SO
palpably might have done worse, the way Of plat
FORM that It's friends relieved that its work was
not so might have been. They had the salts
faction knowing that the ticket nominated was thor
oughy unexceptonable.
Here let me say, as one who knows. that had d. ".
| Voorhees, continued the retirement from politics to
which he had ostentatously withdrawn the Democratic
platform would not be what it is never knew poll
| tican to sound trumpet and retire who did not
emerge his party lie is in proof of that The
Committee on Platform were for sound currency. But
they were weak men, and he compelled them to IA COM
promise platform; the tail waggled the dog His threat
Of minority report and explosion in the Convention
| terrified them into submission. He also prevented
resolution upon salary grabbing Bat bad as the plat
form is on financial methods, unable to see that 1t
is more OF q reputation platform than that OF the
Republican Convention and this would be Inferred from
the criticisms of THE TRIBUNE Every increase OF the
currency logically cOmpels such condition that the
$40 bonds and others Of terms shall be paid
| in currency. TO my mind there Is no escape from
that and that reputation please TO bear upon the
Republicans OF Indiana with equal force az repudation
| lists All roads of Italy do not lead to Rome more
infaibly than does all direct indirect imitation lead
to the sort OF reputation payment of the $40 bonds
in currency would be- But for the people OF Indiana OF
all parties, the spirit Of whom know WELL say that
the charge that any party here is for reputation OF the
public debt is aburdy false. There such thought
IL thought in 1868 when the republican Con-
yention OF Indiana passed Exactly tne sun
disrepute. There then Ia that party no sue lhte
ton there is now in the Denoepalc pary no Suen
the act that this state is he Wild red with Imam
cal platforms is due to the low grage Oh po.c.as Wlo
control and INSPIRE conventions senator Morton Is
calamity to his party and the STATE upon S am s0lne
| other questions OF less Importance. D. '" voorhees,
bears the same relation TO bis party aud tho state III
these gentlemen would 20 West-.ty 70 the eanawlcn
Islands-we would the spiril Of patriotism ana love
OF their State anmatng them for the hrst time ia
long while. With them out OF the way 1 nave nI'
doubt that Indiana would be freed from tue knd OF
financial fustian that i. present disgrace 10 us
Knowing the people OF the Democratic party vi me
state do not hesitate say that naiorlty-in over
whemingy majority Is In favor OF return 70 spe-
| cie-the money OF Andrew Jackson They are disap-
vass viii pass with more slurs praises of the Dem
ocratic financial expressions from democratic speahe
and more will be thought than spoken. The clause Ia
vorng return TO specie VIII De urgeu az a. t
be considering ITS awkward alliance 10 eonray No.
ances. IL Is needless To answer 10 tnls tnt u ~ %
Of Democratic party and the better men OF us ies
ers do not like the platform uaraco ., Oh onvenro
1t is not rule the best intention or any eonyen
ing feature OF politics that the best each party
go home from party conventions dlsappolnteu. l,ey
all the crcnmstances il that could be done
The Convention OF the Democratic party % inuna
only gave "A bitter disappointment than Is usual
| Indianapolis Ind, July 81 1874 D. A. r.
| ACTIVE PARTICIPLES IN A PASSIVE SENSE.
| AN ARGUMENT IN FAVOR or THE FORM rs BUILD
ING"-A MIDDLE VOICE.
| 70 the Editor or The Tribune.
SIR: have been watching with interest the
discussion in regard to the partcipes in
| a passive sense, and ! think both sides make very
natural deductions the premises advancedone Of
which seems to DO that the result Of the discussion
should be rule OF universal applications; that this is
not necessary premiss We shall presently see. am
inclined 10 favor the "is building party, and think
the undoubed tendency Of good writers TO use this
form be easily explained 1t is SIMPLY an efor land
Legitimate one) give ntransitive sense 10 verb
possessing only transtve sense; 1.-THE clothes are
drying the fruit ripening" "the horses feed
ing" "the ship unloading" more logically cor