New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-16
shadow of o reason why the United States
should interfere to help them.
THE CONNECTICUT SENArORSHIp.


before them an excellent opportunity to attest
the sincerity of their professions and strengthen
their hold of power by giving the people the best
possible proof of their earnestness ana honesty
OF the Opposition majority in the Legislature
enough are Democrats to give that party, IL II
is determined to claim them, every once AT
the disposal of the General Assembly. vi
these the most important are the United States
Senatorship and the seats upon the Bench OF
the Supreme Court left by the last Legislature
untitled. With regard to the Judgeshlps the
situation is more hopeful than last wear. All
that saved tho Bench from being hled
then with candidates whose best claim
was marty service, and who testl-
fed their unfitness by persistent pushing OF
their own claims, was the stubborn opposi-
tion of two or three Senators Of both parties,
who insisted that the vacancies should con-
tinue rather than be filled unworthily. All
these gentlemen, we believe, are again members
of one or the other branch OF the Assembly, and
can be depended upon to repeat the opposition
IN unfit amendments for which they received
40 much praise last year. The gentleman who
cracked the party whip in the attempt to force
the caucus nominations through is also re-
elected. but possibly has learned wisdom from
experience.
In the matter of the Senatorship there is
greater danger that the majority may not make
the most of their opportunities The Admins
tration organs are canvassing the matter with
great diligence, and with manifest purpose
to force an unwise choice. The two candidates
whom they make conspicuous are Mr.. William
w. Eaton of Hartford and MIR. William H.
Barnum, present Member OF Congress from
the Fourth District They insist that the
choice lies between these two, and that
by every consideration of fairness Mr.. Eaton
should have the nomination. The unusual
interest taken in Mr.. Eaton's welfare by the
leading Administration organ i'll the State
might be open to the suspicion OF insincerlty,
were it not for the fact that Mr.. Eaton holds
about the same relation to the Democrats that
Gen. Hawley does to the Republicans. 1t is
charged that party success is held by each to
be equivalent to personal triumph, and
that each considers that "the party"
revolves around himself. 1t is not
unnatural then that Gen. Hawley's friends
should desire the success of Mr.. Eaton, or
that they should denounce his opponent as
dishonest and corrupt man. They began the
campaign with similar attacks upon ex-GOv
Jewell, who was supposed to be candidate
for the Senate on the Administration side.
1t Is a question for the majority to consider
seriously whether. upon the forcing OF their
opponents, they shall be limited to a choice
between the two gentlemen named. Another
somewhat important consideration with them
-, ho, 70 rnt,ip tho onpflanpn of several
thousand voters in the State. whose ballots
gave them political control, who are not
Democrats, but voted the Democratic ticket
because of their dissatisfaction with the Adj
mnistraton. In Connecticut, more than any
other State. the Democrats protested to
lay aside partsanship, and to be ac-
tuated solely by desire for political
reform. They invited the Liberals to their
councils and have acted in harmony with
them and their journals have almost without
execution pursued q cOnciliatOry course. To
the discretion they have exercised in this
particular the late result is largely due. The
election of Mr.. Eaton to the United States
Senate, much as it might please the Admin
istration party, would be gratuitous ofiense
to the Liberals and the Conservative Repub-
lcans who supported the ticket. Besides the
assistance given him by the Administration
press, he has the support of what is known as
" the Gallagher faction" in New Haven, and
his claims are based solely upon what his
friends are pleased to call "party service"
The services he rendered the party were
hearty enough and probably sincere. but
before elevating him to the highest
Office in its gift and Installing him
in a position of absolute and undsputed lead
ership, if not ownership, it is well enough for
the party to remember that under his leader
ship it was always in minority, and the
greatest load it ever had to carry was the
responsibility for his indiscretions. 1t should
not be forgotten either that he came near
swapping the party at the last session by the
bullying partisanship with which he undertook
to carry through the Legislature nominal
tons for the Bench at which the better sense
of the people revolted. Mr. Eaton repre-
sents simply and only extreme partisanshp.
1t is a question whether the party is willing
to risk all the future just to give him what he
claims as a reward
AS to Mr.. Barnum, it should be a sufficient
answer to his claim-though, unlike Mr..
Eaton, we understand that he makes no
personal claim to the office-that his election
would be everywhere understood as q
triumph of mere money. He has the
good sense to know that there are men in the
party better fitted for the duties of Senator
than he, and that while his election would
weaken the party, there are other prominent
Democrats in the State whose election would
strengthen it by showing a disposition to dig
Nifty the Office and honor the State. The OBJ
jections which Democrats have urged so per-
sistently against such men as Senator Bucking-
4