The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-05


with the dust settled and tho smoke cleared
an instructive event. aud that we have reason
to feel encouraged at the result It gave
. proximate measure of the forces likely to be
found on either side in more general con-
fict over the topic that has for the people at
large deeper interest than any other likely
to present ITSELF It indicated the subject on
which the interest of the people can be rallied
in great political contest, showed the nature
and extent of the danger that menaces the
people. and proved that, with earnest purpose,
great triumph may be achieved against an
insidious enemy of the general welfare and
the national honor.
Our politicians, with timely wisdom that
they are seldom without, have taken the meas
ure of this danger, and are fully disposed to
respect it They hope to charm away the
rising storm. Good old Cotton Mather was
OF opinion the Evil One might have sufficient
skill in chemistry to get up q thunder shower.
and these gentlemen, with greater faith,
believe it is in their power to dispense the
gathered clouds and calm the embattled ele-
ments. Already that lofty and pompous
spirit which swelled and strutted and bullied
in the imitation camp sings very small. One
astonishing if in little while it should be
only with difficulty that an infatonist could
be found Limitation" measures now offered
in Congress thunder somewhat in the index,
but scrutinized closely they are found to have
no true expansive power, but rather the con-
yield, in fact where he knows he cannot pre-
vail but to yield always with bullying air
which seems not to yield, and 80 saves
his credit with his immediate admirers In
the House yesterday typical measure of this
character was presented in the name of Gen.
the array of actual power and Of moral influ-
ence on the side Of q sound financial policy
had thoroughly frightened the demagogues
who hoped to sail into lasting popularity on
q rising tide In favor of ''chcap money" and
who. of course, cared nothing for the disasters
that might follow They know now that it is
the losing side, and they are solicitous only as
to the means of getting on the other side with
the least possible appearance of . too sudden
conversion. Indeed, the collapse of the cheap
money balloon amounts almost to mysteri-
GUS disappearance and it is even doubtful
whether or no the good fight that was antici-
pated in favor of the sound doctrine of re-
sumption and the maintenance of the national
credit will not fail for want Of an adversary.
If the inAationists recede altogether and per-
init the passage Of law to properly settle our
money difficulties, it viii be very well but
it might prove more satisfactory result to
have them still resist and have the issue 60 to
the country.
But though the threatened debasement of
the currency and dilution of the national
pledges is the subject of the greatest interest
now before the country, it is not the only
topic that looms largely in the political hori-
zon. Reconstruction is also there with it's many
attendant causes of disquiet, and an equally
fertile source Of solicitude is the condition of
our civil service, if not, indeed, of political
life itself, as shown by the disclosures of re-
cent Investigations.
Reconstruction has passed out of reach of
the dominant party, which cannot recall and
can scarcely remedy what it has done; but its
acts stand recorded against it as crimes for
which it must answer to the people. Osten-
sibly reconstruction was contrived to secure
material guarantees in the forms and ad-
ministratons Of the Southern States for the
future good behavior Of their people; but
this was not the real purpose The only
material guarantee it was possible to have was
the result of the war. The fact that the
Southern States, in war of great gallantry
and tenacity and involving fearful loss of life,
had been absolutely and completely beaten,
and that they could never again hope
to renew the struggle with even so fair PROM
Use of success as they started with in 1861,
was all the security we needed, and this was
clear enough at the time; but party founded
upon the division of the country into hostile
sections had to be kept alive, and the pre-
tended necessity of reconstruction answered
this end Reconstruction, therefore, as prac-
tised never had any foundation in the dangers
of the country but only in the necessities of
party; and as the party abused the country
by pretending a patriotic motive for the
divisions it kept up, SO o horde of soulless
wretches abused the party and covered their
plundering and numbering with gloss of
political devotion From the plundering Of
the Southern people to that of the Northern
people and the nation collectively the transit
ton was easy, and this has now become the
one function and purpose Of the republican
party to keep rogues in Office. Can any man
declare or name for it any other policy or
purpose?
But we regard the battle of imitation and
the reconstruction troubles, and even the
party corruptions, as storms of the sort that
tend 10 clear the air. They have brought not
only discredit, but inextinguishable disgrace.