The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-06

On day in January, not far of, four con-
tiguous States elect United States Senators
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and
Delaware They are important units in our
federal sum total. differing greatly in area, but
each influential. In the aggregate they are
still more So Their aggregation, if it can be
maintained, is the more impressive in this,
that the politics of the chosen men, according
to the calculation of common chances ought
to be the same. Democracy should have them
oil, and yet having them will only increase
its strength in the Senate by two votes. The
vacancies in New Jersey and Delaware are
made by the expiration of the terms of demo-
Gratis, and there democrats will undoubtedly
be elected. Delaware enjoys the high privi-
lege of having q Senator SO strong in the
affections Of his constituency, and we may add
OF the nation, that no one dreams Of displacing
him. The majoriies in New York and New
Jersey are such that, be the personal prefer
ences and the inner intrigues what they may,
there is hardly possibility of the victorious
party being disintegratsd Our diagnosis, as
perfectly disinterested observers, finds no
serious morbid symptom in either of these
bodies corporate. Not so Pennsylvania.
Here we see signs of disease, and with it
danger; and, in talking Of danger, we wish to
be distinctly understood as speaking without
shade Of party feeling, for we have none.
but Of danger to that unity of design which,
as mere lovers Of art, we regret to see dis
turbed If democracy has majority in Penn
sylvania it ought, as in her neighbor and sis
ter States, to be made available; and, in our
view, after what has occurred and is likely
to occur, it would be simply lamenta-
BILE to see great victory frustrated
by selfish competition, and still moro
thoroughly turned to ashes, if on alien in
trigue-a pernicious influence from without
were to succeed in thwarting the express will
of the people. The election of democrat by
purchased republican votes would not be jot
worse than the choice of republican by the
same debauching process. To make it more
plain, Mr.. Wallace 1--WE use his name merely
by way Of llustration), would as little be
a representative man as any republican
chosen by marketable democrats Against
this and all cognate processes we as in
dependent journalists, speaking daily to
thousands and hundreds Of thousands of
Pennsylvanians, enter our protest. The in
Auence of intrigue of one sort or another at
Harrisburg has endured too long. 1t has been
operative there for at least thirty-eight years.
when Mr.. Biddle and his bank, of
whom General Cameron is the surviving
executor or administrator de bonis non, bought
democratic Senators by the dozen. 1t is time
it should cease. The Dauphin county ''ring"
has been prolific. Rings with all the ugly
features of their parent have been born and
have thrived in Philadelphia and Pittsburg
The new constitution endangered them, and
the revolt of conservative republicanism and
renewed vigor Of democracy last November, it
was supposed, insured their downfall every.
where. Shall this be neutralized by Legis-
lature chosen under such auspices2 This is
question soberly and solemnly put and to
which an answer will be anxiously expected.
All this is said, be it understood, without the
faintest expression of preference for the emil
nent men whose names are now before this
great constituency. Death, too, it will be
observed, is reducing the actual majority, and
hence the greater need of strict integrity.