New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-01-06

command and such material as inc hfhoee
Ring to work with, no one can predict what
scenes of violence may be precipitated. The
only reliance for peace is upon tho patience
aud discretion of sorely tried people
TIE GOVERNOR AND THE AMENDMENTS
IL there were any sincere and thoughtful
Republicans, any friends Of Sumner and LIN
coin and Greeley, any soldiers and sailors OF
the great war who cast their votes for MI
Tilden last November with fear and trembling.
feeling that tho present Administration had
become too corrupt and irresponsible ior
honest men to support and yet not satished
that the Democratic leaders were safely to be
trusted with the garnered fruits OF the war;
we may tender to such voters this morning
our cordial congratulations upon the manner
in which the Governor sets all such doubts
and apprehensions forever at rest No one
could ask a fuller or more frank assurance
than Gov. Tilden has given of the unre-
served loyalty with which he and his asso-
ciate leaders of the Democratic party accept
and ratify the results of the war. There Is
nothing of diplomatic evasion or vague gener-
ality about bis words. They are as clear as
thew are strong. They answer the most
searching questions of thoughtful men, ana
they will meet the comprehension OF the SIM
plest readers, in fixing the relation OF the
marty which gained the late elections to the
mOmentous questions raised and settled by
the war for the Union. We reproduce the
words-destined, we are sure, to be memorable
in which the Governor fOrmulates the most
important article of the creed of the new
Democracy
"Such has been our course, after and in
"spite of the fact that these our kindred, in
| "a common ancestry, a common heritage, and
ga common future, had joined at National
| "Conyentions in the nomination of candidates
"and in the declaration of principles and
purposes, which form an authentic accept
| lance of the results of the war, embodied in
the last three amendments to the organic
claw of the Federal Union; and that they
chad by the sufirages of all their voters, at
"the last National election, completed the
"proof that now they only aHe SOCK .: 20 snare with
"iis and to maintain the common rights
"of American local self-government in
"a fraternal union, under the old flag,
with one Constitution aud one des-
"tiny.' There should be no misunderstanding
"as to this position of our Southern brethren,
cor of any portion of our fellow citizens.
1.-THE questions settled by the war are never
"to be reopened. The adoption Of the
"XIIIth, XIVth, and XVIII Amendments to
the Federal Constitution closed one great
EZRA in our politics. 1t marked the end for
sever of the system of human slavery, and
" of the struggles that grew out of that sys-
item. These amendments have been coll
/" clusively adopted, and they have been ae-
"cepted in good faith by all political organ
"izations, and the people of all sections.
"They close the chapter they are and must
"be final. All parties hereafter must accept
" and stand upon them and hencefOrth our
"politics are to turn upon questions of the
present and the future, not upon those of
"the settled and final Past"
| Nothing could add to the importance of this
utterance. 1t is even more significant in one
| respect than the platforms of Cincinnati aud
| Baltimore, because they were framed by a
| party in opposition, and were dictated by that
| impassioned self-sacrifce usual TO coalitions of
| minorities. But this is the settled confession
| Of faith of the most prominent Democrat of
| the country, not on the eve of contest where
| votes are desired, but on the day after mag
nifcent victory when it is requisite to de-
| fine strictly the plans of the future 10
afirms no new truths, but it gives the highest
sanction to those already affirmed by saga
cious Democrats and candid Republicans.
though violently denied by the partisans Of
the present Administration. When accepted,
as it undoubtedly will be by the opposition
throughout the country, it will put out of use
forever that most effective weapon of the
Administration party, the pretense that the
opposition cannot be trusted to guard what
was gained by the blood and treasure Of the
| nation.
The campaign of 1872 will find it's best justi-
fcation in it's results. 1t began in an honest
effort to close the era Of. war and its spoils.
and 70 sRtsr upon thai Of Ese9uejiatiQa end