The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-17
Repent While rhore Is Time.

Repent While Thore Il Time.
We trust that our republican friends, espe-
cially those like General John Cochrane, who
are sitting on the fence. and those who like
Speaker Blaine have been looking through
the bars with one foot on the lower rail, will
not be unmindiul Of the lessons taught By the
canvass in Connecticut. If our readers have
studied the tone of what is called the sin
dependent" press for the last two years they
will discover that nothing is more calcu-
lated to give politician reputation than to
abandon his politics as republicnn aid be-
come democrat. In England, whore there
is parliamentary form Of government, it is
question Of homer for o man to stand by
tho side of his party. When, during the dis
cussion Of the Reform BILL there was little
secession, the edging off from their party of
few liberals, headed by Robert Lowe, and the
consequent forming OF the party of the "Cave
of Adullam," the action was a mat
ter Of reproach. From this reproach
they have not yet recovered. When
Mr.. Lowe was suggested as a proper
successor to Mr.. Gladstone as the leader OF the
liberal party it was made fatal objection
that he had boon disloyal to his political
friends. But in America we adopt new rule.
So long as q republican remains true to his
party he is q "beef-eater," an "organ-grinder,
postmaster, o stipendary, believer in the
third term, ''creature" of Grants The mo-
menr that he begins to question the authority
of the President and the party he then be-
a o,,Isp ht cto
Now that Connecticut has determined the
probable aspects of the canvass for the Presi-
dency why should not our hesitating republi-
can politicians and beef-eaters leap the fence
and become statesmen at once? Take the
case of Governor Dorsheimer, for instance, as
an example of the value Of this transformation.
Four or five years ago Governor Dorsheimer
was District Attorney, under republican
administration, in Buffalo He was then
simply "BilP' Dorsheimer "Grant's beef
eater, a ''stlpendiary, and so on. But ''Bilp'
Dorsheimer became dissatisfied with Presi-
dent Grant-especially after his removal from
ofice-and in process of time was the sue
now holds. Consequently, Lieutenant Gov
ernor Dorsheimer is now q full grown states
man in possession of the ruddest faculties,
the successor of De Witt Clinton" the
"rising hope of the honest men of the demo-
cratic party" Ten years ago Carl Schurz
was denounced throughout the country as
raving German, a hot-hecded radical, who
believed in socialism, negro suffrage, and in
introducing into America the disintegrating
ideas of communism and intarnationalism.
Mr.. Schurz in time differed with the republi-
can party, and lol he has become the sue
cessor of Sumner, of Gallatin. of Hamilton
great statesman ! When Andrew Johnson
was o republican and resolved to "make
treason odious" he was denounced as
drunken renegade, q Tennessee tailor but
Immediately Andy johnson saw the constitu-
ton shining before him, like the cross
in the sky, he became also a statesman, and he
is now the successor Of jackson" ard of
Jefferson, the leader of the highest thought of
the country. Look at Fenton, the republican,
who, a. Governor, was accused of being the ally
of the Tammany Ring. of signing tax levies
and of being at the beck and call of Tweed
and Sweeny. But new light fell upon the
Governor, and he is now the leader of ''the re-
form movement" in the State. And so we
might recite instances, taking Chase, Trum-
bull Mcclure, down the list, to show that in
every case where republican has abandoned
his party and become either a democrat or o
hali-democrat the transformation has made
him, in the eyes of the independent journalists
of the country, as pure as though his sins had
been washed with hyssop and he had become
as white as snow.
Therefore, men and brethren of the repub-
lican party, you who would have good name
repent while there is time There is hope for
all of you Why should not General Butler,
for instance, have spirit Of awakening" and
become the great reformer Of Massachusetts, {?
Or why should not ex-Collector Tom Murphy,
the boss Of twenty Custom House rings, If we
may believe the opposition press, also have .
sense of quickening and become leader of
The 'unshackled republicans against the cor
ruptons of the administration Now is the
time, and Connecticut points the way! Those
who are on the fence had better leap over.
THERE will be music in the air at Tammany
Hall on Monday evening,
HoN. G. NJ. ScHTFFErIN, member Of the
Assembly from Westchestcr, does himself
credit by declining to accept q pass from MIR.