New-York tribune., 1875-02-03
THREE GREAT DING ERS.


danger from three causes 1t had outrldden
the storm and tempest of rebellion: slavery
had been abolished; the territorial integrity
of tho Union had been established. With all
this we could scarcely more than count SIN
gle peril passed that of disunion. The great
cause of difference between the two sections had
been removed, and the Union itself 80 conse-
Grated with sacrifice that we might well con-
slider it safe for century at least. But other
perils lay beyond; perils which, in the judg-
ment of sagacious thoughtful men, were no
less than those which beset us when the fiery
.plowshare Of the war went turning up our
fields to leave them wiinkled with the graves
of half O million men. They were penis that
came most naturally out of the condition OF
war to which we had been subjected, the
changed relations of the States, and the alb
normal condition of our finances, COM
merce. and trade. There was danger
first that in the effort to reconstruct
the Union or rehabllitate the South,
the impracticability of dealing with con-
quered people as citizens of sovereign States,
the difficulty indeed under the altered cir
cumstances, Of adjusting in any way consist
entity with our form of government, the rela-
tions between the two sections, might prove
insuperable or in the end be the means OF
changing the whole structure of the govern
ment. There was danger secondly or the
growth and expansion of the irredeemaOie
paper currency which was believed to be a
necessity % the war-a process which must
inevitably end in reputation and ruin. And
there was danger in the third place that the
corrupt practices engendered by the war, the
substitution of materialistic policies for moral
ideas and the general debasement of all
standards of truth and right might be per-
petuated till the Republic which had so
bravely withstood the storm should be given
over utterly to the worm and the rot.
The three dangers referred to are hardly
less imminent now than at any period since
the war Closed-some of them indeed are
more serious to-day than ever, from the fact
that the country stands at the very crisis OF
its peril. We have already reached point
in Our relations with the reconstructed States
where we have to say either that they must DO
governed as conquered provinces or left to
govern themselves. That crisis may not be
further postponed. Years of maladmnlstra-
ton and misrule, Of Federal interference and
political corruption have brought it on. So
that now Congress and the country are con-
f1Onted with the bald question, which cannot
longer be concealed OF disguised, whether The
State of Louisiana shall govern herself or be
governed from Washington. For that is the
bed rock of the whole business. 1t comes to
that even if the Administration should succeed
in proving all the intimidation claimed, for
nothing but a standing army can keep peace
under the Kellogg regime. Congress must
meet that question now. It's action is to re-
wise the Presidents policy. After that, the
people will revise tho action of President,
Congress, and party. 1t is powerful party
that has taken in hand the work of trans
forming our system of government, and it has
the great advantage Of appealing to the pas
sjons and preiudlces of the victors in the late
war in support of the proposition to put down
opposition to the Administration in the lately
rebelious States. But we believe they mistake
the temper of the people in counting upon the
survival of the animOsities of the contest. The
party will be ruined and the country saved.
The danger to the country from the con-
tinuaton of an irredcemable currency is con-
slant. The party in power has made but
feeble and spasmOdic efforts to cOunteract It,
Too timid to meet it squarely and take the
risk OF internal divisions on account of 1T, the
party has battered and triled with it has left
the whole subject to be the football of dema-
gogues and the prey of political pettifoggers and
financial quacks, until the abounding lie Of
the Government has infected trade and COM
merce with an atmosphere OF incredulty and
distrust, and all our enterprise lies prostrate
under the withdrawal of confidence. There
has been danger that political quackcry would
be allowed to take its course and this ire
deemable currency be expanded to "m0ve the
crops,r or do some other absurd thing, until
recovery would be impossible and financial
ruin and reputation the end of all That
danger will not cease to be present while the
Logans and Carpenters and Mortons are in the
seats of law-gvers. or until through the hard
pinch of business prostratiOn and the necessi-
ties of practical economy and retrenchment,
we settle down upon the hardpan of specie,
and pay our debts in something besides pro-
tested paper.
The third great danger less now than
at any time since the end of the war,
was in the widespread prevalence of cor
ruption and bribery. Out of the casuistry
that recognized doubtful methods of carrying
elections as legitimate when great cause was
in jeopardy and human rights were in dispute,
there grew great rank crop of most corrupt
and demoralizing practices. Bribery of voters
extended to the corruption of Legislatures,
the purchase of seats in the Senate almost in
omen markets, the sale Of votes and influence
in Congress, the trading in offices, and O
whole system of evil practices that honey
combed the politics of the country and almost
made office-holdng disgraceful. These prac-