New-York tribune., 1875-02-05
For BETyER OR WORSE.

Whenever an opposition Legislature makes
bad choice for Senator, or Democratic
member becomes unduy frisky on the floor
Of the House, or. some imperfectly recon-
structed rebel gives too free play to his vocal
powers and takes advantage OF impunity to
fight his lost battles over again, we expect to
hear the organs of the Administration cry out
IN chorus that this is the result OF Opposing
Gen. Grant. There is some truth Ill the
charge. We DO not deny that Democratic Leg
slatures nave o marvellous capacity shared
fully by Administration Legislatures, OF COM
mtting gratutous folcs. They wW elect
Eatons, and Wallaces, and COckrels, when
they ought to elect Kernans and SchuGzes.
Even when they put in reasonably good
men like Judge Macdonald in Indiana, they
seem to find it necessary to say to the world,
"We don't deserve and don't want any credit
" for this we still believe in reputation and
imitation, and all sorts of nonsense, and II
you think we chose good man on account
of his principles, you are greatly mistaken"
If there were anything which could cause us
to regret the removal of Gen. Butler from the
sphere of his malign activity in Congress, it
would be the consideration that he is needed
that Mr.. Mclean of Texas who, when Butler was
enjoying himself by denOuncing Southerners
as asSa3sins, showed his own sense OF decency
and tact by calling the Massachusetts member
murderer. ii was not original either, for
Mr.. Butler had on the same floor and with the
same exquisite indecency called Mr. Bingham
the murderer OF Mrs. Surratt. There are all
kinds of men in every party, and Master
Shakespeare has said "eveIy cat will after
"kind," and we cannot expect perfect dcport-
ment and wisdom even in these centennial
times. The opposition has its full allowance
OF men without reason and without breeding,
and it is true, as the Administration organs
allegc, that ii independent people would all
vote steadily for Gen. Grant and his party,
these ill-behaved Democrats would never get
to Congress, and these misguided Legislatures
would never have the chance to disappoint the
expectations of good people.
But the only way to accomplish anything Is
to follow the LincOlnan system of "pesglng
away" and when one set OF public servants
become incOrrigibe, turn them out and do the
best we can with their Successors. We should
have been glad to have Mr.. Carpenter de-
feated, even if so irreprOachabe man as Mr..
Cameron appears to be. had not been
elected in his place. For Mr.. Car
pentcr WAS not only highly Objectionable
himself, but he was also the representative
man of that class of cynical politicians who
reject even hypocritical pretense of public
conscience, and defend without blushing the
rascaities which their more tmid fellows
deny. His defeat was needed not SO much as
a rebuke to himself as to his associates, and
especially to that Senate which three times
shamelessly elected lin to preside over it, in
brazen defiance of an indignant public opinion.
The case of Mr.. Chandler is similar One
He has been superhuous. and worse than
superluOus, for ten years. His force has been
that of coarse good fellowship, ferOciOus
partisanship, and the use of money and
patronage. He was a type of the brawl-
ing Administration whipper-in. His reelection
! was considered so impOrtanC to the White
House party that the Washington Postmaster,
tho veteran organizer Of the political Union
Leagues, was sent from his post to work 1t up
in Michigan by every appliance known to the
men inside politics. Things had come to such
a point that his defeat at any reasonable cost
was to be desired. The hold which Senator
| Chandler had established upon his party, in
the Senate and out of it, was so strong and
so injurious that the first object of decent
people in Michigan WAS to break it, let the
consequences be what they might. Fortunately
there was no bad result. Judge ChIistiancy,
by the common report of his fellow-citizens
for the last twenty years, is man of excellent
character and abilities, who will do the State
nothing but credit in the Senate. But under
the circumstances q man as bad as Chandler
| who should not be Chandler, would be a change
for the better.
The question which the supporters Of the
| Administration scout, but which voters
everywhere are asking and answering ac-
cording to their own lights, are first. whether
| the maintenance of the supremacy of the Re-
publican party is worth the sacrifices of con-
| victiOn and of taste which the support of its
| present leaders and managers requires and
second, whether the probable disadvantages
Of Democratic ascendency arc sufficient to
deter conscientious people from voting on
each particular occasion as may seem TO them
right and proper. The negative answers to
both of these questions, which are growing
more and more frequent, are tho best proof
of the profound discouragement and distrust
which the Administration of Gen. Grant has
been able to inspire in the most earnest, self
sacrificing, and powerful party in our history.
--- ---
or BABIES, DOGS, AND POULTRY
We live in an age of exhibition and OF cease
Iees comDptitiOn which hardly seems to have