National Republican., 1876-05-22

ent campaign. The fourth count in the In
dictment is that Mr.. Conkling chad no praise
for Mr.. Bristow Ia his war on the whisky ring
in Missouri, but he justified General Sheridan
in louisiana" 1t is difficult not to admire
the cleverness with which these charges are
placed in juxtaposition. t'He has not praised
Secretary Bristow"-pray, when has he de-
nounced him, or the great work he has per-
formed7 Is It an evidence of his hostility to
the war in which the Secretary has been and
is now engaged, that he has not mounted the
tribune and sounded the latter's praises
through the landl The work of the Secretary
Is part Of the work of General Grants admin
istration.l If Mr.. Conkling stands as its rep
pesentative, as Mr.. Curtis claims, perhaps we
may ascribe his failure to praise the Secretary
to o natural reluctance to commend his own
virtues. We have no doubt-the public can
have no doubt-that Mr.. Conkling as heartily
approves Mr.. Bristow's work as Mr.. Cur
It's does himself, or President Grant,
who has sanctioned and encouraged 1t
all along. "He justified General Sheridan In
Louisiana" A positive merit, for which the
bless General Sheridan for doing what he did.
Sheridan broke up an incipient rebellion, he
prevented bloodshed, he vindicated the laws.
"Justify" Sheridan The ework he performed
in New Orleans deserves to rank among his
greatest achievements; and the loyal man who
viii not 'tjustify" it strangely misspprehends
the spirit and treachsry of the men whose
bloody deeds and bloodier threatenings rem
dered the presence of the hero of Winchester
necessary In that turbulent and disloyal city,
and, in the light of the developments then, and
of more recent outrages and crimes in the
South-the murder of Republican officials, the
fraudulent triumph of the Democratic party In
several States by means of the intimidation of
negro voters, the election of Lamar to the
Unit ID States Senate as consequence of such
crimes-is indeed blind to the situation, and
regardless of the results for which the war for
the suppression of the rebellion was prosecuted
to an issue that was supposed to have been sue
cessful, but which is likely to turn out to be
delusion and failure. The fifth count is an
ling has been of the Republican school that
thought investigations OF Republican abuses
were mud-throwing, and exposures of offenses
discredits to the party, which should be left
to the Democrats" We deny the charge, and
call Mr.. Curtis to the stand. Says he In
Hdrpcr's Weekly Of November, 1872: at was
the prostitution of Investigation to party
purpose that Mr.. Conkling and his friends most
properly opposed" And what have the Gin
vestigstions" of the present House of Repre-
sentatives been but "prostitutions bo party
purpose"-what but "mud-throwing' In its
most repulsiye and disgusting featuresl VIII
Mr.. Curtis answer9 The Republican party
exposed the offenses within its own party. 1t
investigated and developed the Credit MObilier
fraud the Pacific Mail subsidy fraud and other
violations of public faith, and hold up their
perpetrators to popular rsprobation and dis
grace. But the Democratic House of Repre-
sentatiyes, while seeking to uncover Republi-
can abuses, knowing the facts brought to light
by Republican Congress with regard to Con-
eressmen King and Schumaker, permits these
disgraced men to retain their seats upon the
floor, and welcomes the votes of the latter m
turning out Republican members honestly
elected and putting Democrats In their places.
Mr.. Curtis and the Democratic party are well
come to all the glory the present "investiga-
they can make by abusing Mr.. Conkling for
reform the country will gain from them is
quite another thing.
Mr.. Curtis concludes his article by the dec
laration that Mr.. Conkling cannot lay claim
to the nomination as . matter of right. He
makes no such demand, neither by his own
person nor by the acts of his friends, who,
without his solicitation, almost in opposition
to his wishes, present him to the Republican
party as a proper person to receive its highest
honors. They believe that his record Is unas-
sailable, his character pure, his talents COM
manding; they further believe that If nomi-
mated be would be elected by an overwhelming
majority of the votes of his countrymea, and
that he would reform the administration of
the Government, and place 1t upon the plane
of "justice, honesty and purity, of political
deceney, morality and progress under the Con-
stitution, which are not alone the watchwords
OF Mr.. Curtis, but of all honest and high
minded Republicans everywhere,