Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-07-06
The New York Tribune on the
Work at the ST. Louis.

ne democratic SOHN6uliOH -HdS
fought bitterly but briefly, and after
filling all the st. Louis bar-rooms with
riot for two or three days, has placed an
admirable candidate upon bad plat
form, and has now paused for breath.
1t was wise to nominate for the Presi-
dency its very strongest man. With
new and rising statesman like Gov.
Hayes its case would have been hope
less.
If platforms however cannot make
the fortune of party they can mar it,
and there is no doubt that Gov. Tilden
will be injured in his own State by the
shutting phrases which the Convention
have adopted respecting the currency.
About the Governors own convictions
there is no uncertainty. But Presi-
dent is not what he chooses to be; he is
what his associations and circumstances
make him. We purpose to elect next
November not an absolute ruler but a
chief executive. Our votes will decide
not only who occupies the White
House, but who stand around him, and
what sort of men make the laws. Be-
hind the President will always be the
party which chose him. 1t is not
enough that the President be honest if
his party is full of raScality and deceit.
So the country says to the Democracy
when it hears of the nomination of
Tilden. Very well, gentlemen, that is
excellent so far; now what do you pro-
pose to do if we elect him?
Look at the platform. There is Just
one practical declaration in the whole
of it. There are promises of reform in
deed-reform in the civil service by
the party which has made such havoc
in Washington clerkships, and reform
in Federal, State, and municipal taxa
tion by the party which created Tam
many and the new Courthouse; but of
practical declarations there is, as we
say, just one; that is demand for the
unconditional repeal of the Resumption
act. There is ne pledge to resume at
any time there is no word of condem-
nation for the initiation heresy; the Re
publicans are denounced for failing to
make good the promise of the legal
tender notes, and for 1.-The financial
imbecility and Immortality" which
has postponed resumption so long; but
the only step which has been taken to
ward resumption the Democrats insist
upon retracing, and they offer no SUBJ
stitute for il. The Cincinnati platform
was unsatisfactory to honest currency
men because it said too little; but it said
nothing miSchieyous, and the nOmina
ton of a representative hard-money
champion like Hayes made amends for
its silence upon points where its lam
guage ought to have been emphatic.
1t is very different however at st.
Louis. There the party commits itself
to course of national dishOnor, and
avows in advance that it has no idea of
adopting the policy of the statesman
whom it has chosen for leader.
Under such circumstances it seems
unlikely that Gov. Tild N will be elect
ed unless Gov. Hayes throws the bat
tie away. If the Republican nominee,
by his letter of acceptance Or in any
other manner, should lead the people
to believe that his election would be the
continuation of Grantism or of the rule
of the Senatorial Ring, if he could falt-
er in his position on the currency queS-
uOn, III ne SnOulu SHOW d lodulnS TO-
ward the corrupt and disgraced ele-
ments of the Republican party which
the people have so strenuously repudi-
ated, candidate like Mr.. Tilden
might easily beat him. But we have
no anticipation of such a misfortune.
Under the Leadership of the honest,
traighttorward, popular, and accOmp-
lished Ohio Governor we look for a
signal triumph of that party which, in
spite of all its errors, iss still the safest
to be trusted with the honor and ma
terial welfare of the United States.