National Republican., 1876-05-18
MIR. BR1sTow's OPPORTUNITY AGAIN.


1t is not to be presumed that Secretary
Bristow has authorized any one to mention
his name in connection with the Presiden-
tial nomination by either the Democratic
or Republican party. much less by the mon
grel Fifth-avenue conference. He should
know, however, that it is being used, and
in such way as to injure the party to
which he owes every opportunity he has
had to exercise the qualities Of character
and gihs of nature which have made him
a prominent man in the nation. At the
same time, as evidenced by the proceed
ings of the mongrcl assemblage alluded to,
he has been singled out from among his
partisan as well as official associates as the
one man in public position entitled to dis
tinctive praise for honesty and earnest de-
Totion to duty. No just man will withhold
from him due recognition of rars merits,
the possession Of which he has demon
strated in various ways, and which have
ShblblSN aim ~ NhS "oA Ia VI
law abiding people the country over. But
the questions naturally arise: Could he have
earned all this alone? II he had not been
aided, or perhaps directed, by his associates
of President Grants administration. could
he have executed the laws as he has exc
cuted them? II he was not ably sec )nds1
by those, associates, is it not his duty as a
citizen, to expose the officials who were
false to their trust in not aiding him? Is
he entitled to all the credit of the work
that has been done Has not the Depart
ment of Justice had a hand in the matter?
Has not the President himself, personally,
directed some of the movements that have
been made, and a. the same time cordially
approved others having for their object
realization of his desire to "Let no guilty
man escape ?" We know that he can an
swer these questions satisfactorily if he
elects to do so, and by this we mean that
the facts show that the Administration has
been q unit as regards the matters under
consideration. Personal and political con-
siderations have never, with the consent or
through connivance of any member OF the
Administration, been allowed to interfere
with or retard the complete execution of
the laws. Yet, the course pursued
by some of Mr.. Bristow's friends
or admirers is shrewdly and pur-
posely calculated to convey a different
impression-an idea, in fact, that he has
been compelled, in the execution of his
duties, to wage a constant war with his
official associates, and that he alone stood
up for the execution of the laws against
the almost if not quite, criminal desires of
those with whom he is required to act in
concert. The direct result of this assault
for it is nothing less-upon the Admins
tration is to throw dIscredit upon the Re
publican partY-the party to which, as we
have said, Mr.. Bristow owes go much. We
have no doubt of his Republicanism, nor of
his unfinching opposition to the enemies
Of the Republican party. He must know,
however, that the Fifth-avenue con-
ference was composed of those ene-
mics. The natural deduction, and the
only one that eau be made as to his
duty, in view of these facts, is that he
should give the most pointed contradiction
to the insinuations they have made, and
the most earnest reputation of the insult
offered to him, and through him to the
Administration and the Republican party,
by the offer at the Fifth-avenue conference
to place him in nomination for the Presi-
dency. OF course he will take his own
time and opportunity to do this duty; but it
is to be hoped that tt time and opportunity
will not be long delayed. The Cincinnati
Convention is near at hand, and until it
meets the enemies of the Republican party,
unless they are checked by him or some
other equally potential power, will use the
ISLANDERS Illuminated by the Fifth-avenue
malcontents to its injury, and use his name
to give them weight and currency.