New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-11-13
tDVfNTfGE or 4 CLOSE .ELKCTION

fDViNTiGE or i tLbSE 'fLF'i I'''
Though it brings great anxiety to PartiSans
and politiral managers. aud di>jughs the peace
and prolopg, the suspense, of the persons who
Inv wagerS on the result, close clccton has,
for the DISTINGUISHED patllot-ll IN hcatcd
campaign there bc such 0nc-,omc valuable
CONVERSATIONS. There is great comfort to be
d rived from tho present. political condition 81
the country, mixed and uncertain rs 1t
seem. to bee. II is 50 close that whichever
party shall turn ont 10 be the winner. it viii he
put at on.c upon its good b'hh,ior. Win
20 narrow a margin - IS now known tnc.'
mist be-. for the successful party ii will rot
dare do any reckless or imprudcn' rang \
minority hat Is only the mrrcS. minority,
and which the change of - comparative
" few votes viii transform into
4 majority ut short notice, Is, II
not 4 constant menace, at least continual
reminder Of its responsibility To the people,
and 4 salutary check upon the tendency to
rccklcs-ncSs, cy;rayagancc, and waste, or an!
other form of unwisr administration or lrglS-
lItinn. II would have been better for the
Republican PARTY, and for the countfv. had II
been les strong IN the country, ANA III ongr'NS'
for the past eight years. liHd It's m;Jorl-
tirs ben smaller, and lis hold upon power
les, finn: had minority. >lfous m abliiiy ana
il ulmhri,. constantly conlIodtcd II, AID held
!in Ia i. the danger ca defeat. il would have
given H. wiser and purcr administration. aud
have behaved Itself in all respects with more
dignity and dcccucy. Its strength has been lt>
weakness.
The result, of this election are, in this as
pcct of the case, quite satisfactory. II re arr
to have "a Democratic Administration. 1t Will
come ia by the skin of lis teeth, and with
such a "r,ailing >-u,c" of the naIsOWnc-S 81
its c>capr from defeat that 1t will hardly dare
venture on the adoption of Any policy which
can give oii,n,r to that thin fringe ol
voters who have trds;cd it as an expert
mcut, and are not 80 fixed IN ihrir pir1y
relations but that upon the least ocrh-
SION they can 20 over To the opposition
and turn TIE scales of power. Moreover II
Democratic Administration would have the
check or a Ecpubhcan senate ana watrh'n
minority in the House upon il, AMI 20 could not
carry out any extreme measures n 1t desired
ON the other hand Republican Adminlstra-
iiop. if W. are to have one, will come INTO
existence with greater SENSE Of response
me that tho party headers have failed
f. learn the lessons OF their defeat in
the last Congress, and their narrow
escape in this. They have been subjected to
Christening and suhduing influences; have
been reminded of their responsibility and
warned of the dangers incurred by loose adj
ministraion and careless legislation. More
over. a Republican Administration will have 10
encounter an opposition House, and on some
accounts We are inclined to consider that cir
cums!ancc a blessing rather than "a calamity.
II is better for the country that parties should
ice pretty nearly evenly divided, 50 that each
NAV act rs check and u watch upon the
other. In any event the cioSencSS OF the clcc-
ton. though it is not without its diSadyan-
tagcs in the temptations it offers to tanpcr
with returns, is still good thing for the
country in the SOLDERING and stcadyinS eject 1t
in