New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-08-30
{" ANOTHER MAN IN THE PITp

occasion at the theater of Mr.. Vincent
Crummles, the pepper through a hole in the
curtain would triumphantly announce to the
actors every individual addition to "the
"hOuse." The Tiden newspapers allow no
convert to come into the Democratic fold I'M
heralded. Sometimes the announcements are
more, and sometimes less, impressive. Occa-
sionally we have name fairly well known,
oftener one never before heard of; but there
is sufficient respectable boiling, not to affect
the grand result of the canvass, but to prove
what we well enough knew before, that a
good many honest and thoughtful people are
deeply dissatisfied with the administration
of Gen. Grant. 1t is, of course, useless to
beg them not to go out of the frying-pan
into the fire. Some men can conceive Of no.
other way of expressing their disaDprobation.
They do great violence to their feelings, and
they even put their consciences to some incOn-
venience in order to convince the world that
they are thoroughly Disguised. These CONVEX
sions are part and parcel of every Presidential
campaign, and there is always joyial hue
and cry when a convert is captured by one
side or the other.
We attach little importance to these somer-
saults as trustworthy signs of the times.
For example, it is reported that in Berkshire
County, Mass, one college professor, three
lawyers, one general, one secretary of life
insurance company, two leading manufac-
turers, and one doctor of medicine, all here
tofore good and sound Republicans, are now
advocating Tilden's election. To the list, we
are told, must be added the names of many
"less prominent" persons "whose votes count
matter of individual votes. The professor, the
lawyers, the general, the secretary, the manu-
facturcrs, and the medical man count just 8.
This is not imposing until we add the indef-
mite quantity. of "many less prominent
"persons" Then indeed the rule Of
omne ignotum pro mirifco applies; where
there is so much smoke there must
be some fire; but upon the whole we question
whether these guesses will carry the County
of Berkshire, Mass. for Gov Tilden. On the
contrary we hereby predict large majority
for Gov Hayes in that venerable region. If
voters were sheep and the leading manufac-
turers were bell-wethers, there might be some
extraordinary jumping in Western Massa-
chusetts; but not even the secretary of life
insurance company, however great its assets,
can carry the votes of county in his breechees
pocket. AS for the Republican member OF
Congress who is said to be "busily Thanking
" Democratic speeches over the Commonwealth
"of Massachusetts," we do not intend to be
much agitated or downcast by this rumor Of
bis eccentric proceedings until we are fur
nished with his name. What some members
of Congress, even from Massachusetts,, do is of
no importance whatever.
ANY change likely TO affect the result OF tho
election must be that of large and organized
bodies. A man dropping out of line here or
there is never missed much, however rich or re-
spectacle or illustrious he may be. He writes
letter; he makes speech; he is caressed for five
minutes or for five days by his new associates,
and then he is heard little and heard of not
at all. Considering the accession which 1t will
receive from the Liberals, and from the con-
siderable body Of Republicans who have not
been recently voting, the party which events
have 80 suddenly freed from the thralldom OF
Grantlsm can spare all the generals, ex-embas-
sailors. third-rate members Of Congress, law
yers, doctors, and even clergymen which
the Democrats will be likely TO pick
up. These prizes only serve TO point
paragraphs. They are useful in helping the
whisters of the party to keep its cour-
age up 10y performing little more cheerfully.
But it will all come to nothing. Gov. Hayes
will he elected and then good many of the
stragglers will come back; some will stay
where they are Berkshire County, Mass, will
get over the nine days wonder of the pro-
fessor in old Williams College who actually
voted for Tilden; and it will gradually dawn
upon the minds of the paragraph makers that
though Pittsfeld, Mass, is very pretty town,
the perturbations of its politics and the
opinions of 1.-TWO of its leading manufacturers"
and even of it's "less prominent persons" are
hardly likely to cause a general political revo-
luton in the United States of America.