New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-03-10
EYJT PINCH.
allegiance.

Everybody will reiOice-except Pmch0ack, OF
course-that the PInchback case has been set
tied. He does not get the nice prize OF SlI,ooo
for which he fought, will not sit in the Senate,
and will not expect the wives of Senators to call
upon Mrs. Pinchback. The State OF Louisiana
certainly loses nothing in losing such repre-
sentative in the Senate; the majority OF the
people of that State feel that they gain by this
decision the coored people. though they may
not know it, are decidedly better off without
representative so INSCRIPTIONS and unworthy /;
and the Republican party has air ady quite as
big a load as it can carry. Pnchback would
have given it another vote in the Senate, but
of such votes the fewer it has the better.
1t is not creditable thing to the Republican
party that nearly all its Senators voted for the
admission of this claimant. If there ever was
or could be ground for the exclusion of per-
son because of his unftncss and unwortliiness,
Pinchback should have been excluded, and yet
this was altogether the least important tea-
ture in his case. IL was not possible to admit
him without declaring legal and valid cleo
tons in Louisiana which every man knows to
have been illegal and Invalid. II Republican
Senators had any respect for public opinion,
enough of them to settle this case long ago
would have remembered that they had de-
clared against the validity Of the cleo
tons under which Pinchback claimed his
seat, or would have closely scrutinized
the evidences of bribery before voting to adj
nit him. The truth Is that the Republican
strength in the Senate has been 40 diminished
that the more desperate partlsans were inclined
10 admit another unshrinking and unscrupu-
lous partisan, regardless of his rights or his
fitness. Had any white mnn. of pure character
and stainless reputation, claimed seat from
any Northern State upon pretcIts as worthless
IA those urged in behalf Of Pinchback, the
same Senatorial clique would have rejected
him at once. Upon such man they could not
have counted as a serviceable or yenal col
league and it would have occurred to them at
once that he was never lawfully elected. No
doubt there are Senators who voted for the
admission OF Pinchback from pure and honor
able motives. Many more voted for him in
mere blind craftsmanship. But the cunning
managers Of the Senatorial clique wanted
another willing tool in the caucus and on the
floor.
The coored people will not he greatly dis
turhed. we fancy, by the cry that Pinchback
WAS pNCItlueu because vi HIS COlOI' hlIlONl u
word of objection from Senators Of either
party, colored Senators have been admitted
and have served One of the most Jealous adj
vocates of the admission OF Pinchback, the
cOlored Senator from Mississippi, proves by
his own presence in the Senate that there Is
no disposition to exclude duly elected persons
of that race. But no candid man will greatly
regret it il the binder and less reasoning por-
ton of the colored voters should he drawn Oft
to the support of the Democratic party by
an appeal to their preiudices on this pretext.
The Republican party has altogether too many
votes of that sort, white as well as black, for
its own good. If Mr. Pinchback will carry out
his threat, divide the colored vote, and take
with him into the Democratic camp that por-
ton of it which naturally follows such men, he
will render a greater service to the Republican
party than he ever can by supporting it.
There will then be less prospect of delegations
of mere traders and tools Of the appointing
power from Southern States, in Congress and
in Republican Conventions.