The New York herald., 1876-07-11

anu III tne IepuDlcau purity lntenus 10 in;ihc
that date an issue in the campaign Governor
Hayes ought to have said so in explicit terms.
If that part of the act which fixes q specific
date for resumption is not to be made an
issue the artful and ambiguous language
which may be interpreted as pointing in that
direction is disingenuous. The Cincinnati
Convention, by large majority, refused to
indorse the Resumption act, and Mr.. Hayes
leaves US in doubt whether he approves or
condemns that part of the action of the
Convention. If he approves of the act, date
and all, he could easily have said SO and have
relieved the country from uncertainty as to
whether he expects specie payments to be
resumed in 1879 in the event of his election.
This part of his letter is neither flesh nor
fowl"
And yet, in spite of the drawbacks and
shortcomings we have noted, this letter
marks gratifying progress in public opin-
ion. 1t demonstrates that the strenuous and
persistent efforts of the HERALD to arouse
and enlighten the country on some impor-
tant points of public policy are likely to
bear permanent fruit. We refer especially
to that part of Governor Hayes letter in
which he volunteers pledge that he will
not be candidate for second election.
No such pledge would have been thought of
as means of courting popularity if the
HERALD had not impressed the country with
a sense Of the great danger to our institu-
tions which results from the ambition of
our Presidents to procure reelection
and their prostitution of the federal pat
ronage to this end. We may claim the credit
of having created public sentiment on this
subject which politicians dare not ignore.
1t is but fair to confess that we must share
this credit with President Grant, 'who
buildcd wiser than he knew" Had it not
been for his intense and ill-regulated ambi-
tion the HERALD would have lacked the oc-
casion for its vehement campaign, by which
the public mind Of the country has been 30
deeply impressed. 1t is in pure Difference
to the concern and alarm created by the
HERALD that Governor Hayes solicits votes
by renouncing q second term before he is in
possession Of o first. We take credit to our
selves and congratulate the country that
our third term discussions have created
public sentiment to which aspirants to the
Presidency feel constrained to bow. Mr..
Hayes letter Of acceptance is tribute to
the power Of the HERALD over public
opinion, for had the HERALD been silent his
advisers would not have counselled him to
bear testimony against the bad effects of the
re-eligibility of our Presidents.
We also claim our share Of the credit
though not the whole credit, of SO moulding
public sentiment in favor of civil service re-
form that both parties have become prose-
lytes. We are ready to grant that this is
mere ip-service for electioneering pur-
poses; but the professions of politicians are
a recognition Of public sentiment, and re-
form ideas have made considerable progress
when both parties are compelled to make
even insincere promises to carry them into
effect. If the public education goes on at
the same rate as within the last two years
aspirants for Office will be forced not only to
make such promises but to keep them.