New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-12-02
THE PRESIDENCY.
TWO OPPOSING REPUBLICAN, VIEWS
DUTY OF HONEST REPUBLICANS.

REPUTATION or THE PARTY.
To the Edtt0r Of The Tribune.
SIR: II seems to me that one view Of the present
political complication which believe TO be held by
a very large number of citizens whose only interest
in the matter is that of honesty and fardeang, has
had too small recognition in the press. Among
thinking men whose vision runs beyond the little
to-day of a campaign and the scarcely longer to-
morrow of an administration, and whose measure
mcnt Of the Importance Of events is not
limited 10 the present and immediate reach
of causes but runs on to their larger
consequences in history, there il much profounder
feeling believe, than has yet fo;rd expression IN
the utterances Of the press They do not VIEW IL
now as at all question which candidates ought TO
have been elected or which party ought TO have
been successful. All that belongs to the past. IL
was made the subject of exhaustive argument
in long and vigorous campaign; was debated, II
not with calmness, at least with great coponsness,
and then reference of the whole matter was had TO
the people of all the States. Ore or the other,
it has been decided That question has been set
tied VIVA you or / or anybody else
thinks as to the merits OF parties or
candidates is now of little consequence and
of no poss bic pertnence. After he verdict
is rendered argument is waste of words What We
are getting at now, 10 I'D be g ttHs At Is not
the procurement of stat nent of re- 1's H. accord
ance with what we cOnce sc ought e. b. tie TACT,
but the discovery of the actual fact AID the Ionest
straightforward statement Of resul 3. Anything
else anydcviation from a direct and SINGER purpose
to reach the cold absolute truth at the bot )m OF all
the returns is simply the quibbling and ~ .ifoggng
of partisanship; and, considering the magnitude
not only of the interests presently involved but OF
the consequences flowing out Of the transaction,
is | make bold to say, q high crime against
this and against all free government,
an offensc against law and justice destructive II
not fatal blow at mans belief in his own capacity
for seIl-goyernment If free institutions and popu-
Il r government not deuson and a snare; II we
DO believe in the rule of the majority, and believe as
VIC profess that IFS errors are short lived and that
we can trust to its ultimate honesty and wisdom,
we have but one thing to do after an election and
that Is to see TO that have honest count and
true return We cannot afford TO seem to be con-
senting, to appear even to be Indifferent to any
course OF procedure which shall have the least color
of suspicion of fraudulent intent in matter OF
such Importance. There can be 40 juggling of re-
turns no trickery or chcanery sharp practice
by election boards in the matter of choos-
ing government of forty millions OF
people, which will not do infinite damage
to the succe Of this experimental govern
mcut. And If any of us think we can consent to
party at any such cost that we can be In
different while the transactions are in progress with
ont being particpators in the crime against human
ity-for it is that and no lcsswe are making mis-
take greater tenfod than that of the men who stood
by and saw the government endangered without
lifting hand TO help or giving it the first word Of
sympathy or support. AT the worst they only con-
sented or were Indifferent to The breaking asunder
of the Federal Union by violence; we shall be fold
ing our hands be ore the encrOachments Of political
corruption and rot that or later must make
popular government stencil, and the name OF
democracy a oywOrd and kissing among the ma
tions.
do not believe this to be- as one Of your Republic
can contemporaries has expressed it, merely the settle
ment of dispute between two classes of betting
men. That seems to me like beittling the contrO-
versy with the purpose Of making any unfair adyan-
tage that may be taken appear Of small consequence
Nor do consider it mere question Of candidates or
parties 1t goes deeper than politics. it touches the
very foundations of public morality, and is in the
closest relations with that condition of private and
individual morals which make society pure and
wholesome and impart q vigorous vitality to the
State 1t brings the Republican party Of the coun-
try, the party of moral ideas, whose boast
has been of its virtue in adminlstTa-
ton not less than Of its yalor in war; face 10 face
with the crowning temptation Of its whole career;
the temptation to perpetuate its own power by tho
preparation of great wrong. Let me he utterly
frank upon this subject. do not think the Demo-
cratic party facing the same tempatiOn and falling
before it as am certain ii would, could do anything
like the injury, or administer anything like tho
shock to the faith man has in his sef-goyerning
capacity which would be elected by the yielding Of
Republicans For tits from the record of the party
and not from any partisan bias that the conviction
springs that nothing better could be expected from
that source. But would have you mark that the
Republican organization, notwithstanding its tenn
porary alterations and local waverng from the stand
ards of high political morality, has not only always
condemned the corrupt practices ana criminal
methods of it's opponents but has claimed for itself,
and compelled recognition of the claim, purer
patriotism superior virtue, and higher character.
4 great many of us who voted for Hayes and
Wheeler did so because we had faith in the honesty
= well as the intelligence OF tie Republican masses,
and were repealed from any contdeIce in the
opposition by the facts of its history knowing
the weak and wicked spots In the Republican line,
the rascalities and mSgovernment OF so-called
Republicans at the South, and the corrupt and dis
honest practices which, under loose administration,
had inflicted faint upon official hio, still put
our trust in the honest intentions If the masses OF
the party who seemed to be in earnest in working
out reform; and upon the strength OF the professions
of the platform and the still more satisfactory utter
ances of the candidates, We sustained the part and
voted the ticket as the best hope of the country.
But what is TO become of our confidence and our
trust when we see the party 10 which gave our
faith itself taking the position which Mr. Greeley
called a receivcrship Of stolen goods, and calmly
sitting down to the enjoym, NJ OF the fruits OF
| crime il so lately denOunCedf IL was upon tho
strength Of its virtuous horror of such practices
| q -.