The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-10-28


ing. The Republicans will also have a
torchlight procession that will probably
be larger than any preceding one.
Comments of the New York Press.
From the World Of yesterday.l
The point in Mr.. Halstead's speech at
Cooper Institute which the Times en-
phasized is that made on the asserted
declaration of Mr.. Cabell, in the last
House, that in relation to property Of
individuals in the South captured by
our armies during the rebellion, s'the
United States Government stands in
the position of trustee for the
owner" and On another declaration
that a pardon of a rebel by the Presi-
dent 80 purged away his sin and guilt as
to make him loyal within the meaning
OF the captured and abandoned prop
erty" legislation OF a Republican Con.
gress. In the telicitous rhetoric Of Mr..
Halstead, such proposition "rolls over
the whole case as the waters cover the
great deep, and all the leviathans Of the
Confederacy can sport therein"
Now it so happens that the very
words and propositions which Mr.. Hal
stead so condemns were uttered by the
Republican Supreme Court at Washing
ton In 1871, while rendering solemn
judgment OF that Court.
By the public law of the highest civil
ization, all the people of each State or
district in the South carrying on
war against our Government were
public enemies, and so to be re.
garded till by the action OF Con gress
and the President that condition was
permanently changed. Their private
property was as liable to capture by our
ac n tla ~ ha fah
crate Government employed against US.
No private properly could be taken as
mere booty, but only as public means to
a public end. The only distinction be-
tween the two was that the public prop
erty of the Confederacy became ours
instantly by the mere act of capture,
but the title OF private property could,
under the laws of Congress, only be di-
vested by regular judicial proceeding
anu sentence.
From the Tribune of yesterdayl
Would it not be well in these last ten
days of the Presidential canvass to drop
some of the demagogism with which po-
litical campaigns always in greater or
less degree abound, and from which this
has not by any means been free, and try
to discover and discuss the real ques-
tions involved? We had hoped, and at
the opening OF the canvass expressed it,
that The petty meanness, the scurrility
and blackguardsm, the gross personali-
ties, the coarseness, malignity, and
brutality, which are so tre-
quent an accompaniment, if not an
unvarying characteristic of our polit-
ical contests, might be absent from this.
1t did seem possible in the earlier
stages otit for even active partisans to
conduct the discussions preliminary to
such an election with something like
courtesy and ciyility, without any sac
rifce of self-respect or any resort to
nastiness, mud-throwing, OF billings
gate. Notwithstanding the bad example
of the Democratic organs, which before
his nomination assaiLed Gov. TildeWs
private character and personal integrity
with the most INSCRIPTIONS eaergy and
malicious vindic iyeness OF pur-
nose that had neither limit nor re-
stralnt, we hoped the Republican oppo-
nents of Gov. Tilden would refrain as
far as possible from attacks upon pri-
yate character, and that the discussion
so far as they were concerned might
rise TO the level of principles, and be
addressed to the reason rather than the
passions and prejudices OF men. We do
not say this hope has been entirely
disappointed. We are rather disposed
to think, on the contrary, that the aver
age tone OF discussion has been little
higher-not much perhaps, but little
than in former Presidential years. The
average Republican organ has, we think,
shown disposition to treat political
questions in more decorous and digni-
ned manner, more as though its oppo-
nents were decent citizens and not con-
yictS or wild beasts, than in former
years. But it is manifest also that the
debate, if it may be called debate, has
too often degenerated into wrangle
aud rapid exchange OF sour epithets and
bad names. II is equally manifest, we
are confident that this style of argu-
mentatiOn has helped those against
who have used it. That is the practical
TACT about it which deserves the atten-
tiun of politicians.
From the Times Of yesterdav.l
A disputed election to the Presidency
would be a misfortune, the extent of
which no one can begin to measure. 1t
was one of the most formidable OF the
dangers that presented themselves to
the minds OF the founders of the Repub-
lie, and the experience Of the South
American States shows how fruitful
source of misery and ruin such disputes
may become. Our own history, happily,
affords no example Of them. We have
had s0me narrow escapes, but we have
never struck the rock. But it should
be remembered that we have never
approached the precise danger
which now may be ahead of
us. We have never seen time when a
contest on this point would be SO COM
plicated, would awaken such bitter pas
sions, or would be likely TO be more OBJ
n - Al. L.