, 1876-05-01

Akfu64lJAN x4lEa4DENAAAI
Thoro arc ut this time four gentlemen who
nro conBpfcuously presented by thoir friends
for tho Republican nomination for President,
and these aro Messrs. CoNKLNa, N1oRToN,
BLAINE, and Bn1B1ow. There nro others, but
the indications at present aro that one Of
these four will DO selected. It is timo that
tho popular mind should determine whether
the candidate Of the party is to reflect and
indicate tho futuro policy of tho party, and,
if this DO so, what that policy shall be. On
whit issues shall the campaign of 1876 be
carried out? Shall the Civil War bo fought
over again? Shall tho issues Of secession,
ind rebellion, and Of reconstruction, mud
negro suffrage, bo presented ogain rs the
questions on which tho olaction must turn
Shall past "loyalty" be the sovereign plas-
tor for all OWLS, corruptiona, and
crimes, md now President DO olooted
on q pledge "to make troason odious
and traitors occupy baok eeats"2 Is tho
party To look backward, and fight tho
enemy on issues that have been accepted
as irropcalably settled forever2 Or is the Re-
publican party, always equal to new emer-
genoies, md prepared to deal with tho prcs-
ont necessities, to go bofore the people rs tho
assailnnt Of tho great oyerahadowing evil Of
tho day, tho general crime Of corruption and
debauchery Of tho national Ovii-Sorvice sys-
tenl, which by the influence Of ita example
has spread fraud, defalcation, and dishonesty
in oil their forms over tho business aud social
lifo Of the country? AB tho Republican
party in 1860 presented itself aa the avowod
assallaut Of political slavory, which Ind OBJ
tained corrupting control Of all branches Of
tho Government, Is not tho Republican party
in 1876 to assail tho no less powerful crimo
of personal and official dishonesty in hand
ling revenuoa md taxea, which has become
tho conspicuous characteristic Of Govorn-
ment, both national and municipal, and
which, through machine politics, e1clules in
groat measure the cultivated and moral poo-
plo Of the country from all voice in politics,
and lodges political power in the hands Of
| the corrupt and dishonest olossos2
We assume that the Republican leaders
will not daro outrage public morals by ig-
noring tho imperious demand for Reform in
the matter Of criminal abusca In the Govern.
ment, and will therefore promptly declare
tho purpose Of tho party to execute this Re.
form In the naoat rigid manner. But the Ro-
publican party must know that moro pro-
fcssions on this subject will avail little, u,-
loss the candidate in his own nerBon, record,
and lifo shaIl give tho country full assurance
that ho has not been, and will not be, cor.
rupt himself; will not tolerate corruption In
BubordinateH aud will have tho courage ia
10 bravo all opposition that no guilty uau
can escape. It will be supreme folly for the
Cincinnati Convention to ignore tho cersaint,
that the who1e American pooplo foel deepl,
on this subject, aud that they will vote 10
that candidate for President, by whichoyo
party nominated, who In his own persons
character will give tho best assurance OF
thorough reform In the administration OF th
Government, A majority OF tho people ar
prepared and willing to continue tho lioput
lican purity in control Of tho Government
and will do 90, il tho Republican party pre-
senta candidate who of bis own record vii
satisfy them on this question Of Govern
mental reform.
OF the four gentlemen ve have named, llr
BLAINE laa moro Of that personal magnetism
which commends him to the people Of h
West. Ils attracts both the politicians ant
the people. Ho is largely in sympathy will
the popular heart; ho betrays this in hi
speech, In his personal address, in his i'm
pulses. II ho be nominated, TuH TRIBUNE
sharing in tho goneral admiration and coufi
dence in tho man, will give him a cortlia
support, notwithstanding some .aisgiyings q
to the SUCCESS Of the party with him o. It
candidate.
Al four OF tba nAa are intellectual