, 1876-02-24
GOV. nEvERrDaE OH POLITICAL HONESTY.

1t Wis worry proper TINT Gov. BEvEn1poE
should lave been requested to loud of In the
general epeeohifying meeting Of tho Ropub-
1icans, held In tho rotunla OF tho Pacific
Hotel Tuesday, and incidental to tho meoting
Of tho Stata Central Committee. As Acting
Governor Of tho State, ho occupies, by cour-
tcsy at least, tho most conspicuous position
in the Republican party Of tho stato. 1lo
was on thiH account the first who waa nsked
to speafr, aud his utterances were naturally
nwaited with IN interest cocxtcnsivo with tho
dignity of his Office and as IN acknowledged
Spokesman Of tho party. We regard 1t rs
unfortunate, therefore, TINT Gov. DgvERDoE
did not apprehent1 mora clearly tho rolatiye
importance of tho issues which will be pre-
scnted to tho people during tho coming Pres
idential campaign, and that lie outlined them
in manner calculated to nlialoal tho public
in regard to tho Republican party's highest
and nobIest 1nikxion ut tho present time.
The burden of Gov. BEyEa1DoE'b address
WAS, that 1t is not reconstruction, nor tho
currency, uor tho tariff, nor taxation, nor the
issue Of " corruption or honest Government"
which constitutes tho great Issue" Of tho
day, but that it is "whethsr the Government
shall remain in tho hands Of tho men who
fought for and preserved 1t, or whether 1t
Rall pass into tho hnnds Of tho people who.
fought to destroy it." We hayo no doubt
that Gov. DEyEn1poE believes the casa to be
lust 81 ho atates It, but we aro equally conf
dent that tho great mass Of the Republicans
in this Statn and throughout tho Union
hat ~ touook 1nh
lighor in the scale Of relative importance
than tho place Gov. DEyEn1DaE has given It.
It will be discussed in general way, and
with moro OF less effect, whcther Il is safe to
iutzust tho Government into tho hands OF the
Dcmocratio party ond their Southern Confod-
cratea. But this, wllio very important,
will not bo tho yitM point OH which
tho Issue will turn in tho mlnds OF tho votors
who, In all Well-contestod elections, consti.
tuto tho balance Of power. With this bal-
anco-of-powcr class OF voters who hold auo-
cess or defeat In their hands. and can elect
whichever ticket they support, tho great
Issue Is TINT which Gov. DEyER1poE passed
over as merely incidental aud comparatively
unimportant, viz.: Whether or not the 1te-
publican party, II The further administration
Of the Government be intrusted to it, will
continue ita work OF roofing out tho abuses
and corruptions TINT have fastened them
sclves upon the public service, Of furnishing
tho o1tcials who have betrayed the interests
OF the people for their own selaah benefit,
and Of introducing reform wherever 1t Ia
needed. 10 "a to assure moro honesty md
greates purity and fidelity In the future. II
tho people are persuaded TINT tho TIC.
publican party may bs trusted to do
NIL this, there IL no question but
tho Republican ticket will bo triu,nphantly
elected in this State and In tho Union bui
| II there is reasonable doubt of this. or |,
tho supreme importance Of this Issue il
ignored by those who profess to speak for ths
Republican party. The defeat Of the Repub
lican ticket In 1876 is a matter Of certainty
II Ia for this reason TINT we regard heActing
Governors uttarance % unfortunate, and TIM
We protest against 1t as not representing tn
seal sentiment Of tho Republican party q
,nade up by the mass Of honest voters.
! 1hers ought to 10 no need to remind Gov
DzvEstDoz Of political events that arc 20 RI
cent a. those which show beyond any 4usa
ton MAt honest Government b tbal6 ID