New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-09-26

FRUITS or INDEPENDENT CRI7sCISH
When the present Administration entered
upon its second term Of Office, with the re-
election Of Gen. Grant, those who had done
their best to prevent what they regarded as
public misfortune had hardly anything to con-
sole them except the consciousness OF having
acted honestly. AS the years went by they
had something more, if any consolation could
be found in the fdllillment of predictions
which brought only modification and embar-
rassment to the Republic. But it soon began
to be apparent that the severe judgments to
which Grantism, as we must call 1t Tor
want of q better name, had been subjected
in 1872 were still continued. The members
of the Liberal party who went back 10 the
old organization carried with them habit OF
thinking and speaking independently. Many
newspapers which continued to be nOminaily
Republican began to show that they owed no
blind fcalty TO party; and, being in mood
for cengure, they were soon supplied with more
than enough to find fault with. The President
had abandoned none of the personal or politi-
cal habits which before had shaken the conf
dence of the American people in his ca
pacity, if not in his integrity There was no
favoritism which had before characterized his
official career. There was lamentable exposure
of corruption in more than one department of
the Government. Then there arose general
feeling of doubt and insecurity, and the way
of the return of the Democratic party to
power, after years Of exile, was open and easy
of travel Two things alone, it became evil
dent could prevent q political revolution
persistent laundering on the part OF the
Democrats, or blind and bigotcd adherence
10 party leaders on the part of the Re-
pnb!icans. The bunders came in thick and
melancholy profusion; but upon the other side
the eyes OF men were opened, and their sense
of Justice and right proved superior to their
partisan attachments Then began that reyul-
sion which annihilated Third Term dreams
and dreamers, which eliminated in the nomi-
nation of Gov. Hayes, and which will result
in his election by a great majority.
The credit belongs to the better portion OF
the Republican newspaper press of promoting
this encouraging state of affairs Nothing is
clearer than that it has outgrown the facility
akin to subseryiency with which it Obstinately
extenuated the gravest faults of ITS party in
1872. II the Republican newspapers had been
TO THIS day WHAT Jncy were JncH, VI d hlhJ"iitJ
of them, whoever else might have been nOmi-
mated by the party for the Presidency, whether
Gen. Grant or some one Of his body guard, a
man like Gov. Hayes would never have been
thought of. The press began by speaking its
mind freely and wisely upon the point of the
! Third Term delusion. As The corruption of the
| immediate adherents of the Administration,
from It's Secretaries down to its flies and its
! 1eas, became evident, the Republican journals
did not pretend to exienuate malfeasanee, but,
on the other hand, talked plainly enough of
reform within the party. This was all that
the people, warmly attached as they were TO
that party, could ask for. The old conf
dence came back. The old affection was re-
stored. The power of the subOrdinates and tie
parasites of the President vanished and in
the dawn of better day. voters abandoned
their resolution of voting with the Democrats,
which they had reluctantly formed, and
determined to stay where they had been
during the dark days Of public danger and
the brighter ones of national recupemtion.
This, succinctly stated, is the history Of the