New-York tribune., 1877-09-22
"DJsGUJsED 1SA CLAMBAKE."


Democracy for the intense soictude they
manifest for the successful enforcement of
tbe III establishment order. The whole party
press seems to he devotipg itself TO the dis
covery and punishment of evasions of the
order It is all the more commendable in hose
Democratic organs that they exhibit no selfish
purpose to build up and strengthen their own
party by adopting the same principle, ana en-
forcing The same rule. The willingness with
which they allow their opponents to reap ali
the advantage accruiug from this reform Ill the
Civil Service, il something quite remarkable.
With a self-dcnying generosity that has scarcely
a parallel in the history Of parties, they stead
fastly refuse to compete with the Repub-
licans for popular favor by taking up and
making their own q reform which, if what
they say il true, must meet with public ap
probation, and command the mhesitating and
enthusiastic endorsement Of the people. 1t
would be so easy for them TO carry out the
principle divorcing Oificc-hoiding from active
political work and management when they are
in power, as for instance in this city and III
tho State government, and the reform would
be 50 satisfying To the people 80 popular with
the party, and such an element of strength.
that there is something really surprising III
the grand and heroic manner with which
they restrain themselves. They seem per
fectly willing to let their city and State
officers run the political machine, AMI the
whole party go 10 the dogs, while they stand
off in mute admiration of the beneticent effect
of dsestablishment upon the Republicans, or
unselhshly help promote the reform by hunting
out violators Of the rule and reporting them to
Il TO
for the elevation of The public service ana the
publication of politics is sometimes open to
the suspicion of being alleged with selishness,
but here is an exhibition of devotion as lofty
and pure as it j. rare.
It was in this spirit and ont of extreme anx-
iety for the enforcement Of the disestablish
ment order, that Tia Ncw-HGreR Register, hay
ing, as it honestly believed, fcrreted on the
deep design, the ulteri0r baneful purpose Of
the Connecticut Republicans in gathering at
stony Creek for an Ostensible clam bake, Wig
Orously called attention TO the contemplated
evasion Of the order by pOstmasters and
others, who were about to convene and take
an active part III politics ." under the thin dis
guise OF a clam bake" 1t was we'll that il
did 20. The warning was timely. Had it not
been given, had not the conspring Office
holders in this way received notice that the
eyes of the Democracy were on them,
and that they could not talk politics
with mpunity, no one knows how they
might have descended upon Stony Greek and
Matched conspiracies against the reelection OF
Senator Wm. IL. Barnum while they pre-
tended to be waiting for the clans and
listening to the hollow moaning of the sad
how. ,tI
with poStmastcrs, who would no doubt have
appointed committees and perhaps delegates,
anu very likely, in open and fragrant violation
Of the Presidents order. assessed themselves
for election expenses. But when the Demo
cratic sentinel at the outpost, smiling
the odor OF treason TO the President in
the fragrance of the coming clam, cried
ont, "liere, this is no cam-bake this
sis politics of the most dreadful kind in the
"tinnest sort of disguise" the postmaster
On the distant Ltchfeld Hills and the Gus
toms collector at his lookout on the Sound,
took the alarm, and never ventured out. Only
two or three reckless dare-devils of postmas-
tiers showed themselves at this suspicious
clam-bake, and even they stepped softly on
the sward and mused in melancholy uncom-
municatiye mood above the steaming clam, or
drew apart and lowered distrustfully near the
chOwder The warning note, exposing the
-bake's thin Disguise had put the post
master on his guard, but it had also over
turned the deep design.
so far az can be learned, no steps were
taken to defeat the reelection of Senator
Barnum no committees were appointed, no
organization effected, and except "a rcmmer-
alton for the clans and compensation for the
band, no assessments made. The speeches
were few and brief. Gen. Hawley said but
few words, and Gov. jewell none. and not a
postmaster ventured syllable. What might