New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-01

Presidency and when the whole Cabinet was ID league
with the scoundrel and the army was at ms DECK "n
call, and when Ncssrs. Sherman ana StOush1on anu
others went down conceal him from public view WINE
he was doctorng the returns in NewOreans not one OF
these journals had word to say against him. Nay, they
talked "a the keeping OF tins evil beast in power by any
means fair or foul was necessary 10 the salvation OF INC
American Union.
We know it is q species of leze-majesty to
accuse this Superior Creature of the common
failings of journalism such as fasehOod, NAL
ice. ignorance, and that curiously defective
sense of responsibility which manifests Itself
in a propensity to make injurious statements
without inquiring into their truth A.; but the ex-
tract cited above seems to be load OF reck-
less abuse which ought not to be
dumped by an ordinarily decent cartman at
mans door without eliciting a protest. Other
papers can speak for themselves. so far as
TIE TRIBUNE is concerned, the extract Is
monstrous and inexcusable caumny. The whole
course of this paper, from the beginning OF
the carpet Dagger scandals down to the present
day, gives the lie to The Nations charge Be
fore the Liberal party came into existence
during its active campaigns, since 1t became
substantially united again with the RepuDl-
can organization, throughout the Presidential
canvass and the counting of the votes, HE
TRIBUNE continued to denOunce the "evlI
"beast," as a reference TO the files OF the
paper might have satisfied the Superior Crea-
ture If his memory failed him. When Cover
nor Chamberlain, for instance, disbauded the
South Carolina rife-clubs, we took occasion to
remark:
IT is hardly necessary to say that THE TRIBUNE has
no sympathy with the corrupt and dishonest politicians
white and black, who under the name OF Republicans
and claiming. unhappiy with too much truth TO nave
the encOur cement and support Of the Administration
have so sadly msgoverned and rec ssy plundered the
State these many years. TIE TRIBUNE has condemned
and denounced them and their acts unsparinsly.-
October .. 1870
Aud few days later the South Carolina car
pet-baggcrs were referred to in these editorial
columns in the following terms:
Al the outset Republicans may we'll face the facts
The scoundrely government which they set mp and ss
IA ned has robbed The State nto Daupersn That every
citizen should strive To overthrow the party that
naurated and sustained this sort Of government Is
not TO be wondered at That they should say frankly to
ignorant negroes II you vote to sustain thieves we
VIII not hire YOU" mag be deporabe but certainly not
unnatural.-,Octobf D. 1850
If anybody will take the trouble to look at
what The TRIBUNE did say, when the army
was placed at the beck and call of the car
pet-bagger, to organize the Chamberlain Leg
isature in November, he will find that we
deplored and condemned" the Presidents
acton as Il great wrong. When rumors were
first heard that politicians and Returning
Boards might tamper with the vote for the
Presidency TIE TRIBUNE sounded clear
enough warning, and was the first
if we mistake not to caution its party
against any d0ctoring of the figures " Give
Gus the honest vote" was the demand of The
TRIBUNE then, and all through the exciting
contest. "Neithcr Governor 1ilden nor Gov
"ernor Hayes can afford to be declared elected
or take the office of President unless he has
"becn fairly and legally chosen, by honest
ballots and an honest count. More than
this: no honest private citizen can afford to
"havc, ut such Il time as this. any tamperlng
with ballots or returns."-(NOv. 10, 1870
The proposal OF Mr. Hewitt, as Chairman OF the
Democratic National Committee, that number
of representative men from both parties should
visit Louisiana, to watch the progress of the
count. was warmly aud instantly seconded by
The TRIBUNE. And in all the discussions of
the conduct of the Returning Board people
who are able to carry anything in their minds
except titlf own nItJuli'F0 anu tii'i0' ''S"'
to remember that THE TRIBUNE never referred
to the "eyil beast" except as lawfully con-
situted nuisance.
The trouble is that the tea-caddy school of
journalism has no idea of independence. AS
mi,rhievou5 old maid prides herself upon her
fraukncssr when she Ietalls SANDER, ana
tears regulations to tatteIs and Whites her In
innate acauantances more outrageously than
ANYBODY else, so the Superior Creature makes
If a pojnt to believe all evil of his own side
and To say nothing bat good of the other. and
ne calls that impartiality. The one person
who is most certain OF injustice ut bis hands
is his next friend. The party against which
he directs all his attacks, Ill tine of political
warfare, is the party with which he processes
TO be acting. He is not dangerous adver-
sary but he is an eXasperating ally. Ii we
were going into battle along side of this per-
son. we think we should feel safer if we
killed him before the fighting began.
In Il charge upon the enemy he is
worth nothing but like the mule he is
formidable behind. The TRIBUNE believed in
November and believes now, that Mr.. Hayes
was fairly elected President. 1t believed then,
and believes now, that the carpet-bag Re-
turning DoaIuS, pdu as lhCy WIZ, "'VOu wv"
legally and equitaby in giving him the Flee
tora votes of their States the votes belonged
TO him; the law empowered the boards to
count and declare them in the way they
did. We believe also and we often
SAID during the progress of the dispute
wear ago-that the law in Louisiana was a
bad law and the board bad and mscrupu-
Ions board. If Mr. Tilden had received a ma
iority of the legal votes OF Louisiana, we have