New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-08-11

I
OF TIFF COMING CASvAss-YoT MUCH RRPUBII-
CAN LOSS AND SOME GAIN by THE PACIFICATToS
neutrality-suspicious. WITH THE ORDER
CONCERNING OFFICE-UOLDEHs-THF DEMOCRATS.
IRON 4 STAFF CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUNE.l
MENTOR, Lake Co., o., Aug. 3.--If any one can he
called the leader of the Ohio republicans it is Gen.
}. A. Garfield. He held the recent State Convention
back from plungng into the vortex of the greenback
imitation mania and kept it true to the record Of the
party. He steercd il safely through the rocks which
the silver dollar enthusiasts had placed in ITS
He insisted that the Republicans of Ohio should as
a matter of fidelity to principle as well az of good
policy, uphold the Administration they had put in
power, and the Convention followed his advice.
aud he received such marks of approval and admira-
ton from the delegates as left no room to doubt
that they regarded HIM az the foremost man in the
body Gen. Garfield has been fourteen years in Con-
gress. The current Of public favor has not always
run towards him-indeed, there wasa strong backset
a few years ago. which threatened to leave
him strandcd-but his district was warmly attached
TO him, and returned him. term after term. TO his
seat IN the House by immense maOrties. No Rep
/ resentatiye has more faithful constituency, and
| believe the census shows that there is no con-
stituoncy so intelligent the XlXth District having
a smaller proportion Of iterate adults than any in
the country. 1t is fertile farming region fronting
D
about the same distance into the interior, and Is in
habitad by people of New-England descent who keep
up the old Puritan prcjudices in favor of churches
school-hOuses, industry economy and simple habits
Probably district has a faithful representa-
tive. Ever since he has been in public life, Cen
Garfield has been true to his ideas Of public policy,
and has not permitted himself to be carried away
by the shifting surface currents of opinion. This
is especially true If his course financial
questions. lie reached his conclusions in regard to
the currency and the National debt after an amount
Of study and reading that would appall most poiti-
cIans. and getting thus firm anchorage of convlc-
ton, he has held to it with teuacty ever since. To
tins steadfastness Of principle is largely due his
cess in politics. People know where to find him
which is more than can be said of the average Con-
gresham.
4 year ago Gen. Garfield bought a farm in Mentor.
a township on the lalle-shorc, twenty-five miles
east of Cleveland. His home had been nominally
n Hiram, the little college town in Portage County
where ne used to teach and whence he went into the
army, but he had only a house and bit Of garden
spot, and his duties in Washington had for many
years prevented him from spending much time there.
He wanted a place that would claim his
attention for some months Of each year and
/ give him a healthful change from his Wash
iugton life and one where his four sturdy boys could
find work and elbow-room and the wholesome in
Aueuces of the country. He has l56 acres of good
land, tapping over Of the three ridges that run
parallel to the lake, about mile apart, and are Its
ancient shores. His house is 4 story and a half
farmhouse with the low halfstJry only visible ut
the gable ends, and with nothing about it to distin-
guish it from hundreds of other farn-houses, unless
il be its fresh coat Of white paint, its broad piazza
and the croquet lawn in front. little square build
ing on the edge of the orchard few steps away,
containing a single room walled round with books, lis
the Generals study and Office Back OF the house
there are spacious barns and stacks of yellow straw,
and lane that leads between meadows and fields OF
tall corn down to the pastures. In front
is the high road to the village Of Mentor, mile dis
ant and to the county town, gainesville, five miles
further east On the southern horizon Little Noun
tam lifts its low green wal-a very little mountain
indeed but big enough to have pine forests rocks,
and superb outlook over the fruitful country and
the blue lake.
Amid these rural surroundings politics is theme
which one would gladly forget; but Cen Garfield
and his guest had just come from the Convention
and after some time spent in walks and talks about
the farm yesterday, the topic from which Congress
men and journalists at least can never hope to es-
plpr came up in the evening.
"Thcre il a remarkable tendency in both parties
1ust now" said the General, " 10 disregard cohslst-
ency for the purpose Of achieving success IL has
become characteristic OF the Democracy and, am
sorry To saw is showing itself good deal OF late IN
the Republican party. The Democrats don't hes-
tate TO fatty disregard what they pretended were
their foundation principles only few years ago.
Far an example read their platform of 1872, in
which they said that commercial! honesty and the
industrial wants of the country alike demanded an
,I O.. r.sunntion of spefle payments and then read
their Columbus platform of this year. The curious
thing about them is that they never embarrassed
by a sudden change of position"
"By the way, General, would it be possible to tell
what are the distinctive principles of the National
Democratic partyP
az have tried for many years to get leading Demo-
Gratis to state TO me what they considered the essen
tial doctrines of their party, but have never sue
ceeded No one has attempted to formulate any
abiding. fixed principles. 1t is simply an opposition
partv with no definite aim except to get possession
Of the Government. DisraelIs witty saying about
Her Naiesty,s Opposition hardly applies TO 1t, how
ever for it does not the useful purposes Oh an
oppositon in the British Government. Instead oil
beng check and balance to the political machine,
il has degeneraed for lack of settled conyctonslnto
a mere obstruction"
"You think there is a tendency in the Republic
can party, too to forget distinctive prlnciplesT
81 should have said among the politicians Inc
people are always inclined to stand by ola uadi-
tons They look upon new methods with apprehen-
sion, and often fail at first to distinguish between
,,oso that are really novel aud those that are only
the adaptation of the old ideas to new situation
Take for example the difficulty some of our people
have 70 reconcile themselves to local selfgoyern-
ment at the South They have got SO accustomed
al therp