The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-01-31


clearly shown as in the long struggle over
the Presidency which began shortly after
the election in November and has so hap
PLY ended in the passage of the bill framing
an electoral commission.
Party spirit ran very high during the
Presidential canvass but the gale Of the fall
became a tornado as soon as Congress met.
The passions of men were stirred to depth
and aroused to a height and vehemence
which threatened the country with new
and bitterer civil war, with disaster which
might and indeed probably would have
made shipwreck Of our institutions and
liberties. The President does not overstate
the gravity of the occasion when he says IN
his Message that the dispute threatened the
peace of the country. There was during a
period of several weeks a constantly increas-
ing certainty that the factions would come
/ into collision unless some plan was agreed
| upon beforehand by both parties for ''exam-
lining" and counting the vote During this
| time, when all that is dear to Americans was
in peril, what was the course of the partisan
! press? Did it instruct its readers in the
history of the vitality important question
Did it counsel peace, self-restraint, modera-
ton, justice? No on both sides were found
only bald assertion, angry reiteration, an
reasonable demands, recrimination and an
eager stirring up of bad blood, as though
civil war were one of the most delightful
experiences nation could undergo.
On the one side the republican organs
al ohax, hot 6o0t
must and should count the vote, and that
his decision in favor of Mr.. Hayes must be
and should be final on the other side the
democratic organs as wildly retorted that
the House of Representatives had the sole
right of decision, and that it must elect Mr..
Tilden. If it were the Office of public
journal to misinform it's readers, and to ex-
cite by all means their angry and unreason-
ing passions, then these party organs would
have fully performed their duty. But we
conceive it to be the highest duty of
journal to inform its readers correctly =; to
enable them, by truthful statements, to
como to just conclusions on public ques-
tons and in times like these, Of great ex-
element to counsel moderation, point out
that all men are not knaves, and hold up to
view the paramount necessity of an orderly
and peaceable settlement of the matter in
dispute.
Such a course, naturally, only journal
independent of party bonds and trammels,
seeking the benefit of the whole country and
not the advantage of faction, could pur-
sue Such course the HERALD has followed
ever since the day when the dangers of a
disputed election first doomed before the
country. We have the strongest and most
abundant evidence that this course has met
with the recognition of the public, and we
may without boastfulness express our graf
ification and joy that the policy Of peace
able and orderly settlement, which the
HERALD has consistently and persistently
advocated since the early days of last No
vcmber, has at last been happily carried out
by the united and patriotic action of the
wsest men of both parties in Congress.
The country breathed more freely on the
day when the joint committees report
passed the House of Representatives than
for more than two months before. Yet that
report was adopted by the two houses
against the vehement opposition of the par
tisan press of both sides, and the men who
defended it were denounced with an acrid
fury which they would hardly have deserved
if they had been traitors TO their country
instead of it's savours from calamity which
good men and women shudder to think Of
We conceive it to be the highest duty of
public journal to give to its readers full and
correct information on the topics and ques-
tons of the day. 1t is to tell the truth with
out fear or favor. 1t is to advocate the in
terests only of the whole people and not of
any party, faction, clique or ring 1t is to
have no friends but the people, no favorites
except those who. like it, strive honestly to
serve the people. 1t is to calm evil passions,
to defend the law, to demand order and
frown down all attempts to create disorder
or violence. Thus guided journal cannot
fail to have influence and power, because it
will possess the confidence of constantly
increasing number Of readers, who will look
TO il for instruction and trust its statements
of fact even if they happen not to concur in
its opinions on any given public question.
II has been our effort and desire thus to
guide and form the HERALD and as it seems
to be on memorable necessity Of journalism
that every newspaper shall be an organ the
HYnALp, as we long ago announced,
chooses to be the organ of the people. 1t
aims to inform and to instruct its patrons !;
to give them the means by impartial and
correct news and statements to come to
Just conclusions on all public questions to
defend the people from wrong and from the
calamities which wrongdoing produces, by
exposing misgovernment and defending
sound morals.
That such policy has the public ap-
prevail the HERALD knows in many ways.