New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-07-19

There is no Statute law that we know of to
hinder ex-senator Ben Wade from conveying
to the public at irregular intervals during the
term of the present Administration his Opin-
ions concerning its policy, and the effect of il
upon the party. Ii seems to amuse Mr. Wade
and it is patient pubic. Only we suspect
that Dir. Wade labors under misrepresentation
with regard to the feeling of the public with
reference to what he thinks. What Mr..
Wade thinks is OF more or less consequence
to hlr. Wade himself. and there have
been tunes, perhaps, wnen it may have
been of interest to various other persons
engaged in active politics; but at
present there is nothing that can be likened To
public curiosity upon the subject 1t may be
discouaging to Mr.. Wade and tend to give
him still more respondent view Of the stu
alton; but the truth is, that The general public
is utterly Indifferent as to his attitude towards
the Administration or the Republican party.
1t seems to us, consequently, that the Ohio
Statesman is taking unnecessary pains to
keep the country posted as to his views.
His first demonstration was by means
of letter which lie wrote to a person
named Painter. This document was of a sui
phurous character-and even that fully attested
its genuinencss Painter gave it to the press, and
10, fully sat down in the notoriety 1t brought
him. Subsequently it was whispered that there
was 10 such person as Painter; then that
the re was no such letter; then that its publ
cation was a breach of confidence; until ut
last Mr.. Wade, in one of his Sudden bursts of
confidence and good nature, admitted the
existence of the letter ana of Painter,
but said that though he believed Paint 7
to be the nobeSt work, ETC., and IN ornament
to his sex he did think he had carried il too
far i'll publishing strictly private letter,
when lac knew it would create a connection,
and shake up the foundation of things. He
at the same time expressly avowed the senti-
ments contained in the sulphurous epistlc, and
predicted the dcmnition bow vows for every
thing at the rate things were gong on.
Then Mr.. Wade settled back and was, if not
calm, mdemonstfative at least for a time.
In an evil hour some romantic scribe, lament
ing the seasons unmiGgated dizziness and seek
ing TO str something up that had noise in it,
proddcd this venerable man under the filtn
RIB with the statement made out of whole
"cloth" and having no foundation whatever,
in truth, that he had seen the error OF his
ways and confessed the wisdom Of the Pre,l-
dents policy. At which up rose the Venerable
in great detail and ut length, denying the
assertion. "Whilc | am now as ever n
"RepuDhcan," he says, 81 cannot permit my
"sentiments to be misrepresentation He says
me has authorized no statement like the
one ref, erred 10, and tint since his eel
ebrated letter to Painter, surepttiously pub
"lished,' he has written to 10 one upon the
subject. and in the free conversations he has
had about il has maintained the position stated
in the surreptitious letter. TO this denial
he adds a reiteration of the opinion
that the Presidents policy, "under cover of
"what is called local self-government,' is but
"an igDonli1ious surrender of the principles of
Nationality for which thousands upon thou
sands of brave men died, and without which
"the Wal was a failure, and our boosted Govern
"ment a myth" Now we venture to lay il
10 Us a general rule, that any man over