New-York tribune., 1877-07-10

and what is worse, the persons conducting the
inquiry announce that they are as yet only on
the threshold of the investigation. So that,
notwithstanding our faith in Grover and our
| unwilingncss to suspect him of securing by
purchase the seat in the Senate he promises so
| greatly TO adorn, we must confess that things
look "squaly" for him so far as heard from.
We remember Grover with pride as the in
vcntor of Cronin, and the Cronin Electoral Col
cge-that intelligent body which, beginning with
| Cronin alone, grew up by gradual accretlons
| and Cronin's natural selections to he College
and cast votes and hold certificate with n
grant, and have claim for mileage. 1t was
Grover whose progress eastward just belllnd
| Cronin was hourly telegraphed to the country
from his embarkation at Portland till his ar
rival at Washington. 1t was Grover who was
sercnaded at San Francisco and made speech
who was greeted at various points on the
route by large numbers of the friends OF
| Tilden and Reform, and upon each occasion
attested his devotion to the cause of Political
Purity; who was received and entertainer at
Washington as the very Apostle OF kelorih'
and who was everywhere hailed as the 10
ltical Deliverer of Democracy. And now
to think that at the very moment he set
sail down the Pacific coast exciting the
grateful emotions of the whole country
watching his progress, he should have
been himself a Senator-eect by purchase.
Ii is hard to believe it of him. He seemed
50 great and noble and pure and talked
so good to all the deputations that walted
on him, and the brass bands that sere-
naded him, that such man could nave
corrupted a Legislature and bought votes
away from Old Nes'" appears incredible. II
Mr. Tlden had known what manner OF man
he was he would undoubtedly have forbidden
his nephew, Col. Peton, from tclegraphlng
him in cipher, and perhaps have carried his
opposition to fraud SO far as to have refused
to give the celebrated Cronn a cent.
Out of it all, however, this satisfaction re-
mains: The Democrats in the Senate will have
the opportunity afforded them to "rebuke
fraud when the report in Growers case Is
received. They have been hankcring for such
a chance for months. They will embrace 1t
eagerly. There have been cases heretofore in
which persons elected TO the Senate have been
suspected OF purchasing their seats. For
instance there was Patterson of South
Carolina. Democratic statesmen and Dem
ocratic newspapers took mgh ground
upon that question, maintaining with great
earnestness that it was the duty OF the
Senate TO refuse to accept his credentials be-
cause of the faint of corruption upon them.
They said the Senate ought to vindlcate its
own dignity and maintain the purity OF elec-
tions by denying Patterson's claim to seat.
Uncharitable persons in the Opposition SAID
then that it made all the difference III
the world whether the claimant was Dem
ocrat or Republican, and that the Dem
ocrats never would have heSitated mo-
ment in PattersOns ease if he had been
Democrat. There is now an opportunity to re-
pei all such insinuatons and establish prcce-
dent and record for the party. 1t is pity
to lose Grover and the moral effect of his cX-
ample as a Reformer, but if it affords the De-
mocracy an opportunity to attest its sincerity
and exhibit its consistency no one will COM
PLAIN.