National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1877-01-08
The subIfmity OF Arrogance.

TIE State Of New York has just installed q
Governor who has arrived at the summit of
his present ambition by devious paths. He
has been Republican and q Democrat, by
turrs, as best suited the selfish purposes he
has steadily held in view, and he has sue
ceeded in each alternate utilization In so
fastening himself upon the body of the party
OF his temporary support that 1t has been con-
strained TO elevate him to Office, and thus
minister TO his conceptions of selfimportance.
Indeed, since his first preterment by the Re-
publican party such recognition of services
has been the price of his adhesion, and it Is
more than probable that had the Saratoga
convention failed TO nominate him for the
long coveted position he has at last attained,
he would have bolted the ticket and come
with bounce into the Republican camp
Gust as he went out of it, prepared for such
an effectusl onset upon the lines of the for
ssken Democracy as would signalize his
claims and distinguish him as proper caldi-
date for the same Office by those who first
promoted him, but subsequently declined to
make him Governor.
He was made Comptroller of the State by
the Republicans, but, becoming disafected be-
cause they did not manifest a disposition to
seat him in the Executive chair, he performed
a somersault so supple and superb as to throw
him not only into the ranks of the Democracy,
but into their very hearts and arms, and with
such beguiling effect as to make himself his
own successor ut the hands of that party. He
has now received the high reward Of merit for
unmatched zeal In the service, and his sue
cess, coupled with one other consideration,
has fmpelle1 him to avow the extreme views
put forth In his recent inaugural. It VIII be
remembered that when his name was pre-
scented to that convention there were many
delegates "to the manner born" who, having
no confidence in adopted members, cried out
Justify, "Give us Democrat! Give us DEM
ocrat!" And this cry is still ringing in his
ears, and is one of the causes leading to his
present unreserved confession Of faith. It
warned him that he was not yet In the cits-
del 9 trusted leader, and that there were still
difficult tasks to be accomplished before the
test of the Shibboleth would be passed. The
advanced position taken in the message is q
supreme effort TO acquire Q diploma for pro-
fciency and heroic behavior In the face of the
enemy, and, as such, is doubtless regarded by
him as at once q coup de grace in party service,
and coup de naitre in the policy Of selfag-
grandizement. .
The country is abashed, If he is not, to see
this master of duplicity and deceit, as shown
by bis record, push himself to the front as
the champion Of conscientious opinion and
constitutional consistency. On his dual road
to fame he must have attended some sympo-
sisc, or banquet Of the wise, to be so versed
in popular sentiment and to know % much of
It's profundity.snd patriotism. The great wis
dom thus CLEANED he obtrudes upon the stten-
ton of mankind with the same art and ease
he does his "ground and lofty tumbling" in
the political ring. He assumes the province
of public teacher, and proceeds to instruct
the whole American people In their duties and
to disclose to them the true Interpretation of
their Constitution. He tells them that they,
the people, VIII never consent to vest the
power to count the electoral vote In any one
man; which is, according to all the taxi
writers on the Constitution. precisely the thing
they have done-in the absence Of legislation BY
Congress on Tie ..srbjeet. And as there Is no
such legislation, the power Is held to be thus
vested In the President of the Senate, whether
n shall be exercised or not. 30 this 10 not
hYen . modicum Of kno Wledge, afssz oil, and