New-York tribune., 1878-03-23


partisan support--a formidable rival of those. in
either party. who had served the country longest
and best according to common standards. even when
they were backed by the 1st powerful party organ
izations and all the support which patronage can
command Mr. Bristow did not become the nomi-
nee he has gone back into private ife and 1t Is not
necessary to discuss him. only speak OF the hgtie
which Mr. Eaton makes with him on the page OF The
Atlantic NOafhIy What wish to draw attention to-
what particularly wish to point out to the gentle
man in politics. aud to the scholar in politics, ana 10
all those who lament the power of an inferior class
of politicians and the studious exclusion of charac
ter in the selection of candidates" is the fact which
Mr. Dorman B. Eaton iterates and reiterates with
out the smallest suspicion of its bearing. that 1t was
the partisaus tho politicians, the spoi'smen, who
sought their candidate among their great men, their
eminent men. the men who had served the country
longest and best and of whose character and fitness
the country was able to judge. 1t was the reform
ers who wanted an unknown man, man who had
been a subordinate-if Mr.. Eaton will have 1t So
in the Treasury Department; and they wanted him,
not because he had evinced singular ability and
fidelity in managing that department. but because
Mr.. Eaton distinctly says it-he had
prosecuted and brought TO punishment set of men
who were charged with fraud upon his department.
| am not saving that Mr. BristOw was unfit for the
nomination, or that he would not have made good
President: what / say is that the Reformers, by
their own showing. of their own choice, selected
man of whom they avow that nothing was KNOWN
and of whom they boast that he " had no chance for
the nomination, beyond the fact that he had shown
zeal and courage for administrative reform by
prosecuting the whiskey ring. The prosecution OF
a considerable number of hitherto respectable
American citizens. many of whom were acquitted or
dismissed without even trial. was the basis on
which " true statesmen" would exutantly select the
President Of the United States.
Looking again at Mr.. Eatons facts-and it is
never safe to trust him an inch beyond the record
what does he mean by saving that his candidate was
destitute of all partisan support He had, as he
had right to have. all the partisan support be
could get. He had all the partisan support ana
used all the partisan means that the Reormers coud
muster. His partisans were not one whit behind
the very chefes OF the other parsans III the use OF
means. Mr.. Eaton has the inalienable right OF
every American citizen to have candidate of his
own, but he has right to stand up before the
American people and pretend that has candidate
was pointed out by the Spirit of Reform descending
from Heaven like dove and resting upon him.
He was pointed ont by the pulling OF
wires-the same old wires of the same old
machine that has shot up candidates. whether
pope or president, or emperor or delegate
ever since candidacy existed. Mr.. Eaton says the
other candidates had all the support which patron
age can give. What does the man mean! Not one
of the other candidates. all the other candidates
together had all the support which patronage can
give" They had only the support of such patsDnage
as Mr.. Eatou's candidate could not command. His
candidate was at the head OF the largest and strong
est department of the Governmental department
that has more available patronage than all the
other departments togethcr--and all its patronage
was under his control. Just far 1t can ever
be used for the personal advantage Of any OF its
officers. it could be used for his. Mr.. Doruan b.
Eaton is courageous spirit indeed, when he
dares stand up and make absolutely aud palpa-
bly, grOundiess assertion.
Mr. EatOns affirmation that at the outset OF the
campaign not a politician in five hundred doubted
that Of these great men would be the next Pres-
dent" is equally childish / wish the statement
might have been correct. l wish the custom of our
country were such that politician in live hun
dred should doubt that, whatever policy whsteyer
party prevailed, one of our great men, one of our
eminent men, one of those who have served tie
country lonsest and best should lie at the
head. Certainly that millennium had not
dawned "at the outset Of the campaign ,
Where Mr. Eaton got his statistics 1t Is diff
cult to see. IL would be nearer the truth To say
that there was not politician III five hundred
who did not doubt. But it was not Mr.. Bristow
they feared it was the man that the Refonners
would trade Mr.. BIistOw off for. Not one politician
in five hundred but had more fear Of the IN
known man that would be sprung upon him
than of any one of the great men, who
were the natural and honorable rivals Of
his own candidate. So universal was this
fear that the Great Unknown" became "a proven
bal phrase for this masqueradng rival; and through
all this conjecture ard speculation and grave dis
cussion and jest and badnage, Mr. D0rman Is. Eaton
walked deaf and blind, and now rises mp. with all
the majesty of the Intelligent contrahand' to tell
us that not one politician in five hundred doubted
that one Of our political great men would be the
next President! GAIL HAMILTON.