New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-01-09


hcsililcs will he finally set at rest.
MS TIE MILTON 4 CONSCIENCEl
The apparent success which crowns the
efforts Of fnancicrs of the bonanza school Is
the more dshcartening when it is considered
that their methods consist essentially Of direct
shameless and confident appeals 10 the sup
posed rascllty of the country. 1t Is plainly
the theory of these men that, liz regard To any
line Of policy, the people need only be per-
suadod that "thcrc is money in it, and their
approval is won without any discussion OF the
moral bearings of the case. Indeed, belief
in the existence of National conscience
is held by these men TO be one of the most
un,libStantial halucnaiOns which Infcst
the human mind-a notion hardly worth sheer
ing at by practical statesmen, and only useful
~ a staple subject for bosterOus mcriment.
1t is still more discouraging to observe that
certain timid but honest citizens have been led
to despair of any good to be accomplished by
insisting upon the immortality Of the silver
swindc, and that they therefore incline to
abandon further effort in this direction, and
devote themselves exclusively to proving that
il Will not pay in dollars and cents to dcbase
the currency.
Now, it may he well to remind this latter
class-bciorc they Internationally surrender
their only ground for hOpc-tbat popular
conscience has been, in times past, one of this
Nations actual possessions, and it has not been
merely drowsy and conventional acknowl-
cdgmcnt that there is n difference between
right and wrong, but deep-seatcd, vigorous
impcllcd the people and held them steady in
the pursuit OF noble aims. 1t may be well to
remind them, still further. that when this con-
science is no longer conservative force, so
that appeals to it are recognized as useless or
absurd, there will be little left of American
society "a we now conceive OF it; for before
the American people publish " the world
their utter lack of any restraining public
virtue, they Will be found reaching out
for the Man on Horseback or somebody else To
protect them from themselves. Now, n0twith-
standing some discouraging signs. there arc no
startling indications that our entire social
structure is in immediate danger of collapsing
Oh itself, which amounts To saying that the
National Conscience can yet hc trusted a. the
most potent influence which controls the ac-
ton Of the American people. II is, therefore.
still in order TO appeal TO the popular sense OF
honor and of justice, and 10 that far-rcach
lng prudence, next of kin 10 absolute
virtue which hccds the teachings of his
cory and experience, and takes INTO ac-
count the distant future. Indeed there is
nothing else to appeal to in the premises
except what seems TO be the immediate self
interest of individual voters. For to the nina
to preserve the National honor, and to whom
tie National credit is an airy nothing about
which only drcamcrs concern Themselves the
National welfare must be a remote and shadowy
conception, and ut bcs, it will be altogether
outside of the narrow circle which embraces
all the influences that reach him. This view,
in fact, virtually shut, Out all appeal in the
premises, for the number Of dollars which SIM
gle debtors can gain, or single creditors can
lose, by this small population, is altogether
too patry 10 be taken into account.
II is we'll enough for The Bands in Congress
and the rcadjustcrs outside of it, to hold it
the highest daty of Nation to drive a sharp
bargain, and scale. down the claims of help
less creditors. Bat it was certainly more
comprehensive general Intelligence, Il broader
public spirit, and Il stcrncr public virtue than
this theory implies, which called forth all the
earncsness and fortiludc and courage which
the country displayed in the four years war for
a principle. II was something beyond the i'm
mediate sclf-n!rrest of individuals which de-
featcd National reputation III 1868, and
which created that pressure of public sehti-
ment which was the force behind the veto
OF the imitation bill. Nor will the de-
feat of this NEW conspiracy be COM
passed by any purely arithmetical demon
stmion that the incomes of majority Of
the people will suffer Il definite per cent Of
loss il the coinage is dcbascd. No doubt
such debascmcnt would bring an amount of
confusion, uncertainty, disIrust and consequent
pccunary los. which could hardly be COM
putcd but the disaster most 60 be dreaded is
the sweeping moral effect of such an act,
especially when the reasons are considered,
which it's loudest advocates are urging for its
justification. 1t is this which makes the
question of reconciliation, rs it now stands,
centrally and essentially q moral one, and
which makes the Abandonment of its discus
sion as u moral question proclamation that
the country has thrown off all allegiance to
justice and to truth. ANY immediate material
loss would be triy al when compared with The
deep disgrace which such confession would
bring upon the coumtry-a disgrace which