New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-08-24
CLEAR FIELD.

The Republican party begins to recognize its
duty. In regard to the finances It's response
blities are very great, and there was some
reason at one time to fear that 1t might not
meet them with the requisite courage and
honor. Faithful among the faithless clinging
to the truth where nearly all the hard-mODey
Democratic leaders stagger or fall, the Repub-
lican party is the only hope of those who wish
to preserve the public faith and to restore the
Nations prosperity. TO that party falls the
difficult and responsible task of educating pub
lie opinion on questions of currency and
finance. and that task it must perform, more
over. even while holding the breach against
those who assault the citadel of public credit.
That there has been some hesitation is not
strange. But Butler has gone without break
ing Republican ranks A Kelley ceases to
command the confidence of Republicans, even
where he was so long favOrite, as soon as be
wins the favor of repudiators. A Phillips is
invited to stay at home by the Republic
cans of Kansas, in order that the next
Secretary of a Congressional Greenback
caucus may be a Democrat. Secretary
Sherman goes to speak of public faith to the
people of Ohio, before whom Senator Thur
man abased himself by abJuring his convic-
tions. Secretary McCmry will find hearty
welcome from the sound Republicans of Iowa.
Senator Blaine speaks with all his power and
clearness on the right side, and Mr. Grow
bravely confronts the heresies prevailing in
PENNSYLVANIA. while the Republican candidate
for Governor in Indiana does not hesitate to
combat the popular errors which sometimes
caused even the strong Morton to waver.
md nFa fIun Mipupg
and Nebraska will teach their representatives
that the Republican party countenances no
leaning toward initiation.
All these are good signs. 1t would be wrong
to expect that, after error had run not for so
many years, the people of all the formerly
loyal States could be brought by single cam
paign to realize that every blow at the public
creditor is in effect an attempt to punish those
who defeated rebellion. But it is just
to say that the Republican party is to-day
more nearly united and more clear of purpose
than ever before in defending the honor of
the nation, and in seeking for the country pros
perity through justice. Republican voters have
been rapidly educated by the events of the
past two years. They have seen that resump-
ton comes without the predicted ruin. They
have studied the men who clamOr for initiation,
and have found that most of them are bankrupt
spectators. The conduct and declarations of
the GIeenback party have helped to educate
Republicans; they have seen that the men
who once start with demand for taxation of
bonds or abolition of National banks, or In
fiation of currency, are very apt to end as
full-hedged regulators.
The Democratic party has helped inVolun-
tarily, us usual. It's INSCRIPTIONS demagogues
have gone so far, in catering to the ideas or
prejudces which the Nationals represent, that
intelligent voters begin to remember where
these same Democrats stood, with regard to
the National unity and the National credit,
when Lee was before Gettysburg. 1t has
occurred to thousands Of Republicans that a
Democratic party which is ruled by Solid
South may not unnaturally have purposes, in
respect to the bonds and the currency and the
credit Of the Union, which no true Republican
can share. If bad faith toward public credI-
tors is to be popular, the Democratic party
will reap all the benefit, for it has represented
nothing but bad faith from the beginning.
But the Republican party finds that 1t can
continue to exist only by waging unceasing
and uncOmpromising war against every meas
ure or plan by which the public credit can be
undermined. Even the Tramp party has
helped Greenbsck-Labor speakers and papers