The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-02-05

tered the Senate chamber with the certainty
Of success, there WINS reason to believe that.
instead of his defeating the Fraud the Fraud
would be able to defeat him; and usdor such
circumstances mortified and enragod to
degree which we 10 not presume TO express,
Mr. CoNKLING Withdrew from the struggle,
and let the conspiracy take its triumphant
course.
Now, the question is, whether in thus
withdrawing he was right, or whether he
should have remained to make in the face OF
probable or of certain failure a gallant
and possibly an unsuccessful struggle for
truth, Justice, and the honor and safety of
the country.
The answer to this question will depend
upon the point OF view from which the SUBJ
jcct is considered. As a politician, anxious
first and foremost to stand well with his
party, at the moment, 1t would no doubt
have been mistake for Mr.. CoSKLfNG to
attempt in the Senate to resist the tide Of
feeling which had then been evoked. and
cultivated, and inllamod throughout the
masses of the Republican organiza ton.
The Republican journals In all parts OF the
country were unanimous in asserting the
election of HAYES and in hcrcely denouncing
all who controverted their assertion. Not
one of them raised II voice against making
President with doubtful titlc and In conse-
qucncc there was a unanimous or well
nigh unanimous belief in the ranks of the
party, that In the declaration that HAYES
was elected they were merely maintaining
something to which they had right. To
go squarcly against such an opinion at such
n time would have been to provoke universal
condemnation, and oincur charges Of trca-
sonahlc dealings with the enemy. There
would have been no mercy and no forbear-
ance. No matter how strong the conviction Of
an individual that the party with which he
has been wont TO act has taken n wrong
course. and Is doing that which ought not to
be done, the prudence of politicians requires
that he should at least maintain a strict
silence. According to this prudence. then,
Mr. CoNKL1NG was entirely right in letting
his party have their way and in not stand
ing up to Offer that determined resistance
which the conclusions OF his Judgment and
the impulses Of his heart must alike have
prompted.
On the other hand. however there are
crises in public affairs when the wisdom of
the statesman looks with scorn upon the
prudence of the politician; when the heroic
elements of character rise above the die
tatcs Of partisan cxpcdency; and when the
great man, refusing to be led by baser
Inspirations, strikes boldly out into new
path and preciptates the creation Of new
epoch. Such "A crisis Mr. CoSRLTSG saw later
on in the struggle when his earlier forbear-
ance had put his own political existence
AZ issue. and when clique of weak and
pretcntous philosophers, who delight to
abasc themselves at the heels OF power, had
conspired together for his destruction At
the Rochester Convention lac uttered new
and manlier note. He declared war against
tine Fraud, and with that battle cry sum
moncd the Republicans Of New York to rally
around his banner 1t was electrical and the
result was the utter discontinue of his enc
mics and the establishment irmer than ever
OF his own position. Does not this indicate
that he might have been wiser if already in
February he had adopted the courageous
policy of July, and IL. instead Of waiting till
1t had become with him. in great measure,
a question of self-dcfencc, he had stood
forth at that earlier day, moral hero. care
less of all petty Consequences, to defend the
honor Of the republic and to drive Fraud
afar or from the possession Of our greatest
own dignity
For ourselves, We answer this last qucs-
ton in the affirmative. We believe that IL
Mr., CoNKLING had opened his campaign
against this great inquity much sooner and
In more destructive manner, he might
have suffered some Inconvenience at the be-
ginning. hut long ere this it would have
been understood that his courage was only
the simplest wisdom. and that every one Of
his blows was delivered by patriotism itself.