New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-09-14
4 CHANCE RoR A FAR FIGHT


recently made in some of the COnpecticut pa
p,rs regarding the Republican nomination for
Congress in the lid District of that State, a
fine opportunity would be afforded to discover
the real strength of the Hard-MonrY Demo
Gratis in the district, and test the sincerity of
the men who pretend To believe that the
Democratic is really a Hard-Money party.
The proposition referred to was that the Re-
publicans should meet the Greenback issue
squarev by the nomination of Ex-Governor
James +. English, as an independent candidate,
against Mr.. Phelps the present member, an
avOwed inilationlst and representative OF ex-
IRENE Greenblcb ideas, who is said to be sure
of the regular Democratic nomination. The
district is, under ordinary circumstances, hope
lessy Democratic. General Kellogg was elected
by the Republicans for three successive terms,
from 1869 to 1875. but his success was largely
due to divisions in the opposition. There is no
doubt whatever of Mr.. Pbelps's election over
any Republican who can be nominated against
him. In such a state of things the Republicans
in that district could lose nothing by taking
up a Democrat who is known to be sound on
the financial question, and so giving Demo
Gratis who profess to favor an honest currency
the opportunity to vote for hard money with
out abandoning their party.
Governor English has been long in political
life and may well be satisfied with the hOnOTs
he has received already. Having been mem
Der of both branches of the State Legislature,
Governor, Member of Congress and United
States Senator, and at one time a not incOn-
spicuous candidate for the Presidential nomina-
ton, an election to Congress can be no incitc
ment to his ambition. He has had a remarkably
successful political career; no man certainly of
his own party in England has succeeded so
we'll But it is perhaps one of the secrets of
this success that he has on two or three occa-
sions of moment disregarded both the dictates
of party policy and the promptings Of personal
ambition, and upon his own individual judg-
mont and conscience done what he be-
lieved to be just and right. In view of the
rapid progress lately made by the mischieyOus
heresies supported by Representative Phelps,
and the dangerous tendencies they are devel-
oping il is not impossible that Governor
English should consent to lead an honest
money fight IN his district Other leaders,
looking forward 10 official honOrs and emou-
ments, and solicitOus on that account to
maintain harmony in the party, even at the
sacrifice of principle, might refuse to assume
The risk Of such a movement. Governor Eng
lish has no such motive for cOnsenting to
the abandonment of principle. or ac-
duescng in the betrayal and proSti
tuition of his party. The honors which
Others seek so eagerly, he has already worn,
AID the longing for them does not dull his
sense nor blur his vision. His is the clearer,
III,
emily he has done it before +; and because he
has on prev GUS occasions shown the courage
of his convictions, there is the moro reason to
believe that he would not refuse to act in the
present emergency.
So far as the Republicans of the district
are concerned, they have, as already stated,
less than forlorn hope of eecting a candI-
date of their own. The predominant issue to-
day in politics is the financial question,
upon which the present Democratic mem
Der and prospective candidate for reelection
holds the most dangerous and destructive
views, and is ready to vote for the most mis-
chievOus aud extreme measures. To defeat
HIM by the election of an independent Demo-
crat would be Of vastly greater benefit to the
party of resumption and honest money than
the nomination of any Republican merely to
be beaten. If it should be urged, as it some
times Is, in similar cases, that the effect of
such n nomination is demorallzing in a parti-
san sense, 1T may we'll be answered that the
party demoralized most would not be the Re-
publicans. Governor English would without
doubt pill the full Republican vote of the dis
trict and take also as much of the Democratic
vote as can be counted with reasonable certainty
on the side of honest money. This would
leave Mr.. Phelps the full vote of the Green
back faction, which he has so assiduously
courted for the past four years, and settle
the question whether the district in which
Yale College is located, and which is supposed
to be as intelligent and honest as any in New