Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-10-10
The Folly Of Political Scratching"

Harper's Weekly, while expressing astrong
desire for the success of the Republican
ticket in New York. especially on account
of the important influence it will have on
the next Matt onal campaign, advises the in
dependent Republican voters to scratch"
Mr.. Cornell from the ticket, as the only
way of effectively protesting against his
nomination. This seems to us very poor
advice 1t was all wrong, as we think, and
have said, for Mr. Conkling to force his
friend and follower Cornell upon the Re
publican party of New York, in order to
crafty Mr. Conkling's resentments. But to
fight the party by knitting its nominee. is
equally wrong. If it was an outrage for Mr.
Conkling to injure the great cause 10 which
he processes to be devoted by action dictated
by his personal piqucs and desires it is out
rageous folly to imperil the same great cause
in order to admister rebuke to Mr.. Conk
ling 1t is a time in which patriots should
discard these personal controversies and
make common cause for the public wei
fare If Mr. Robinson is elected, though
the rest of the Democratic ticket is defeat
ed, it will give to the Democrats the moral
effect and many of the substantial results
of Il victory in the Empire State. The vete-
ran Thurlow Weed, in a letter to the New
York TiJuHe, gives his views of the case;
and as usual there is sound sense in it. He
SAYS:
The reasons given to excuse this advice
are in my Judgment, utterly insufficient and
indefensible Like Mr.. Curtis, and, it is he
lieved, like majority of the Republicans OF
the State, | was opposed, not only to the
nomination of Mr.. Cornell, but to the Ohjcc
tionable methods by which his nomination
was effected. Yet, while ! was diSappoint
ed in the surrender of cN-Speaker Sloan and
other prominent delegates. from whom better
things were expected, | failed to discover
reason for Withholding my vote from Mr.
Cornell, against whose capacity and char
acter nothing is alleged. 1t is true that per
sonal rather than public considerations swayed
the convention. Mr.. Cornell was nominated
by the enforcement of fScnatOr Conllling. whose
reiterated eXactionS upon his party are beCom- ]
ing Onerous and irksome. Even that distin-
gui shed Senator's efforts in favor of MIR. /
COrnelfs nomination for Governor would /
have been impotcnt hut for other causes. /
MIR Curtis. of al other men, should not be
surprised ut Mr.. Cornclls nomination. for he /
himself is remotely. while President HayeS /
is directly, responsible for that result. Mr.. |
Cornell, under an absurd and impracticable /
scheme Of civil service reform invented by /
Mr.. Curtis, was removed from the naval
office For that removal there was no other /
cause or reason than that NIr. Cornell per
formed his duty as chairman of the State Re |
publican committee. II was not claimed or |
pretended that he neglected any official duty
Had Mr. Cornell been left to the acceptable |
discharge of his duties rs naval officer he !
would nave t~en IN nobody way as 4 can /
didate for Governor. All the strength he 1
had aside from Senator Conklings support, /
was derived from the fact of his I
having been the victim of an exploded .
political theory. Crowns are reserved alike .
for martyrs in politics and in religion. Mr.. .
Cornell is indebted for his nomination and |
election (for that, also, is assured to the /
infatuated adhcTcnts to an impracticable /
idea. The duty of an ClectOr concerns his (
partv and. as Il corollary his country. That a.,
duty can only be discharged by voting for |
the representatives of the party. The duty I
was never more imperative, for the danger |
of our country in permitting its Government /
to fall into the hands OF rebel and copper
head Democracy was never greater Unless,
therefore. there is some name on the ticket |
obnoxious to inst criticism, there should be .
no scratching And, it should he remem-
bered, in clectinga Republican Governor We /
kill two birds with one stone. The hopes /
of the rcformcr of Cipher park depend upon /
the reelection of Gov. Robinson. for deSir-
ing whose defeat | have two reasons first, /
that it squcchcs Mr.. Tildcn'S presidential .
candidacy: and next that it inilicts retrihu-
tive justice upon the man who, elected con