The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-10

by one Of their own number private
citizen.
General Buffers Review OF Politics.
General Buffers review, printed in the
Sunday HERALD. of the condition in which
parties are lett by last weeks elections is
remarkable for its acknowledgment that
sectional animosity between North and
South as leading theme in politics is
almost "played out" It will vanish alto
gether, he prophesies, as q result of the
transfer of power from the South and the
East to the West by the census of 1880. A
''solid South" will then cease to be so inn
portant factor in politics as it now is, and
the Southern States to ''divide alike with
the North" This is not novel view, to be
sure. But it is very noteworthy in the
mouth of politician who has done so much
himself to foment the sectional luminosity of
which he now foresees the speedy termina-
ton. While Senators Conkling and Blaine,
ex-Secretary Pierrepont and Secretary
Sherman, reinforced by Secretary Evarts
as an ardent recruit, have been committing
themselves of late to the most fragrant kind
of republican stalwartism, their old asso.
ciate in pulling the South by the tail lets
go his hold suddenly. We will not inquire
too curiously how much General Buffers
affiliations with the democratic party for
the last two years, and expectations of being
represented in the next Democratic National
Convention, have induced this sudden in
fux OF wisdom and fairness. We accept it
as a satisfactory recantation OF political
error, no matter what is it's motive. If
General Butler will devote himself hence
forth to the business Of cultivating brotherly
feeling between North and South with the
same zeal and vgor with which he has pur-
sued the opposite policy. he may make some
atonement for his political course during
the greater part of the last seventeen years.
But the sad way in which he takes his
fourth defeat in running for Governor Of
Massachusetts alarms us for his future. On
former occasions, whenever the General got
knocked down in the political prize ring,
he picked himself up for another round
smiling and as lively as a cricket and did
not waste any energy in idle wailing. But
this time he sits fat in his corner exhibit
ing his bruises to the newspaper reporters
and Analysing to them quite piteously how
he came to be worsted. Is it possible that
the General is getting prematurely senile
and losing his powerful grip on things?
Really this looks like it. He ought
to know, if anybody in the coun-
try does, how little the busy American
people are interested in any politicians
personal grievances. The great tide of life
sweeps on cruelty regardless OF individual
lamentations. In purely personal cam
vass such as has been carried on in Massa-
chusetts last year and this year people at
large are quite content with the knowledge
that the reason why either candidate did
not succeed was because somebody got
more votes than he did. II General Butler
had succeeded there would not have been
many tears split throughout the country
over the downfall of the pinchbeck respeot-
ability Of Massachusetts, republicanism.
But the motives and methods of his canvass
we're too selfish to arouse any other emo
ton than curiosity outside of his State
during its progress. or to entitle either
party to sympathy whatever might be the
result.