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

| Safueu oeHdtor COnklng as the nDleSt ahs
foremost of the republican leaders in this
State, and among the most prominent in the
country, that it has felt and expressed some
disappointment ut his recent speech in
| Brooklyn. Mr.. Conklng is not frequent
public speaker. Unlike Mr.. Blaine, he but
rarely addresses either the Senate or the
country he prefers to be heard only on i'm
portant occasions, on questions of real mo-
ment, and the country has right to look
to him, therefore. for something higher and
more important than the usual twaddle OF
slangwhanging stump speakers.
| 1t is the part of statesman to point the
way 1; to lead and guide his party or his
country on the course which to him seems
safest and best. Denunciation Of the other
side such man may safely leave to the
petty peripatetic orators of his party, the
skrmshers who 60 about in great numbers
to pepper the enemy and excite the ardor
of their own voters. We looked, therefore,
to Mr.. Conkling to tell US not that the
democrats are a bad lot, or that the South
ern democrats have done this, that or the
other thing, or that the extra session was
bunier; We hoped he would tell his
hearers and the country Mt large something
OF the future purposes and policy OF the re-
publican party, of which he is one OF the
most influential leaders, and whose Prcsi-
Dental candidate he is very likely to become
next year He restated in Brooklyn all the
old and now very stale stuff we have long
been familiar WITH about the awful iniquity
of the democrats, and he did it. of course,
with that neatness and ingenuity of which
he is master, and which would have put II
gloss Of novelty upon the old story, if that
were possible. But that was all; and as his
fre nds and admirers we are very sorry for it.
| Briefly. he assured his republican hearers
that the safety of the country depends upon
u republican victory. We will answer him
with equal brevity that we do not believe
| it, and that we find nothing in his speech to
prove il. The country will be as safe with
democrat as with a republican in the
White House; with n democratic us with
republican majority in both houses OF
! Congress Every assertion or sugges-
ton to the contrary is the merest
twaddle and is unworthy of repu-
table public man. The country is in
no such deplorable condition that the sue
cess of either party is going TO injure it or
imperil its institutions. The people do not
hand over to their political servants under
the constitution any such powers as would
enable them to do serious damage, and
we warn Senator Conkling and other
prominent republican statesmen that
they will only ipjure themselves
and their party by laying SO much
stress as they seem inclined to do on this
very weak assertion. We do not forget that
so prominent O man rs Mr.. Evarts in 1876
allowed himself to express the belief that
if democratic administration gained power
the public credi. would be attacked but
we have no doubt Mr.. Evarts has been
ashamed of his ulterance since then, and
we sincerely regret that Mr.. Conkling
should. three years after Mr.. Evarts, repeat
his assertions.
Under our constitution the people never
entirely surrender themselves or their in
stitutions to the rulers they at any time
selec.. Congress is elected for only two
wears, and when one House has served but
half its term the people are already called
upon to pass upon its acts and to select
its successor. 1t is absurd, therefore, to
set up n claim that the election of either or
any party can ondanger the interests Of the
country II u democratic administration
dared to attempt the things which Mr..
Conkling says it would do, before it had
time to fairly &c. to work the people would
be able TO sweep it from power. The
country is in no danger from the politicians
OF either party. That is whit has made it
so patient with the republicans, Mr.. Conk-
ling. Whatever party shall administer the
federal government for four years after
1880 the country will go on. safe in all its
constitutional rights and functions. The
public credit will be safe, because no party
will dare to attack it tho negroes will be
secure in MI their constitutional rights
and if in any State they arc I'M
comfortable they will do what white
men are constantly doing for the
same reason - remove to another State the
currency question is settled already and
will not be unsettled by either party. If
the democrats, moreover should happen to
get into power, which docs not now seem
probable, they will be extraordinarily pru-
dent, because they will very much want to
keep in. Whenever, therefore, an Ameri-
can voter is told by eithor democratic or
a republican speaker, that the country =
safety depends on the success of either
party, he may safely conclude that the
speaker is trying to pull wool over his eyes.
There is nothing in That so-callod argu-
mcnt.
We should like Mr.. Conkling, able,
thoughtful, eminent and influential states
man that lie is. to tell us what it is the re-
! nuhlican narly is going to do for tho coun :