New-York tribune., 1880-06-25

| Its leader stood for half an hour gesticulatlng
| to the Chairman before he was recognized, and
allowed 10 accept the candidate Of the COnven-
| ZION. 1t was compelled to look ON while John
! Kelly posed before the delegates rs magnani-
nous leader who stood ready to forget the past.
! Never was a delegation from the Empire State
| treated with such contumely Yet it bore all
these indignities with resignation and humility
| At the close it was almost as submissive as
Sterne's patient donkey. ado not beat me,
@beseech you; yet you may beat mo II you
| @Wish"
The side issues in the Bradlaugh case have
obscured the fundamental question which is IN
voved in excluding him from the seat IN the
Commons tn which he was elected 1t is legal
question rather than a religious cOntrO 'crsP,
and relates to the nature of the oath, which
may be meaningless TO a man who bolle' os
neither in God nOr in Monarchy. 1t is ex-
tremely unfortunate that the Conservatives
have taken up a point of law and made party
question of it, forcing it into prominence with
all the passion and prejudice OF lll-dlrecttd
partisa 1ship. On the other hand, Mr. Brad
laugh albeit n sincere and genuine man in many
respects does not pose well as a martyr IN the
cause of speculative Atheism or an equally
speculative Republicanism. The Commons
have already come to their senses, and released
him before he could convince his constituents
that this is what Edmund Burke once dcscrbeda as
as prosecution not for libellOus and blasphe-
9mous writings" but for unconQuerable firm
"ncss, resolute, indeiatigable, strenuous resist
"ance against oppression" The shoe makers
ro, Ii, ,-tu l,n hos i'm n Cp
him down as another Wilkes,
The report of the Committee on Resolutions
at Cincinnati was kept back until Tie last
minute in order that it might be trimmed to flG
the candidates peculiar views on finance or any
other ques tOn concerning which lie might have
been so imprudent rs to have any opinions. AS
the candidate who was selected had never had
any experience in civil life. and was entirely
free from tue contamination OF public discus
sion of the thousand and one practical ques-
tions with which Legislators and administrators
have to deal, no changes we're necessary. The
resolutions were, therefore, fired oft at the end
of the show like shower OF damp bombs.
They did not make much noise, as the powder
had been burned so many times, and Mr.. Wat
tersOn retired from the scene with the air OF
Snowman who had been touching of old fire
works with mildewed matches. The cOnstitu-
tional doctl ines and traditions, opposition to
Capitalization, und that dangerous spirit of en-
"ciOachment," subordinatiOn Of the military to
the civil power, unlimited abuse of Republican
administration, and all the customary plati
tudes, have their place in the platform. The
financial plank is somewhat less eQuivOcal
than usual. " Home rule, honest money, consist
ing Of gold and silver and paper convertible
to coin on demand. The strict maintenance of
the public faith, State and National, and tariff
"fol revenue only" The thirteenth section is
a curiosity in its way. 1t pledges to the labor
ing man ample protection against I" Tho cOrmo-
@rant and the commune" SO high sounding a
phrase will doubtless sOlace every son of toll
who was born to cut wood with n hammer.
The tenth resolution. with its plea for "a
living chance for American ships" is some
thing of a novelty. The richest vocabulary is
found in what may be called the damnatiOn
sections, wherein the "great fraud" is do.
nounced, and "refOrm by statute" is de-
manded as barrier against usurpeIs who pei
sst in "billeting villains upon tho people,
Can it be that aMOses helped Mr.. WattersOn to
rattle the Chinese eongs and mix the smell
nota9