New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-20
DEuocrAuc PlSpEcT foR LIZ.

We may expect presently 10 see the Demo-
cratic newspapers break out with one accord
in Qualification Of their party Tor its amazing
seIf-contIol and its wonderful respect for the
forms Of law ~ shown IL the conduct of
the Maine Fusionists. whenever the party has
the slightest temptation to disturb the public
peace upon any sort of prctexi, aud rciIains
from doing it, the organs find in IT an occa-
sion for extolling the wonderfully scli-sacrilic-
ng spirit of patriotism in the party Az
ter the Presidential question lad been
decided against them, though there was
"A strong disposition among them to
disregard the decision and inauGuIatc
a new rebelliOn-a disposition which, as events
have since proved, was only hindercd from
tual mischief by the unwilngncss, or, as they
prefer to call it, the cowardlcc OF
their leader-they made great ado over
the self-contro they had exercised, and
the Difference they had shown for the
forms of law. When they are not up
to some SOFT of deviltry they are patting
themselves on the back for keeping out
of it, and calling upon the public TO
take note how good they are. And the
nublic, only too thankful to have the
peace preserved, is seldom disposed TO
be chaIy of its praise of those who claim to
have resisted their own tendencies to natural
depravIty, whatever may have been the real
reason for it. It's charitable public. and If
pickpocket in handouts takes credit to him
self for not plying his vocation in court, it
lets him do it.
Its well enough, however, in the present case
TO call attention to II fact that has been made
most manifest during the tendency Of this
Maine question. and through all the discussion,
TO wit that there has been no opposition to the
methods Of the Maine Fusonsts in one single
Democratic newspaper Of any prominence in
the country that would not have been re-
moved by "A reasonable probability that those
methods would succeed. From "A pretty care
ful observation of the tone of the Demo-
cratic press of the country since the con-
troyersy began-and there is not one that
has not taken hand in tive feel justified
in saving that not one of them has
protested against the contemplated out
rage with earnesiness or sincerity; that
is, without some distinct reservation
in its utterances which held ont that
even though it was a great wrong, Re-
publicans had no right to complain, and that,
being based on legal technicalities and the
forms of law, it could not be resisted. 1t has
been treated by some of them as worthy of COM
mendation some have admired it as Smart
political trick some have mildly qucs-
toned the policy Of it, and one or two have
condemned it as n blunder. Not one of them
denounced it unreservedly, with the indgna-
ton of an honest man for dishonest act,
os an au1aciOus crime. III has been
very clear from the outset that moth
ing but the probability of the collapse
or failure OF the conspiracy made it subject
of Democratic criticism. The rascals engaged
in the scheme knew well enough that the
mild opposition of the few newspapers and
leaders who have lingering sense of deccDcy
| would be disarmed at once by their success,
| and that the whole party would approve their
| conduct.
As an instance in point, The Louisville Con-