The daily gazette., 1880-07-13
1iIRD EDITION
From the n. Y. Heraid.
Let US Have a Quiet Canvass.

Toward the close OF May and week
or two before the Chicago Convention
met. a business man remarked, 81 wish
the politicians would leave us alone. l
hate to see the country torn up again as
1t was four years ago; business para
lived, industry checked and everybody
either alarmed or infuilated about poll
tics" Nh ia M
ASsnce this fear Of new turmoil and
business derangement was expressed
both conventions have met, AM In both
the s.bosses,r the class OF professional
poIiticians who feed Hpon political ek-
citement and whose object il is therefore
10 siresthe peoples hearts, have been
defe~ted. The common sense OF the
people has made itself felt in the con
yentions. +f AlA
J1iIe dread which sensible and patriotic
citizens felt some months ago OF the
repetition of another such iDfurlated
canvass as that of 1876, was entirely
reasonable. 1t would seriously threaten
the continuance OF our present system
of government if we should have sue
cession OF such ''campaigns." Fiffy
millions of people cannot stop all 0nsi-
ness for four or five months In every four
years TO fall by the ears about politics.
il would be an absurd and and imprac-
ticable situation. Fortunately there is
no reason to fear repetition of scenes
and passions which then threatened the
country with shipwrech
Four years have brought about
great and vital changes in the condi-
tion of the country and in the nature
of the questions which divide the vOt-
ers. In 1876 we were not living under
the shelter of the constitution. Con-
stiLutional government had been and
continued to be denied to some of the
Southern States. The elections in
those States aroused in their people of
both races fury of evil passions, and
the central government intensified
these by its interference, in clear vio-
lation of the constitution. The South
ern States had suffered four or five
wears of scandaleus misrule and rob-
berry at the hands of men who depend
ed on federal troops for heir mainten-
ance in power. The Northern voters
had been made aware of this gross and
inexcusable maladministration, and a
great part of them had come to the
conclusion that it was time to stop,
while another great part til )u hit that
even acknowledged and undisputed
maladministration and violation of the
constitution We're better than a change
of parties. Under these circumstances
partisan passions were exasperated to
the utmost, not only in the South,
where the intelligent and properly
owning classes sought to regain possess
sion of their local governments so as
to puta stop to robbery and misrule,
but in the North as well, where "the
South" was the only issue.
1t needs no explanation to prove
that the situation has greatly changed
and for the better. We enter on a
new Presidential canvass with consti-
tutional local self-government restored
and active in all the States. We shall
not see the public excited this fall by
an array of troops in any State main
tanning governors and other so-called
authorities" who could not stand for
day without being propped up by
bayonets. In the South quiet and re-
newed prosperity have bred friendly
feelings between the two races in the
North new questions have arisen in
professional politicians to keep them
down. The people of the North have
almost torgoIteA that there is South
the republican leaders may try to raise
once more the cry of the "bloody
Shirt but it will be a blunder if they
do. The device is stale and incapable
of any longer stirring popular enthusi.
asm. If the republican party should
in the course of The canvass show itself
to be under the control of lot of ire.
concilables it would lose the sympa-
thy and support of a mass of its own
voters.
We do not pretend that it will not be
what Is called "lively canvass, but we
believe the agitation will be haelthful and
not morbid, because ii will cohceru q ques
lions which IRE real and ought to be dis
cussed and in which Intelligent men may
lake and VIII take natural and keen in
terest. The great question underlying tn
present CANVASS, and " blch Will becom
promine MT Ia IL - that Of "centraliz ttioD;
the question whether IL Is "A wise or a
unwise policy that more and greater pow
or should be concentrated in the fedora
government in IFS ordinary admins ra
ZION. On this fundamental issue partle
have always been divided in this coun
try when 1t was in a normal condition
and they always will. 1t is the natura
dividing line between parties, ana it i
one OF the promising evidences of tn
country's return to natural politics tba
this earliest and most permanent OF a
our public questions has once more oh
tained Judgement in the minds OF tn
voters.