New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-10-17
HUMoRS OF THE CAMPAIGN.
h, ny CHARLES T. coNGpON.


rnn COMIC BUSINESS OF THE kLxcnoN-rh'
cAR.caruRRs-rHE MsN WHO DO NOT MARCH
AT ALL
voth;ny seems 10 stimulate the American pro-
pensity for fun like the election OF fiesiuoh''
Soon as the candidates are announced we ou'S'
into humor revel in burlesque, and SURRENDER o"'
selves to the cOnundrum OF earica'"re ihe'o
elections to a great many people, have no DOUBT
are a serious business Their conseicnccs d"'ing
the canvass are uncommonly lively; and wonld
not give a penny for the future OF the kepuohc IL
they were not. All through the fuss and ifet anu
fume of the contest think with respect OF 'hese
honest mei,--how they arc unswayed by PERSONA
interest how they have no hunger Tor o'n."' "o"
thew are innocent of the least com'nenda"ie ie'uc
of our politics l glad to believe ID 'i'eir s'a.,
wart integrity. l glory in their inteineenoo' IL
they are true 10 party, know that IL is BECAUSE
PARTY is substantially true to them ldeduee no'n
their fidelity the future of the Republic, and see
il growing greater and surer through the ages De
cause in nv day and generation il was purer than
it's methods and from seeming evil still educed
constant good.
After the National Conventions it is curious to
notice how many citizen puts himself upon the
mi rire He has received the keynote, and talks
and even busters accordingly. Never was any nooy
else 30 he is of success lie snuhs victory
from afar. He I'D SCOTS at the p"sS DIZZY Oh
defeat and putting his hand in his pocket he oHerS
10 wager much more money than he has IN MS itne
date possession that his favorite will win the
prize. 1t is quite enough for him to meet any
man who thinks differently. The rencon,re al once
ARKANSAS him He makes personal matter OIL H.
Tc considers himself insultcd by doubts. lie has
the most enormous estimate of his private "pinioh
DO YOU want to let il :" is the best weapon ne
knows Want to beti Why, of course the other
man wants to bet. Out comes his pockct-pook'
They stand face face with each other, ana snake
their money i'll a minatOry manner. ms Is one Oh
the funniest features of the campaign. For, mark
Won! neither of those who are bullying each other
know anything about the matter positively. Each
reads his newspaper; each freQuents his club; ana
each marches in the professions of his party. III
is possible that neither, in any event, expects any
personal advantage from the result 1T is certain
that the man may bring his pocket-book INTO the
controversy with no particular hope of rcplenshing
il But he is upon that side, and he does not choose
to be chaffed and bluffed He may glare at the
other nerson he may shake his fist of five clenched
fingers at him he may get himself INTO an hlorul
nate rage without the least reason; but when you
come To inouire into the cause of his connection,
Won will find that the secret of all is that he has
taken a side and he means Loyalty to stand by IT,
IT is encouraging to believe that he has taken IL
honestly. The appeal may have been TO his emo
lions his prejudices, his inherited notions; but he
is honest and he really thinks that his opponent Is
dishonest mistaken. AT any rate his party Is
his marty: he knows where he stands; and he is
not to be lightly moved. Human nature Is iona Oh
difference and he has great deal Oh huinah
nature under his waistcoat.
tits worth while to notice how the campaign en-
livens everybody 1t is quito surprising 70 notice
the fecundity of Jokes in the newspapers There is
nh undercurrent of gufiaw in the coumns-we have
puns. irony, burlesque. and plenitude OF lam
poons The grave made ridiculous. weak
words are put into the strongest mouths Inc
serious is reduced to a sheer. Awful disclosures are
in order and sometimes il is only necessary ana
proper, at this most judicial season, that theV
should he made. ,SoInetimeS there are und ana
sometimes bold mendacties the insinuation
and then the plump assertions the lie is gwen, and
the lie is retorted and still 90 on accusation anu
fecriminaton charge and cOuntercharge. and all
The noisy miscellany of the quarrel. l should be
sorry and lonesome with all my countrymen thus
at odds if did not have side of my own /
know very well which party / think TO be in the
right In all this pother | find balance OF III
tegrity of policy, of prudence; and II carries me
with il. But cannot make public manners ana
political methods to suit himself. ] must accept
Hail Columbia" as it is played. Apart from po-
Iical contentious; with no reference TO the doubt
whether this man is to have Office and that
man another: understanding that much which is
small and much which is degrading mngleS IN our
politics, 1 am that there Is something 10
choose; that there is right and wrong; and
regard all the efforts of my party to keep last hold
of the popular heart and hand with hope that as
II has succeeded often, it may succeed again ana
again. | cannot fix upon the time when it will not
be needed though the time may come, when these
ears shall have become deaf to the loudest huzzas
e min hall
columns no longer.
Ii is nothing new that elections should make the
carica turists busy in this age of wood-engiavlng
and cheap lithographing. As there are so many OF
them | wish that the pictures deslgnedly droil
could be lust IA little droer and not so nearly hat
and stale the jokes III some OF the newspapers L
think that the drollest of the whole Is that the
whole should be so little dro. Ii appears ungra-
cious when one is expected to laugh and only grows
graver and gray er. / have before me great heap
of the caricatures which the present canvass mas
occasoned. Perhaps there is huinor in them. but 1
cannot find it, All are in a alike. All the
candidates are depicted doing impossible things and
arranging themselves III impossible situations
They are climbing mountains. crossing rivers in
boats or walking in at front doors. or sitting upon
thrones: they are either shooting each other or
embracing each other, or standing III meaningless
tableaux; and the artist evidently first designs a
situation and then compes these poor candidates
to pose in it most awkwardly. 1t is all mess and
a middle. General Hancock is brought forward in
a Roman toga Mr. Garfield is exhibited as a wild
Indian AL the statesmen upon the scene are as
much transrnogrifed poor Bottom in the play.
There was never anything seen on earth snch rs
these pictures represent; and we may be pretty
sure that there never will he. The reason why
they are not more successful is that they have no
yerisimitude TO the time and place. While they
should flash themselves into recognition they
require 10 be studied. We pore over them as we