The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-07-06
.CHAnACrER IN THE CAMPAIGN.

Elsewhere we reproduce the opinion, pro
nounced sometime previous to his nomina
ton, and by an independent republican
paper, upon the distinguished officer who i
now the democratic candidate for the presi
dencv. 1t accords him no stinted measure o
praise but its highly eulogistic terms are no
falsely flattering, and to become convince,
that this is so we have only 10 consider the
attitude OF the republican partisan press o.
to. day. Some months before the conventions
met, and in the days when the denomination
of Tilden was looked upon as a foregOne
conclusion, no one could detect the slightest
unwillingness on the part of the republican
press to engage in the pastimc known as
.mui throwing" This exercise was entered
upon rather prematurely, it is true, but it was
mud throwing for all that. We used to hear
all about Tilden's cipher dispatches his in
come tax frauds; railroad wrecking; the
theft of his books from the investigating
committee, etc, etc. There was no scarcity
of pre-campaign literature of this class, and
it was only when the journals thus ptlting
with mud the sage Of GramerCy Park per-
ceived they were doing their opponents a SER
vice in rendering impossible tie candidacy of
the man who would have proved the weakest
candidate they could possibly have drought
forward, that they changed their tactics, and
from lamentations without limit began heap
ing culogies upon Tilden as by matter Of
right the candidate of the democratic party !;
the man whose claims on the party could not
in justice be ignored. But the bait did not
take. MIR. Tiluen was not nominated; but
instead a man whose official record and priv
ate character are alike absolutely without
Flemish was selected when General Winfield
S. Hancock was presented to the American
people as the democratic nominee for the
presidency. This choice has placed the re-
publicans IN a decidedly awkward predica-
ment, iuasmuch as it leaves on their hands a
large stock Of :. mud for which they have
no use whatever. When the convention met
they were supplied with Tilden mud in
abundance. Bayard mud aud even Seymour
mud; but unfortunately the most vigorous
search had not procured for them the least
Spcck Of the Hancock mud. Of which they
are now so soreIy in need. Against Hancock
as a man, rs a citizen, Us Il soldier or as a
patriot no charge Of the least importance can
be brought, and thus it happens that the re-
publican organs suddenly find themselves
disarlucl, in being deprived Of the weapons
which they So willingly used in the prei.mia-
airy work Of the campaign.
Recognizing the situation, they lave lately
been addressing the democrats in somewhat
the following iaShion:-"See here this thing
of dragging personalities into political con-
!ests is really discraceful. Let's quit it, and
show that We have reached a higher plane OF
civilization than that of the early days.
Lets discuss principles; not men. Let's
have a hish-toned campaign, run on purely
scientific principlcs.' To this the democrats
reply :-"That would be all right, provided
the personal advantages of our candidates
were anywhere near equal. But they are
not. Your candidate is weak o rs is strong,
1t Is true that General Garfield is tried every
day in the newspapers and acquitted but in
view of the little fact that Il Congressional
committee, presided over by the republican
Poland, refused to eNonerate him from The
charges laid at his door, We rather think VIC
shall continue to keep the matter before the
people. and make what capital we can OFT o
the questionable character of the man yCl
were foolish CROUCH to nominate" Anal Ia,
| dan, a.,pf = o,a ripIt rho frI rt s ntjnrinIn
not men is no: Of to-day. A our plcsen
stage Of political development the persona
character OF the man whom We elevate to tht
presidency is a matter Of immense lmpor
tance. II we doubt it, We need only reElem
Der the administration Of General Grant j
We would have proof. Grant, so far rs hi
intentions were concerned, was neither dis
honest no" III any manner dishonorabl" il
discharging the duties OF his Office. Never
theless it is not to be questioned that lie is
man Of very rbtusr moral perceptions, an,
when we remember the lOwness of tone pei
vading his administrations in consequence G
that Obtusenes>, we are fully justified inlook
lag sharply after the record Of the nomine;
that we may not Inadvertently elect as pres
dent a man who would rGenact the perform
ances OF the Grant regime. The fact of til
matter is, a fortunate nomination has put tn
democrats in the aggressive and they are NJ
going to abandon the least of the advantage
Of their strong position.
In New York, Il DR.. Tanner, otnerwi:
known as The Minnesota fasting man. has Ill