Litchfield enquirer., 1880-07-01
Another Machine Smashed

Another Maca1ne 0maSueu
 The Tilden machine has very speedily fol lowed the Grant machine and the Blaine machine into the limbo of political failures. In both our great political conventions, the wire pullers, though pulling never 90 cunning ly, have failed to pull successfully. We con- gratulate the country on this most promising opening of the great political campaign of 1880. The plotters are beaten before the real fighting has begun. What is left is square stand-up fight between the Democratic and Republican parties, to decide which is to have the national administration for four years to come.
 We win do the Democracy the justice of acknowledging that they have not only smashed their machine-with the shrewd in- consistency of an organization which holds persons more strongly than it holds principles, they have made very adroit political move the nomination of Hancock dampens good deal of Republican powder. The outcry against sSolid South," the "Rebel Brigadiers," a ''Ccpperhead Revival" which would certain ly have followed the nomination of Mir. Bay ard, will hardly prove effective against one of the most brilliant Union soldiers the war made prominent. No one can seriously expect a resumption of the rebel debt, restoration of slavery, or a revival of the war, should Han- cock become president. We should have ex- pected nothing of the kind from Bayard. Many Stalwart Republicans would have ex- pected just that. We are glad therefore that such nomination has been made as will bring both parties down to real issues and put fac ticious issues to rest. The "bloody shirt" will be less useful flag than sanguine Republican orators have expected; and, we are happy to believe, the contest will assume less of a sec- tlonal aspect than any which has occurred since the election of Pierce in 1852. ..- !.
 We hope, also, that there will be partial cessation of mud-thrswing. Of course certain Republican papers may revive certain sen- ational stories about the hanging of Mrs. Suratt The only place where this sort of aspersion will have any effect will be in the South, where the Democracy are too strong to be beaten by sentiment. No Northern Democrat cares how many Suratts Gen. Han- cock hung, provided he can carry Indiana in October, and New York in November.
 While, however, the nomination of Han- cock strengthens the weakest part of the Dem- ocratic line. there is another portion which, as the matter now stands, lies more than ever open to attack One of the first questions fer the next president and congress to settle is whether the American dollar is to be worth 90 or 100 cents in gold. The matter IS now in abeyance. Silver dollars, worth but 90 cts., each, in gold, are accommodating in the Treas ury. A year or two must determine wheth- CT they are to take the place of the gold dol lar, which is new the basis of values among us, or whether the coinage of further useless heaps of these unacceptable, silver tokens" Is to stop, forever It is no matter what the Republican platform says on this point, for we all know Garfield and that he stands where Hayes, Sherman, and Grant have stood, un- alterably opposed to making the 'buzzard" dollar the unit of American currency. The Democratic platform merely declares for ''henest money, consisting of gold and silver, and paper convertible to coin on demand" In other words, 1t says nothing, absolutely noth- ing, on the vital point at issue.
 Here, then. is 8 vast gap in the Democratic line of defence which must prove fatal in the hard money States of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut unless Gen. Hancock himself, in his letter of acceptance, closes it against Republican attack. He need not say word about the South. We understand thoroughly that he is loyal Union soldier, and protesta- tions on that head will be superfuous; but is he for the gold dollar or silver dollar as the practical unit of our currency? On this point his fine military record throws no light. Yet is there any doubt, not fictitious but real, which is 80 dangerous to the prosperity of the Union as this? If Hancock takes hls place frankly by the side of Garfield on this issue, we shall not vote for him, for we believe it better that the effect of the Solid South on the working out of the problem of final Re- construction should be offset by Republican control of the national government, but we should expect nothing disastrous from his election. On the other hand, if he shirks the question of honest money, we shall be com. pelled to believe that his election will be some. thing worse than disaster, it will be dishon- or!
 We expect no such evasion, however, from the distinguished soldier the Democracy have chosen as their leader. Even placing the mat ter on the low level of political expediency Gen. Hancock cannot afford to trife with the hard money sentiment of the ''pivotap states of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut Here weakness would prove his ruin. He must support the honest dollar and repudiste any debasing of it's value, if he expects to carry g single Northern Atlantic State.
 There is. of course, an inconsistency, almost ludicrous inconsistency, in the Democratic choice of a gentleman who is not only sol- dier, but mere soldier, for their presidential candidate. We, cannot but smile at the thought of William w. Easton on the stump for Hancock What becomes of all the wis dom that has been for years accomplishing in the files of our Democratic papers, regarding the folly of turning good military officers into poor civil officers But small portion of Grants life has been spent in the army, while Hancock has never been civilian for even day since he arrived at mans estate The nomination of Greeley in '72, though more in- consistent in appearance was less inconsistent in reality than this nomination of Hancock Mr. Greeley, though an intense personal ene- my of Democracy for lifetime. came to rep. resent principle to which Democracy scceded. What principle of Democracy, old or new, does Gen. Hancock represent9 The simple truth is that his nomination is not g nomination of principle, it is nomination oi expediency. Indeed 1t derives much of its strength from a sacrifice of principles the De-