New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-02
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
POLITICAL NOVEL.

A FAMOUS VICTORY. l2mo, rp. 36S Chicago: Jan
sen, McCiurg, Co.
The unknown writer of this tory has taken for
his theme the mysteries, the ran@1vrcs, the pas
sions and the dramatic incidents OF general eiec-
ton in the United States HIS purpose is to exhibit
the worst abuses of political system and to de-
scribe the most repulsive political characters rather
than to present an entertaining narrative or a true
picture of any phase of American life or any class
of society. Two lovers stroll from time to time
across his pages and there is strike OF mlii-hands
follow we'd by incendiarism and pIllaGe but THESE
accessories are managed with little sfli, and appa-
rently have not interested even the au,Aor' lhere
is no plot there Is not even movement; the con-
struction is weak: the dialogue is unnatural; the
style is crude. As a novel the book has slight claims
to considerations Such force as il possesses lies 9i
together in the delineaton of two of 'e principal
personaces. who are drawn certainly with no great
art but with sort of rude vgor which has Is effect
The interest of tue reader will he chiefly stimulated
nv the attempt TO identity these fictitious charac-
ters with the real actors in the political enterprises
Of our day.
Probably none Of these personal sketches are IN
tended 10 be portraits They are composed OF uaits
borrowed here and there from widely separated
sources. There are some things. tor example III
the description of President Brewster which seem
like an ill-nstured carcature of Senator Blaine;
certainly taken from the cipher campaign OF Mr..
Tilden. and he has 4 house on bonanza Square
which is easily identified with GramcIcy Park.
Mr. Bnnkcrv of "injarner,' is BrcWstcT's chief
rival in the same party. but BuukeTy is IN unmis-
taxable travesty of Daniel W. VOORHEES,. Demo
Gratis and Republicans, therefore are mpartH!iy mis-
represented and when the "famous victory" Is
won bv the Inauguration Of Brewster who reaches
the White House by the purchase OF one elector ia
Idaho after the votes have been counted ana oe-
clsred nobody can tell which side tac author wishes
TO disgrace. None of the actors are patriotic, none
are sincere, none are honest. We are dragged
through scenes OF bascness and vulgar'y to
p disgusting close; and we shut the bock feeling
taat if tins WI or is Just all he public Lien OF the
United States arc coarse rocUcs and the voters are
fools. and politics is dirty business from which
respectable men should keep al Of. Let us hope
that such a libel upon country viii never fail
into the hands of foreigners who are unable to see
how false 1t Is.
The author of a Famous Victory" however,
does not despair OF the Republic. Although parties
are infamous and politicians are all corrupt ne be-
heves that there is growing mp "a body OF ird'.
pendent voters owing nothing to either party, "nu
except rs they govern with moderation with VIC
lence. fairly or corruptly, caring nothing for thcm
They will free their m nds Of cant. and re-
fuse to believe that this Government Is so mnch a
falnrc that either half of voting millions - bent
on it, Instruction. That IS 70 say lie putS all las
trust in a handful of GiettIuti who viii have "oih-
ing TO do with the business Of politics
because they think themselves roo good for II. and
vet complain because the inferior men to whom they
leave the business do not carry u on M The way they
wish: who pride themselves upon rarely VotlaG
and yet bemoan tie failure Of popular suffrage :;
who know that representative government never
I H. II ttrlDN VI,
party ana yet hold 1t proof Of supe.fine citizen
ship not 10 belong 10 any party. They believe that
The whole duty Of man consists III writing wise HI
tie ESSAYS for The niaTrd and bc'pattering the
charac ct of everybody whom people are likely 10
vote for OF the two parties which divide the coun-
fry one is notorious for its attacks upon the Ma
tional credit and It, attempts to deb9se the cur
rency the Other has always been the party oi SOUND
money and homes payments; yet II pleaScs tEc diet
tanu 10 call one just as g'ol dS the
other Onc party maintains principles which lead IN
evitaby 10 Va t;oua dissolution, ana tisno' twenty
years since that party did attempt che distinction
OF the Government; yet the political diieianl
say il "a cant to cali Republican. any better than
Democrats, They are ' independents" TIey have
cmancipat-l them-e,ve, from all pItiudict1 and
preferences IN matters Of principle, and they lo"i
N not ling bat the dct8s o. administration. lhey
throw their ballots A,thcr and trtbcr; To-Day on a
builiouist, tomorrow for srcenbacser; Tor ihe
party of free suffrage, FOR th. parry Of shoteunS
andtissue halo,s; the party Of the houdho'der:
fox the party Of fiat money and Communism. lnty
care nothing for parties except Us they govern
with moderation and fairness -; nothing for the in
tuo.ic quality II what is done, everything for the
s.yle OF doing it. The onlv principle TO winch
these futile gentlemen have ever been constant IL
politics is the principle OF competitive eXalnina-
tons in the pos;-ofce. Ii We wait ill this body
OF ev Sivc and eclectic voters " grow up we shall
never SIC the regeneration OF onr country.