New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-07
A ST1LW1RT or THE ST1TTdpTC

u IL =.
Our readers will bear witness to the reserve
with which we have treated the leaders OF fine
Stalwart faction III this time of public anxiety.
We shall for the present maintain that attitudr
without prejudice to many things we shall here
after have to discuss in relation TO tbcir can
duct We step aside for n moment to day from
the path we have chosen to take to saw ana
word III reference to the manifesto printed Inv
Mr.. Conkllng in his organ, in which he has fine
cllrOnicry to break the silence so becoming to
INN under the circumstances, and to attack the
Administration Republican press for some
things 1t has not done. Neither Mr. Conhlino
nor his friends will gain any sympathy by falsely
complaining that the Administration DoDcrs
have "lnSlnuatcd" that they "instigatcd thc
assassination" THE TRIBUNE at least does not
lnsinuatc anything. 1t states precisely what il
means, no more and no less, namely: That Mr..
Roscoe Conkling and his friends, who have
made savage fractional warfare upon the
President, and have done everything in their
power to break down respect for him and to
iniamc the bad passions of their followers ia the
utmost, caused a state of things of which assas
sihatlon was Il not unnatural result That they
were utterly blind to the consequences of tbcr
acts may well be believed 1t does not chonyc
the fact that those acts were blamcworthy. Mr..
COnkling asserts strongly that it is utterly i'm
possible that he should have consciously or in
tcntiOnally instigatcd such n crime. but no one
had said or suggested that he had done 81.
When u child, in its mad rage, kicks over the
table, upsets a lamp sets the house on fire. and
burns people to death, nobody supposcs that
the child intended murder Mr. Conklng has
been acting like child in fit of passion. His
friends have initiated his example, some show
ing even less sense of the nature and consc
qucnces of their acts. Great mischief has re-
suited. That is the naked fact, and we do not
wonder that the plain statement of it gals MIR.
COnkling.
This is no time for ungcncrOus or unkind
words. The shadow of u terrible calamity
softens the spirit, and prompts us all to seek
with sincere humility to amend those faults in
American political life which have brought this
shame upon the Nation. Many others have
sinned besides MIR. COnkling; in some things
his foes AZ well as his friends. When we see
what incaculabc results may follow from that
unbrdled Indulgence of the frenzy of faction
INTO which Mr.. Conkling has led his followers. it
Is TO DE hoped that all men will strive as much
as possible to avoid that spirit for themselves
ana to repress it i'll others. But it is a time to
speak plainly, though not uncharuably. II can
40 no good, but will do great harm, to represent
That nobody has been to blame, and that one
1anatlcal Stalwart is the only person in all this
land who has done anything wrong That pre-
tence Is not only untrue, but it is shockingly in
decent. For the world knows that Mr. Coplz-
ing has done everything in his power to
destroy the character of the brave and true
statesman who lies ut the door of death has
accused him of falschood, gross and habitual
bad faith, shameful cowardicn and base treach-