National Republican., 1881-09-03
A Plea for Deccncy.

MIR Whitelaw Reid on the New York
Tribune should feel called upon to fire up
that machine TO its fullest capacity. He
is the only person among all the readers
Of the Tribune who does not laugh at his
swelling conceit. Malvolio was self-dis-
trust itself compared with him; nay,
even Whitelaw Reid would struggle
IN vain to rise to such an alti-
tude of impudent pomposity. There
is no limit to the cheek, 20 rival
70 the humidity of this cheap Jack of the
press. lie will order an earthquake for
his breakfast and destroy dynasty for
exercise afterward. The power of pro-
motion and of disfranchisement are his.
The Constitution guarantees no right that
cannot be set aside at his will, and it is
doubtful If Congress could pass any law
which he could not suspend. He writes
for the pumpkins who delight in the mar
velous and the hysterical, and deals in
such phrases as mountebanks use to in
veigle the verdant into side-shows of cir
cuses, where double-headed calves and
wild Australian children meet their
somewhat disappointed gaze.
The newest pastime of this fatulent
prodigy is to summon Vice-President
Arthur before him by wave of his goose
quill, and then, imagining the summons
TO have been obeyed, to announce the ex-
tent TO which the ticket-of-leave about
TO be given him is intended to restrain
him Of his liberty. The latest exhibition
Of this kind is contained in Tribune
editorial upon the call of the Repub-
lican State Convention of New York
The State Central Committee named
October as the time and New York
city as the place. The mighty Taper.
tit of the Tribune Office, after expressing
in a lofty manner his satisfaction with
the time, proceeds to Ego for" the place
He snarls at New York city first because
board is too high for country delegates,
and Tappertit feels for them and, Sec
ondly, because the hotels are so much
IA rther apart than they are in the inte-
rior towns. But these feeble reasons are
soon found to be false ones. He breaks
through the restraint he had intended
should conceal his spite, and comes for
ward at the well-known high-key of G
Tribune shrieker, than whom hell knows
no greater fury save a woman scorned
Hear him:
II is said-and the statement may as well bC
frankly met-that the choice af.sew York citAsL II
earrietd through &c committee in order thattfi-
powerful Influence of the New York machine may
be used to aid the friends of Mr.. Conkling and thai
also Mr.. Conklng himself, and especially General
Arthur may be able to use their influence with the
convention without being delegates and without
having any open connection with the gathering.
Can it be possible that Mr. Conkling i:
long ere this the Tribune gang had way
laid him and, acting upon the exhorta
ton of Marat Halstead, had "knocket
him down and dragged him out" W.
would have wagered pair of lavender
colored pants that he was at the footstoo
of Lo Sessions begging for his life Of
confined in the lower level of the donjor
keep of the Castle Tribune. When We
realize that not only he but Genera
Arthur may "use their influence with
the convention" without any "open con
nection with the gathering" we begin tc
appreciate the direful import of the
1riJ,me's editorial. True, the TriJun
had been loudly assuring us that Mr.
Conkling had no influence, and that thu
Vice-President had so far been alienateC
from him as to secure partial and con
ditional restoration to citizenship. AnC
now after all it appears that these word
of hope we're false, and that General Ar
thur and Mr.. Conkling are at it agail
with that awful machine" The TriJun
zany proceeds:
1t is true that much can be done In great cit
which would be impossible in small one. Whe
the politicians want to hold conference whic
shall really be secret one they lose themselves 4
the Wilderness OF New York.
This is intended as an echo of the falls
statement in ilalstead's paper that ther
had been secret conference al at the Vice
Pre5idGnt's house to consider the stua
ton at Washington. The Tribune prob
ably had representative among tn
eavesdropping key-hole brigade whicl
the Vice-President drove from his door
steps a few evenings ago, saying that per
haps they ought to be turned over to tn
police. The Tribune proceeds;
General Arthur, It is said could not go to Sara
toga 10 help the enemies OF the AdministratiO
without causing second scandal like that of Al
bany but in New York he could perhaps hol
much the same relations with members Of the con
vention without giving tangible evidence of o
improprety.
Thus far it is said " has done the talk
ing. at is said" that "the enemies O
the Administration are doing some
thing. And pray whoare the enemies O
the Administration? And who is tn
Administration? Is it the President
Who are his enemies? Is there q fight I
be made overhis PROSTATE body for some
body's advantage? He has no enemies
1t is false to say that he has. Tn
ID of July hushed every soun
of hostility and extinguished ever
feeling of harshness toward hin
What vile wretches are they who propos
to profane his suiierings by hawking thel
about fortheir own political profit? Wha
jackals are they which would fatten o
the wounds of the living? There is NJ
Stalwart Republican in the land VIII
would not do more to alleviate the sufie
ings of the President and rejoice more
his recovery than any Of the men VIII
pretend to believe that General Arthr
or any of his friends would aid the en-,
mics of the President, if any there b
The Tribune goes on to say
For ourselves, we shall refuse to believe that |
eontemplates course so unworthy Of himself,
the high office he holds and the still higher Off
10 which he mny vet hV Il dread event be Calie