New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-09
MR.. C1RPENTER'S EXCUSE.

N IL.
1t seems incredible that any sensible poll
tician could have considered Mr.. Carpenters
letter of acceptance helpful to him or his
party. Not for many years, IL ever, has there
been a more pitiable exhibition than is made
in this letter. More than three -fOurths OF it is
devoted to a plea for the regularity of the
convention, an excuse for making Mr.. Madden
its temporary chairman, a claim that he, MIR.
Carpenter, had "A right to give office TO either
wing of the party, a denial that his own nOmi-
nation was the fruit of a bargain to give the
convention to the machine provided it would
make him candidate for Licutenant-G OvernOr,
and pitiful plea for mercy from those whose
Indignation might prompt them to refuse him
their votes. But it is amazing that Mr.. Car
penter should imagine such paper calculated
to do him any good Nearly the whole OF the
letter is in the tone beftting only the cheapest
place-hunting politician, who cares nothing for
principles excepting as means of getting
Office, and who imagincs that Republican voters
want the success of their party only in order
to get places for themselves or their friends.
1t is not becoming in n gentleman nominated
for the honorable and dignifcd Office of Lieu
tenant-Governor to put his claims for support
upon such low level. II the occasion was
indeed such as to call for such plea from the
candidate for an Office 50 high. it was such as
to call for his retirement from the ticket.
Mr.. Carpenters main appeal, and that of
those to whom he has allied himself, is thus
expressed in his letter: 81 am unable to
"divine how Republicans can WIN in the
"present or future by killing each other" On
the other hand, it seems to a large number of
Republicans of Buffalo that the only way to
save the party is to kill off the trading poll
ticians who dishonor it. They say, i'll letter
said to be signed by ex-senator Rogers and
1000 other Republicans of Erie County:
We believe that the nomination OF Mr.. b. Platt Car
penter was secured by bargain that II he would vote
he did he should have the nomination Of Lieutenant
Governor. We believe such proceeding amounts to
bribery and corruption, ana Is entirely unrepubllcan.
=. We believe that the nominations for Governor
II UcutenantGOyernor were secured at the Saratoga
Convention through fraud forgery Federal int difference
and corruption and that they in true represent
the will of the Republican party. We say, therefore,
that much opposed 10 fraud, forgery and cor
mption when pracscd by or In the OF the Repub
Hcan party. when the same pracised in
the Southern States or in the City Of NeSYork else
where. We believe these sentiments to De in
entire harmony with the principles Of the Republican
party. We also believe that If the Republican party
forsake these principles, the people will forsake the
Republican party.
Here are two radically different views of the
matter, both strongly expressed. One clement
believes that the Republican party must be so
decent honorable and faithful to its princi-
pies as to deserve success, or it cannot sue
coed. The other believes that any wrong or
fraud should be tolerated, and that any dis
regard of Republican convictions and princi-
pies should be justified, in order to keep the
Democrats out Of Office Ii is left for Rcpub-
ican voters to say which is the right view.
Mr.. Carpenter is entirely right in saying
that no true Republicans, in a moment of
" temporary disappointment or pctulance, will
"sacrIice alike principle and interest to feel
cling of dishonorable revenge" He may be
certain that they will not Those who have
done just that thing in the past; those who
have repeatedly stabbed Republican candi-
dates and sacrificed Republican tickets to
ga feeling of dishonOrable revenge" are con-
spcuous among the Administration men, with
whom he is now acting. Very different mo-
tives govern the men who strive to make the
Republican party more pure, moro worthy,
and therefore more successful, by suppressing
machine dictation, bOssism, fraud and cor
ruption, whenever they appear. The motives
of such men canuot be challenged. They will
answer 10 their consciences as to the wisdom