The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-10-07
The Press on Judge Folger,s Letter.

Commenting on Judge Folgers letter ac-
cepting the Republican nomination for Gov
ernor of New York, the Herald says:
ssWe suspect that the general opinion will
be that Mr.. Folger would have done better, if
he was determined to accept to do so without
attempting to justify his action. His present
case will remind everybody of the Judge who
was warned to decide as he pleased, but never
to give reasons for his decisions. The admin
istration has, no doubt, promised to do its ut
most, with all the force of patronage, to gain
him success. The administration machine
and the Gould Conkling machine, patronage
and money, will no doubt do their. utmost to
overcome the disgust of the honest voters, and
Mr.. Folger may see the fraud and forgery to
| which he consciously owes his nomination
supplemented by other kinds of corruption to
secure his election"
The Times says:-ssU Unfortunately neither
Judge Folger's great ability, his high charac-
ter, his good Intentions, nor even the reason
able assurance that he would make an excel
lent Governor, in spite of the influences that
have been enlisted in behalf of his candidacy
can suffice to meet one of the chief objections
of those who are dissatisfied. That is fixed
beyond recall in the record of the pass. 1t is
not in his power to wipe it out. The .Repub-
licans of this State were not permitted by an
| untrammeled choice, by free exercise of
delegated power honestly and fairly executed,
to nominate their own candidate for Cover
nor, and many of them feel that they have a
principle to vindicate that is even more i'm
portant for the time being than the excellent
ideas of State and national policy which are
urged in the letter of acceptance. The situa-
ton will prove perplexing to many honest
! minds, and it is calculated to beget sincere
sorrow in the hearts of the best friends of
Judge Folger and the Republican party
| The New York Tribune says fudge Fol-
| GERS views are admirable, but it will strike
even a casual observer of the times that the
Judge has not wholly succeeded in impressing
some of his principles upon all his supporters
in the party, and, indeed, has not been en-
tirely successful in putting them in operation
in his own departments of public trust OF
Mr.. Hepburn letter the Tribune says:-'The
man on the Saratoga ticket whom nobody OBJ
jected to, and with whose nomination every
body was satisfied, finds the scandals of the
convention too heavy burden, and refuses to
stand under them. Mr.. Hepburn's letter is
modest, manly and consistent. He makes no
reflections upon the convention that nomina-
! ted him for Congressman at large, but frankly
saws that circumstances have come to light
since which prevent Republicans from regard
ing its action as authoritative. He is unwil-
ling to hold nomination under such circum-
stances, and so withdraws. He will stand all
the stronger for this with the great majority
of Republicans"
The New York World says 1.-THE election
of Grover Cleveland will clear the field OF
| State administration of thousand obstacles
with which Mr.. Folger if elected would have
found it impossible successfully to deal. 1t is
! gratifying to be able to offer such consultations
as these to the eminent candidate of the Re-
publ, IAN party, and to the thousands of est
mable though, as the World thinks, sadly
mistaken members of that party who really
desire to see the State of New York honestly
ruled and redeemed from the degradation in
hicted upon it by the INSCRIPTIONS official
career of Governor Cornell and the brazen
venality of the last Legislature. For while
Mr.. Folger's letter will hardly win for him,
perhaps, the applause of professional polite
ians, it breathes spirit of candor and of self
devotion to lost cause which must command
for him personally the respect even of his
political opponents" ..5
The Baltimore american says George
William Curtis, who had been quoted as sus-
tanning Folger's nomination, now comes Out
to decline the authorship of the articles that
conveyed that impression, and says that il
would be better for the party to be defeated
than for fraud and forgery to be victorious
This follows so closely on the heels of Judge
| Folgers letter OF acceptance as to be consld
cred very severe commentary on it.. Judge
Folger's acceptance is, indeed, gloomy and
disheartening document. He considers that
he has no right to decline the nomination
and according to some codes of political ethics
| he may be right But the code is bad. Per
sonally he is regarded as an honest man, and
he certainly had nothing to do with the for
geries and frauds that led to his nomination
but how can he accept the fruits Of these
crimes? He is now secretary of the treasury
an office second in dignity only to the pres
idency. That he should be willing under sucf
circumstances, to accept nomination fol
governor argues certain degree of unselfsh
ness that should have its recognition. Blu
the disastrous fact remains that his nomina
ton, procured as it was by disgraceful means
is party scandal and shame which deserves
defeat. The only way to avoid that defeat il
for him to decline the nomination and permi
a new convention to be called. Since he re
fuses to do this, it is idle to waist any sympa
thy upon the misfortunes which will come upo1
| him touather with tho MARTY ....