New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-26
car FOE THUNDER.

The time seems 10 have arrived lof the pclh-
ocratic statesmen to assemble IN some remote
and sufficiently gloomy spot and chant IN
chorus: I'VE live in vale" An attack Of
Gloom appears to have fallen upon all OF them.
The philoscpbic ant phllauthrcpic Flower a
we have seen, is "sad concerning the con
dition OF the lahorng man. MI iildcn has
Idle hope oil the republic because OF the
general tendency to conoone fraud AMI forget
It's shrickcys But the rlocinirsi man OF all Is
our hitherto genial and agile friend the Hon.
:. 5. Cox. lie is almost in despair about he
hopeless condition of our cutue diplomatic ser
vice. A few weeks ago an lri>h-Amercan cit
zen, who is in Ireland for the purpose OF writ
ing inccndiary letters to a commuulstic Irish
newspaper published in this city was arrested
on suspicion. \ prompt effort was made III
thIs country to have the arrest considered M
outrage, and several energetic Irish syinpa
thizers, including the hysterical World news
paper. worried themselves into q state OF great
excitement and loudly demanded the Interior
ence of the American Government Before
ihev were well delivered of their demands. the
arrested man was released, and several rounds
of decorating ammunition were discovered to
have been wasted. One OF the men who "got
left III this unexpected manner was Mr.. Cox
We have rarely peruscd more solemn and
impassioned epistle than the one in which Mr..
Cox defined his views on this promising but
brief case of British oppression. lie began by
denouucing it as displaying "wanton AFRO
gance," and passed at once to the bold declar-
alton that true patriotism should demand,
without moments hesitation, not merely
apology but indemnity and security" That
sounds almost as if Mr.. Cox were ready for war
with England in case this modest demand were
refused. Such Haunting of valor Is unusua!
wish him. Heretofore he has been content 20
stand more or less quietly in the background
and yell iii var" while his fiery friend Rob
inson twisted the tail of the British lion. His
anger is short-liyed, however for it occurs to
him that the American Minister Is not likely
TO dencunce the outrage rs 1t deserves, and
he tAercupOn becomes sad. =" have done all
" ia my power" hc says, to inspire orr dipio-
matte representatives with the spirit of our
laws, and to lift the flag into a pWer atmos-
"phcre, with loftier purpose but al
most air ] have cnicavOred to do has
been in vain" Let Us pause here moment
TO wipe away tear. The spectacle of Mr.. Cox
trying to LIT the flag into purel atmosphere
with loitier purpose and trying in vain, is
very pathetic. Nobody supposed from the an
ties he aud Robinson were performing that that
was their game. We wonder what an atmos-
phere with "A loltier purpose would be any way
But Mr.. Cox. though sad, does not give up
the fight All he wants is little more help.
The job is too big for him and Robinson but
that does not prove that it cannot be done.
" Let the people speak ont" he declares, " H.
sometimes they do, with inimitahc thunder,
" and even our present supine Administration
may be aroused to action That is, what is
wanted is some genuine thunder. The bogus,
sheet-iron kind supplied by Cox and Robinson
does not do the business. II raises Il great
clatter but it does not brighten anybody.
That is the view we have always taken Of it,
but we never expected 10 live to see Mr. Cox
confess TO it,. Why he should put some OF the
sham thunder in the first part OF his letter, and
put plea for the genuine, nimitable article at
the close, Is a little mystifying, bat probably
the sudden rush of emotion betrayed him into
an unconSc burst of truth. He can rest
assured that when the inimitablc thunder -
does come the dealers in the bogus article will
be thrown out OF business.