New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-06-21
HELPING ASsASSlNs AND FoRGERS.

| Neither the Republican nor the Democratic
party has changed, in character, aims cOntroll-
ing elements or ruling tendencies, since the last
Presidential election. This circumstance is
mentioned for the benefit of gentlemen who
seem to think that the Republican party has
somehow become much worse than it was, or
| the Democratic party much less offensive, be-
cause they have themselves met with personal
disappointment.
Neither has changed. The Republican party
which elected General Garfield to the Presi-
dency. and thus elevated Mr.. Blaine to the head
OF the Cabinet, was exactly the same in every
essential respect as the party which now pro-
poses to make Mr.. Blaine President. There are
| some men who would like to ignore this fact.
But they know it is true.
The Democratic party, which is at present
discussing what kind of mask it will put on this
year, is exactly the same party which tried to
win with Hancock and a tariff for revenue
| only in 1880. It is the same party which con-
cocted an infamous forgery, the MOrey letter,
and sent it all over the land in order to defeat
the peoples will. 1t is the same party which
upheld Mr.. Tilden in trying TO steal the vote of
! Oregon, and in trying to buy the votes of South
| Carolina and Florida. 1t is the same party
which made his success possible by systematic
assassination of prominent Republicans, by ter
rorism, false counts and forged returns, through
out the South. If any man thinks 1t has
changed, because he has sustained personal
disappointment, he deceives himself. His tenn
per may have changed. The infamous party
remains the same.
When Mr.. Curtis writes or Mr.. Beecher utters
q word designed to break down the Republican
party, he is doing what he can to reward the
forgers of 1880, and to crown with final success
the assassins of 1876. He is offering to turn
over the Government to the party which tried
to steal the vote of Oregon, and failed to bride
the electors of South Carolina. These gentle
men cannot afford to deceive themselves, be-
cause the country cannot be deceived. 1t will
remember, if they do not. 1t remembers all the
infamies which have brought upon the Demo
cratic party the execratiOn OF the civilized
world, and asks with what prete1t these gentle
men can now propose to surrender the Govern
ment to such party.
No honest man can claim that the party has
changed its nature, its ruling tendencies, its
spirit, or its constituent elements. Three con-
tested election cases have been decided by the
of law and evidence. Mr.. Curtis knows that
these acts are as infamous as the attempt to
steal the vote of Oregon. Murders at Danville
and COpiah have but recently engaged the at
tention of the House, which justifles them by
refusing to censure the assassins even in the
faintest terms Mr. Beecher knows that this
refusal, in every moral aspect, reveals the same
spirit that assassinated leading Republicans
throughout the South.
At this hour, the party is hesitating whether
to nominate a Governor who shields city officials
indicted for crime in NewYOrk, or Il Governor
who was charged by his own party with having
bought his nomination and his election in Ohio.
If it passes these, it hesitates next between Mr.
Flower, who spent money like water in Con-
gressional district here, or Mr.. Payne, whose
command OF Standard Oil and other millions
was declared by leading Democrats the secret of
his election to the Senate in Ohio. And If, by
any accident, the party should turn from such
agencies, it is expected to nominate either Mr..
Bayard, the lifelong Southerner, or Mr.. Nc