New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-17

4 GREAT FORCE IN THE C1MPAIGN.
-Four Presidential campaigns since the War
have been Signalizcd by four remarkable series
of speeches, delivered under conditions certain
to test the intellectual and moral fibre of the
speakers, by four Presidential candidates IT
is nearly sixteen years since Mr.. Greeley 5
death, but among the most vivid recolectons
Of living men of both parties who were then
voters is the effect produced upon their minds
by the astonishing vigor, penetration and va
riety Of the arguments in which he advocated
the movement that he headed. Eight years
later General Garfield surprised even those who
were most familiar with his resources, and it
was felt when the campaign of 1880 ended
with his triumphant election that no candidate
could ever hope to Surpass him in versatility,
in logic, and in the skill with which he adapted
his reasoning and his rhetoric TO the varying
sympathieS and interests of those who heard
him. But four years ago, while public recol-
lection Of the great part that Garfield had
played in 1880, revvilied by his pathetic death,
was still keen and tender, Mr. Blaine taught
thousands who had supposed they knew him
well before that his powers were actually far
That marvellous presentation Of vital truths
was again thought to be the ultimate standard
below which all future candidates in orr time
must expect to fall but Mr. Blaine himself
would be among the first to declare that Cen
eral Harrison has nothing to fear from com
parison with any of his predecessors. Early in
the campaign a stream of cheap wit, OCCASION
ally taking on the familiar Democratic attri-
butes of SANDER and falsehood, was spured in
his direction. The managers Of his campaign
were magnanimously advised to sequester the
Republican candidate, permitting him occasion
ally to shake hands with an enthusiastic par
tiSan, but on no account to come in contact
with doubtful voter, and never under any
circumstances to open his mouth in public. As
the campaign advanced it was interesting to
observe that the Dem cratic newspapers one
after another quietly discarded that widowed
chaff and set busly to wOrk't see if by any
possibility they could make some sort of eff
fectivc response to the deadly fire which Gen
eral Harrison was quietly pouring in upon them
from day to day until now about the only
depreciation of his speeches is an occasional
spaSmodic wall from those Democratic sons Of
perdition, "The New-York Times" and "Tho
Evening Post"
The fact Island it is fact which Repub
leans cannot too gratefully Acknowledged
no feature of their campaign has been moro
helpful and inspirting than General IIarriSon's
speeches. Lucid, manly, sensible, acute, in
variaby dignifed, and rising to genuine and
unaffected eloquence when the theme and the
surroundings were such as TO touch his own
heart and the hearts of those before him, they
have set the issues of the campaign in the pure
white light Of truth. But they have done even
more than this-they have served to reveal
The man. In the last Weeks Of the struggle
which means so much to him, to his party and
to the country, he stands before the people
without fear and without reproach, wise stead
fast, forceful-and a gentleman.