The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-03-31

HAiNlty WIN, tue means 10 WHICH ne owed MS
seat in the Senate was beloved by no one at all
familiar with his character should lead
democratic senator's to stand between aim and
an impending scandal was natural, but why
the investigation demanded by the republicans
of Ohio should be dedied by any republican
senator cannot be explained, even at this late
hour. In Ohio the controversy was one Of equal
Importance and acrimony aud Mr. Halstead
threw all the combatlve elements Of his eSsent
ally comhative character into the fight. and
especially against the obdurate republican
senators. From his party standpoint he
was entirely in the right. He did what any
other live and honest journalist would have
done and should have done under the circum-
stances That he may have been too rough in
his methods of attack IS beside the question
He had the truth of IL in his premises, was sin
cere and upright in his purposes, and little
excess of temper, more or less does not mete-
rally affect the case. He is punished,
therefore, by those of his own party
whom he dared TO call to account Tor
doing his duty as partisan and as journalist.
The democrats OF the Senate have assisted
these republicans Of the Senate to punish him.
and thus dual notice is served by both parties
in the Senate upon the journalists Of America,
to the effect that whenever senator is pub
lcly criticised he will bide his time to get bis
revenge, by stabbing his critic in the back--in
the dark. Possibly the democrats of the
Senate, and particularly the democratic
senator's from the southern states, think
that they are getting even,with Mr.. Halstead
for his abuse OF the south. But even II this
we're so, their position would be at once incon-
sistent and injudicious. With fight over the
confirmation of Justice Lamar and the ready
confirmation of any confederates to foreign
posts OF honor, in our mind it lies
not in our mouth to talk about sectional
revenges Such talk cannot fail TO do more
execution at the breach than at the muzzle,
and, in the long run, must recoil upon our
selves II puts a stop to our protests against
prescription, and places powerful weapon in
the hands of our enemies, We do not question
any southern senator's sincerity or right to
vote against Mr.. Halstead; nor do We
set up any claim of Mr.. Hal
stead upon our forbearance. We are
not aware that he. or any Of his friends, have
made the slightest appeal to us in this regard.
But.we thought, and still we think. that it would
have been far better public policy, and, at the
same time, far nobler revenge il Mr. Halstead
had owed his rescue in the house Of his friends
to those whom he has so necessarily, and so
unjustly, but so openly. assailed the
incarnation OF all that is intolerant aud ire
concilable Every forgiving action done, and
every kind and generous word spoken on occa.
sons of trouble and trial by sectional and po.
litical antagonists one to another, tends to heal
up the breaches between the people and to bind
up the wounds of the war; and to
OF countrymen and brothers. When
Horace Greeley went to Richmond
to sign the bail bond of Jefferson Davis when
Lamar laid wreath of flowers upon the coffin
of Charles Sumner, when the south accepted
Greeley as its Moses, when Johnston AMI Lee
and Buckner followed the bier of Grant to the
bOulD. steps were taken OUT OF Llb llOFAsS OF
mirtrust and strife, anu toward the high and
solid ground Of national ratification. and the end
of sectionalism. We had hoped that in the case of
Mr.. Halstead, which offered a striking opportu-
nifty for the display of a large and liberal party
spirit there would have been found in the Sen
ate enough senator's from the south big enough
IN brain and heart to see this, and brave enough
to act upon it, and we can only regret that in
this hope we have been disappointed. We are
more so because Mr.. Halstead is suguarly fitted
for the position to which he was named, and is,
personally, as honorable and clean man as he
is politically, a stubborn and implacablel Fighter
making his rejection turn as far as We are con
cerned. upon partisan objections, which should
have had no weight. We have it from very
high authority that If the name OF Gov.
Foraker is not sent to the Senate before its
adjournment the governor will be dispatched
as minister to Germany very soon thereafter
If this be 30, the democrats Of the Senate will
have helped the malignant republicans OF that
body to wreak their private revenge on Mr.
Hastead only to saddle a man like Gov.
Foraker, who, in hatred Of the south, double
discounts any other republican in the country
on our diplomatic service. In that issue
we have an impression that the Q ltlemen
will find it as little easy TO satisfy Jueir own
conscienciences as TO explain themselves TO
public opinion, which in tho end is terribly
just in these matters and will not give its ap-
proval OF the conversion Of the Senate into O
den of assassins
RICHARD SMITHS OPINION
TOLEDO, O., March 3O.-The CONNER
cidl, Richard Smiths paper, will say edi-
torally tomorrow morning regarding Mr..
Halstead's rejection:
The opposition of the republican senators 10
the confirmation of Murat Halstead as minister
TO Germany Ia purely case OF revenge and will
not be approved by the American people, will
be sure to bring disgrace upon those concerned,
and will largely bring the Senate, as a body,
into disgrace. II will serve, too, TO increase
that public opinion which is growing steadily 10
favor of abolishing the Senate as too far from
the people. and as a representative Of wealth
rather than the public, and a creature Of cor
rupt methods rather than of popular favor
This occurrence will serve to stir up discussion
and produce results that will abolish the Senate
as body or make n radical change in the
method of its election. That is to say have
senator's elected by the people at large OF each
state precisely as governors are chosen, instead
of Nv fhn 81 n Inrrlnlah