Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-11-07
OUR NATIONAL HONOR
How Former Administrations Have
Been Firm in Maintaining It
THIRD PARTY MOVEMENTS.
What Has Been Their Fate In Times Past
The Anti Masonic and Know Nothing fsr-
ties and How They Affected Politics-Boies
Presidential Possibility.


Written for The Evening Star.
TN REGARD TO THE THREATENED RUP-
l. ture Of our diplomatic relations with Chile
IL may be stated that the records OF the Depart
ment Of State are replete with examples OF the
benefits which have resulted from . proper,
armt and prompt action on the part Of our
government wherever and whenever it has been
called on to Or ,tect the national honor. How
promptly Gen. Taylor acted when an insolent
minister made his presence here offensive.
His passports were sent him and he was notified
that every aid would be rendered him for
speedy departure from this country, and when
the insolencs of this official had been called
to the attention Of the minister Of foreign af-
fairs Of France by our minister, Mr.. Rush, and
the reply of the minister. Mr.. de Tocqueville,
was q defense of the offending official and
criticism on the conduct Of our Department Of
State. Gen. Taylor directed our representative
in France to inform the minister of foreign az
fairs that his opinion on our action had not
been asked nor was it desired.
There are other precedents Of the good effect
OF prompt action on the part of the United
States when its dignity has been assailed and
apology and PREPARATION. Should war grow out
OF the assault committed on our sailors and the
intolerable conduct Of Chile one of the happy
results which would follow would doubtless be
the protection Of those citizens whose large
claims upon Peru Chile has prevented the pay
ment Of by absorbing the nitrate and guano
deposits of the weaker republic as indemnity
for the war which she waged against a more
feeble sister. The indemnity which would be-
come due to rs in case this lesson we might be
called on to administer to this combatant should
be 80 costly that it would not need repetition
for some generations.
The question of arbitration, which The STAR
wittily observes is the only garment which
fba crtticla ~ fhia insa
from the uphfted and broad right hand of our
Uncle Samuel. should not be allowed to inter-
vene until good spanking had been admins
tered. 1t would do good to the whole outside
world as an exhibition of q determination TO
protect our citizens and our seamen in such a
manner as would compel respect from all ma
tons. These South American countries know
much less Of us than they do Of the nations of
Europe. Their commerce is almost absorbed
by England Their money market is London,
and our merchants are taxed in all their deal
ings with those countries by being obliged to
make all monetary transactions payable in
London The exchange, rarely in our favor, Is
added to every purchase made by our mer-
chants The reciprocity with these states, in
augurated by Mr.. Blaine, may in some measure
have removed some of this tax from our mer-
chants, but if the clash Of arms should be heard
IN those regions such a tax upon our mercan-
tile transactions would undoubtedly cease.
HISTORY OF THIRD PARTY MOVEMENTS.
Ahc Acs4Atc W tuo SkcShOuS ldss 1uSs4ay are
being studied with good deal of care. The
platforms upon which the respective guberna-
torial candidates stood will in a great measure
form the issues upon which the two conven-
tons Of the republican and democratic parties
will be called upon to stand. These results
also determined the position and strength Of
the third or so-cailed peoples party" its po-
tency in the next presidential election and its
tendencies to the respective principles OF the
two great parties which have heretofore divided
the country.
A glance at the success and failure of the
third parties which have arisen in this country
for the last half century and more and their
fate viii enable your readers by comparing the
present political organizations with those of
the past to form some judgment on coming
events. No one Of the many third parties
which have sprung up since the days Of anti
Masonry in 1876. with the exception OF the anti
Masonic PARTY and the know nothing patty. has
ever gained sufficient strength tocarry a single
state The first convention wal held in Phila-
deiphia by the anti-Masonic party i'll Septem-
Der. 1880. Nlnety-six delegates were present.
Francis Granger Of New York presided over
this convention, the first national political
convention ever held in this country. 1t called
the national anti-Masonic convention for the
nomination Of a President to meet at Baltimore
in September, 1881, and nominated VIM. Writ
Of Maryland as their candidate for the presi-
dency and Amos Ellmaker of Pennsylvania for
Vice President Anti-Masonic state and cleo
tOraA NChcts were suppOrttu udEy stdtc5 IN
the election Of 1884 Vermont was the only
state to choose anti-Masonic electors The ex-
element OF that period was very great and to
Mr.. Weed was attributed the expression OF "a
good enough Morgan until after the election,
when the body Of man was found in the
Niagara river, which the anti-Masons claimed
Was the body Of Morgan
REsuLr OF TIE AyTI-NAsoNIC PARTY.
Mr.. Van Buren, was elected governor Of New
York in 1928 over Thompson and the anti
Masonic candidate. whose vote was over SO. 900.
Mr.. Van Buren, absorbing the opposition, and
IN 1880 Throop, democrat, was elected over
Granger BY 5000 the Masonic element going
over to the democratic party, where it re-
mained- In Pennsylvania Joseph Rittner, the
nu-Mason. was only beaten by 5000, though
Wolf, the democratic governor, had all the In
nuence OF the administration Of Gen. Jackson
In New York the anti-Masonic electoral ticket
was headed by Chancellor Kent and John G.
Spencer, and the vote in opposition to the
democratic party was divided between Vim
Writ and Mr.. Clay. William l.. Marcy wal
elected governor by 10 Go majority.
In 1884 the opposition to jackson, intensi
ned by the removal Of the deposits from thu
Bank of the United States assumed the nam,
OF whig, when the national republican part,
and the anti-Masonic party disbanded in New
York, where 1t had originated, and was speedil,
followed in the other states Of the Union.
claimed to have acco nplished the object fo
which il organized an its influence was felt il
the pontlcs OF New 1ork Tor many years ii
1888 William H. Seward was elected governo
Of New York over William l. Marcy bv 10 OO
majority, and in 1910 he was. reelected by 6 OO
majority. The whig SUPREMACY in that stat
owed to the anti Masonic counties and the larg
majorities they gave its permanent success 70
many years, and the same element did goo
service in the election Of Harrison in 1876
Francis Grayer and John C. Spencer, promi
nent anti-Masons, held positions in the cabi
net Of Harrison and Tyler and Mr.. Fillmore
another eminent snti-Mason, became Pres
dent
TIE A1orfrroNIsrs-
The next movement independent Of the tw
great parties was that Of the abolitionists- /
1883 the first convention Of that party wa
held AZ Warsaw. Ny. and decided to ORGANIC
as - distinct and independent political party.
They nominated Jas. g. Birney for Presider
and Francis lie Moyne as Vice presiden
The platform adopted called for the abolitio
Of slavery in the District of Colur,bia and i
the territories; for the abolition of the intel
state slave trade and opposition to slavery I
the extent Of using all constitutional means fc
Its abolition The nominees Of this couyentio
declined TO accept. but were voted Tor neye
theless. 1859 ballots being cast for them II
party then called themselves the liberty part
and continued TO wage war against slavery an
In 1873 held convention at Buffalo an
nominated James q. Rirney and Thomas Mo-
n