Year: 1874


1t is too evident from the party platforms,
Of which great number have been put forth
this week, that the financial question will not
weigh straw in the approaching elections on
one side or the other If party lines could be
drawn with reference to differing views on
the most important question Of the time We
should have great resumption party and
great imitation party arrayed against each
other in aggressive hostility. But actual
party lines, instead of remaining parallel with
this great division of public opinion cut
directly across it There are Jealous in
flationists in both organizations and jealous
resumptionists in both, in about the same
proportions, SO that neither party can expect
to gain any advantage by its declarations on
this subject. In the great State OF Ohio the
Democratic Convention adopted an initiation
platform, apparently by unanimous consent,
as no dissent is reported either in the COM
rnittee on resolutions or the Convention itself
General Ewing, its President, introduced
himself by an imitation speech which was
warmly applauded. The resolutions favor ''an
increase OF the circulating medium" the sub
stitution of greenbacks for national bank
notes, retaining the legal tender feature,
which dispenses with any necessity for re-
sumption, and the collection Of one-halt the
customs revenue in greenbacks, which would
diminish the use of gold in the same proper
tion Besides committing itself to imitation
the Ohio Democratic Convention reaf6rmed
the old Pendleton heresey of the justice of pay
ing the national debt in greenbacks. This
heresy had already been revived by demo-
cratic conventions of Indiana and Tennessee,
and it infects a large proportion of the demo-
Gratis of Illinois In the Democratic Conven-
ton of that State on Wednesday there was
long acrimonious debate on this question, and
proposal to drop gold payment Of the bonds
out of the platform was negatived by major
ity of only seventy in total vote
Of five hundred and ffty-two party
so divided in opinion can, Of course,
have no moral or political strength on this
class of questions. 1t is only by doctrines
upon which the great body of its members
thoroughly agree and are prepared for a reso-
Lutte fight, not with one another but against
the common enemy, that political party can
make proselytes or command respect.


The republicans are no better off in this
respect than the democrats, the President dis
agreeing conspicuously with Congress, the re-
publican members Of Congress with one an
other, and their party conventions making
discordant declarations In the Republican
Convention of Michigan, on Wednesday, a
resolution indorsing Grants veto message
was contemptuously voted down by on over
whelming majority, while in Vermont the veto
was strongly indorsed. Michigan will elect
inAaionists and Vermont and-inhationists to
the next Congress, and their conflicting fnan-
cial views will not have the slightest effect
! on the elections in either State. Here, in New
York, the two parties will vie with each other
in giving the strongest possible expression to
anti-infation views; but We do not see how
either republicans or democrats can gain by it,
,, since It Is not contested question in this
State. President Grants veto aud Governor
Dix's vigorous letter supporting it have put it
out Of the power Of the New York democrats
to make political capital of the financial
question. It is in no sense national party
issue in the elections Of this year. Like the
tariff question in the Greeley platform it is
RENTED for settlement to the separate Con :
gressional districts, entirely outside of party
! lines.


The Scene at Plymouth Church.
II Al u. l.