Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 5918, 4 November 1880, Page 4

The Republicans of the United States are likely to defeat the Democrats. Mr. Gariield is likely to be President, and the Democratic candidate, General Hancock, may have to fall back upon ancient reminiscences, "shoulder his crutch, and show how fields are won." Hard money and honesty will probably win the day. The issue almost ceased to be doubtful after the announcement that the Democrats had lost Indiana and Ohio. The renewed success of the Republicans would ehow the soundness of public opinion in the States. The Republican, besides being an able, is an honest party, favourable to the preservationof peace, anadvocateof the right, invetoratoly hostile to corruption. It is pre-eminently a constitutional party, and because it is so, it rejected the candidature of General Graut, deeming that to make him President for a third time would savor of Crcsarism. It is the party of Union as opposed to separation, of personal freedom as opposed to slavery, of cash payments as opposed to an inflation of the currency. It has the courage to resist the wild cries of the hour, and the ability to defeat them. But other causes than their principles and their organisation promote the succees of the Republicans. In possession of power, they have at their command all the influence of the State, and that change of officials which ensues on a change of party, acts as a Conservative force in favour of those who hold the reins. This is what has not been seen. The sacrifice of public servants to the success

of party, has been referred to as one of the great evils attending Presidential contests ; and of the principle, or want of principle, nothing too harsh can be said. But the abstract hasbeen so much regarded that the practical has been overlooked. What has been regarded as one of the evil consequences of Democratic Government, proves to be conservative. But though temporarily beneficial it is none the less evil, because it enables the party in possession of office to influence the result of a presidential election in the interests of party, and it might be used in a way subversive of the public welfare. That which to-day, in the hands of the Republicans, is attended with advantage, might to-morrow, as the weapon of the Democrats, be the prolific source of miachief. Around the Republican party gathers all that is beneficent and stable in the United States, and what may be the result of its defeat will depend upon when and how it may be depr.ved of power. The more remote the change the less the chancu <>f danger, because as England is proceeding from Conservatism to "Democracy, so the United States, where all the conditions are reversed, is proceeding from Democracy to Conservatism. The element of peril in the constitution of the United States is the elective principle as applied to its head. Let the President be ambitious or a fool and the political fabric may como to the grounl ; ambition being the greater danger.thefool might be deposed. Had General Grant been a knave he would have subverted the Constitution and been President, for life. And should this change happen, as may be expected, whilst the man who affects it will bear the stamp of infamy, Americans will have reason to rejoice that the worst forai of Sovereignty, that of periodical election, has been extinguished. America has adopted the principle which proved fatal to Poland, but of necessity, not of choice. The change, if it c-me, will not come from the Republican pr.rty, but despite it.