c
credit must be sacredly maintained, and its denunciation of
repudiation in every form and guise, created the belief that the North
and South would, indeed, "clasp hands across the bloody chasm."

[Footnote 1405: _Twenty Years in Congress_, Vol. 2, p. 534.]

In New York, however, although the Democratic leaders stood loyally by
their candidate, pushing Kernan boldly to the front wherever Greeley
seemed weak, the inequality of the fight was apparent. Tammany and
old-time Democrats could not forget that the _Tribune's_ editor had
classed them with blacklegs, thieves, burglars, gamblers, and keepers
of dens of prostitution.[1406] Moreover, only three Republican
newspapers had declared for Greeley,[1407] while many leaders like
Lyman Tremaine and James W. Husted, whose criticism of the President
had encouraged the belief that they would favour the Cincinnati
nominee, preferred Grant.[1408] Besides, the business men of the
country thought the Republican party without Greeley safer than the
Democratic party with Greeley.

[Footnote 1406: "We asked our contemporary [_World_] to state frankly
whether the pugilists, blacklegs, thieves, burglars, keepers of dens
of prostitution, etc., etc., who make up so large a share of our
city's inhabitants, were not almost unanimously Democrats."--_Tribune_,
January 4, 1868.

"So every one who chooses to live by pugilism, or gambling, or
harlotry, with nearly every keeper of a tippling house, is politically
a Democrat.... A purely selfish interest attaches the lewd, ruffianly,
criminal and dangerous class to the Democratic party by the instinct
of self-preservation."--_Ibid._, January 7. Conkling quoted these
extracts in his Cooper Institute speech of July 23.--New York _Times_,
July 24, 1872.]

[Footnote 1407: New York _Tribune_, Syracuse _Herald_, and Watertown
_Times_.]

[Footnote 1408: New York _Tribune_, August 22.]

After the Cincinnati convention a Republican Congress passed a General
Amnesty Act, approved May 22, and in the interest of "a free breakfast
table" placed tea and coffee on the free list. The reduction of the
public debt at the rate of one hundred millions a year, as well as
large annual reductions in the rate of taxation, also inspired
confidence, while to the President and his Secretary of State belonged
great credit for the Geneva arbitration. This amicable and dignified
adjustment of differences between England and the United States,
leading to new rules for