Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-09-29
The Possible Dangers from o Close
Presidential Contest.

The Possible Dangers from . Close
Presfdentfai Contest.
On the superstition that the Presidential
election may be very close-that the matter
OF q dozen electoral votes may be all the
preponderance one way or the other-fears
are expressed In some quarters of serious
trouble ahead. 1t is apprehsnded on the one
side that IL Tilden should "carry" Missis-
sippi and Louisiana by force and Intimida-
ton and be elected by majority OF half a
dozen votes, that the votes Of those states W III
not be counted by Metropolitan Senate. On
the other hand Ii is supposed that If certain
OF the southern states wnere troops are used
90 Tor Hayes, and thus secure his election,
the democratic House will not count them
because CT the belief that the result was o.
tained by the Intimidation o. the democrats
by the srmY, and that the use OF the army
was Illegal, unconstitutional, &c Thus, 1t
IL Dreaded by some that we may have q con-
test over the electoral vote which will shake
the very foundations OF the ou1try. Among
those who have taken alarm In this direction
Is DR.. Reddeld, the southern political CORES
pendent of the Cincinnati Commercial He
looks upon the danger as so serious that be
writes at considerable length TO point out
the great Importance OF q decisive vote on
the Presidential question, settling IL in favor
of either Hayes or Tilden by An electoral
majority OF al least forty. As showing the
way trouble may arise he says:
"TheTe are three southern states which are
undeniaoly republican on national issues,
and they will AZ surely go for Hayes as Yer,
mont, unless the majority IL overcome by
the most outrageous brute force. These
states are South Carolina, louisiana and
Mississippi. II tue democrats carry any one
OF them for Tild en-, IL will be by force; IL Will
be BY fraud. Understand, Isay they are re-
publican on national issues. though 1t 10 pos
sible that one or more of them might be fair
~ carried by the democrats on state issues,
but even that is questionable But know
they are not democratic on national ssues-
rs between Hayes and Tiiden, for ms stance
as well as l know that Vermont Is rspubli-
can.
"Of the other southern states. 1 believe
they are al honestly democratic, or 50 very
near IL that there 10 no ground for making q
fuss II they go that way. In all these south
whenever that is the case the democrats can
fairly claim il, and carry IL Without q pre-
sumption of fraud. But the carrying OF
either Mississippi, Louisiana or South Caro-
lima, or any or all ofthem for Tilden, will be
fraudulent, II not revolutionary. Should he
be elected by small majority, and these
republicans OF the north submit? And IL
they did not submit, what would be the re-
suit? Here We see danger.
''Colonel lngers0ll says majority Of the
southern states are republic n. He is mis-
taken. Only three OF them are republican,
me three named-and hope, for the peace
"
carry them; but have my doubts as to Mis-
sissippi and Louisiana.
'If there is another southern state that is
republican IL Is Florida; but of this there is
great doubt, as the whites have moved In
there largely the past few years, and it Is a
6onetfnl state. with the chances that the
lima, Louisiana aud Mississippi there Is no
question, II the election Is free aud untra M
eled, and every man votes his sentiments as
at Is possible that Hayes may carry LON
fstaDa, South Carolina aud Mississip pi, and
hope be will for the peace OF the country
and the welfare OF the human race, Without
distinction OF color think the solid SOUTH
under the circumstances, does the democ-
racy more harm than the electoral votes of
these three states will do them good. Tne
spectacle OF q solid south marching up to
the support of Tilden is not reassuring, and
nndeptaoly drives from him more electoral
votes In the north than those OF the three
disputed southern states come to.
Such states as Georgia, Alabama and
North Carolina are fairly democratic by .
very small majority, tthough they we're not
before the Civil Rights Bill stampeded all
the whites into the democratic party, } aud II
they go for Tilden, as they will. there Is no
cause 70 make fuss about IL. There is no
excuse for contest over the Electoral votes
Of these states"
or the other feature Of the case he writes
The idea thrown out that the democratic
ern states rs go for Hayes, IL any do, (Which
10 becoming doubtful,) because troops have
been used and the whites 'intimidated,' Is
absolutely wicked. The troops do not intiu,-
tdate any body. They do not keep q single
white man from voting the democratic ticket
or any other ticket. There is not an instance
where white man has been 'tntimidated'
out Of his vote by troops. This whole outcry
Ii absurd. The democrats In The south under
stand the matter perfectly well, and ali the
rumpus they kick up and 'protests' they
make are for northern consumption.
When hear OF single man In the south
having been kept from voting by the army,
will drop you postal card with details OF
the outrage and Intimidation
"feUow-citixens, In the language OF the
patriotic stump orator, put your shoulder to
the wheel, give long pull, q strong pull and
pull altogether, and-elect Hayes or Tilden
by 80 large large majority that the other
side Will give mp all ideas OF q contest over
the electoral vote"
While the present mode OF counting and
declaring the electoral vote Is undoubtedly
open 10 amendment, and affords an oppor-
tupity for serious trouble In the contingency
indicated, We do not believe there is any
danger OF the electoral vote being SO close
this year as TO cause apprehension. The
vote in October may be somewhat close, but
1t can hardly fail TO develop the drift of pub
lie opinion with sufficient clearness to give
the party favored by that drift an impetus
that will enable II TO succeed by q decisive
majority In November. This has been the case
in the past, and We may reasonably assume