Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-07-11
H GERMAN VOTE.

Hon. Oswald 0ttendorfer, Of
New York, was one of the New
York Reform Conference. lie is
editor of the New Yorker Stats
Zeitung, the leading German paper
of America. A late number of that
paper contains the following from
the pen of Mr.. Ottendorfer:
There is no room for doubt that
the nomination of Tilden is a bril-
liant victory Of the reform idea
over the corrupt methods which
have grown up under Grants ad-
ministratiOn. 1t is, at the same
time, a triumph of the better ele-
ments within the Democratic party
over the corrupt elements in the
same. Tilden represents all those
reforms for which the people of the
United States have striven in vain
for a decade. AS far as the matter
was in the power of the Democratic
Convention, the programme of the
New York misunderstanding
to which it was declared that the
future President of the United
States must not only have deserved
the confidence of honest people, but
also have excited the fear and hatred
of thieyes-has been literally full
fled BY his nomination. Those
authors of that programme, who
could not await the result of the
convention, have given evidence
that they understood neither the
contents of their address nor the
extent of the principles which they
asserted. Tilden is not so
much the candidate of his party
as the candidate of the people,
and his nomination, aside from
every other signifcation, is a proof
of a popular victory. The Demo
cratic party deserves acknowledge
ment in so far as it in the last de-
cisiye moment comprehended the
necessity Of consulting the wishes
of a majority of the people and
adopted a platform distinguished
for the soundness Of its principles,
nominating a candidate who is a
real reformer. That is much more
than can be said Of the Republican
party. Both political organization
remain dangerous instruments al
they have always been. The differ.
ence is that the one, depending
upon the many years through which
it has been in power, ignores tn,
demands of the people for a thor
ough system Of reform while TIN
other, after a powerful effort at self
possession, has responded in tn
most praisewOrthy and positive
manner to these demands.
When we reflect what great nee,
the United States have of precisel
such a person, and when we com
pare the statesmanlike deeds q
Tilden with the inactivity of tn
opposing candidate, it cannot b
evry difficult for us to decide whic.
Of the two should be preferred
We do not belong to those VIII
make extravaganza professions {
Joy when one or the other par
succeeds in nominating an hone
and personally irreproachable Cal
didate for the highest official pos
ton in this great republic. Graz
had the reputation of being an hol
est man, and he has it still; neye
theless, during his official term, Il
government Of the United Stat
has sunk SO deep into corruptic
that the courage and strength of
Hercules are necessary to clean.
the Augean stable. That the cal
didate for the Presidency must
an honest man, lisa matter ofcours
and it is a sadly significant sign
the times, that so much credit
assumed for a qualification whit
should be taken for granted. v
demand something more than me
passive honesty; we are by !
means satisfied if it can only
said of our future President tb
he is not a scoundrel. Besides h
personally irreproachable charactC
we demand undoubted capaci
proved by former deeds, an u
daunted courage, and, above all, t
assurance by previous actions of
perfect consciousness of his respo
sibility to the people. If the
merits qualify any man for t
Office Of President, then, as matt,
now stand, there can be none me
worthy than Samuel J. Tilden.