The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1876-12-28
Prom Hnrpcr's Weekiy.l
The Situation.

II is instructive to pause moment in
the midst OF the pending discussion and
ask the reasoL OF the excitement. II
will then appear to be little humiliat
ing. The iacts are that on the morning
after the election. when the returns from
many States were not known, and cout ID
not possibly be known, the vote Of Ger.
tain States was pat down for Mr.. Tilden.
For q few hours it was assumed that he
was elected. But few hours later show
ed what might have been easily enough
ioreseen, that as the returns could not
have been known when the result was
announced, the true result might turn
out 10 be different from the announce
ment. The Democrats, however, instant +
ly raised a shout from one end OF the
country to the other that Mr.. Tilden had
been elected, and that the Radicals. IN
desperation, intended to cheat him out
Of the Presidency. IL was vociierated
and repeated that there was plot and
a conspiracy" 70 count him out" Sill
nobody could possibly know who had
even secured a majority upon the face Of
the returns. Republicans in some Of the
Southern States claimed certain kepub
lIcan majorities, Democrats claimed 9th.
ers. One claim was as good as another,
and a. bad. Tor nobody could possibly
know the truth. A kind OF panic over
spread the country. Even grave and
sensible people wondered doleiully whe-
ther the American republic was about 10
founder on a calm sea, and 80 strong waa
the feeling that every newspaper aud all
conversation were devoted TO the discus
sion.
The excitement sprang wholly from q
sheer assumption, founded upon Demo
cratic estimates, that Mr. Iilden had
been elected, aud the simultaneous cry
that If be were not declared TO be the
President, IL was because Of n foul Re
publican plot. IL there was a conspiracy
there must b. cOnspiratOrs. VINO were
they2 General Grant and Zach Chan
dler were mentioned. Now, IA our judg
ment, sam Tilden and Mr.. Hewitt are
just as capable oi plot TO cheat the peo-
pie out OF the result OF an election a.
General Grant aud Mr.. Chandler. Ger
tain silly kilograms purporting to b.
from Mr. Chandler, aud certain foolish
remarks attributed to General Grant,
which might be serviceable la poOl-rOOms
and believed in bar rooms, but which
were evidently false, aud made solely TO
foster the excitement, aud which we're
immediately exposed. Throughout. the
Republican papers insisted that Cover.
nor Hayes could not take the Presiden-
cy, even II he were counted IN, II the
counting in was justly Suspicious. But
we did not see a single Democratic jour
nal which hinted that Governor Tilden
could not take IL, even Il the vote was
clearly due TO violence and terror The
Nation, indeed distinctly asked Mr.
Hayes IL he could take IL under a suspi-
e. q. -
that Mr. Tilden could not, under any
conceivable circumstances, touch it with
out moral certainty that he owed II 10
| force. For all his majOrities we're main.
/ ly IA the Southern States. and there Is
no reasonable doubt how most OF them
were obtained.
We do not plead Democratic crime a.
an excuse tor Republican rascality. What
We aid at the outset We say now IL in
any case Just suspicion must fall upon
I the title OF an Administration. IL must
/ fall upon a Republican Executive. The
I situation is such that the Republican
party could not survive IT, And by just
suspicion we do not mean the mere emp
ty shouting OF partisans. nor the insinua
tlons OF a speech 20 untruthiul and un.
scfupulous as that OF Mr.. Seymour IA
the New York Electoral College. nor the
\ parrot echo OF parrot cry Of fraud. plot
and conspiracy. We mean by just sus
picion conclusions based upon evidence
aud iair probabilities. But there must
be some wish and some effort TO ascer
tain facts. Thus far there has been toe
much Wild assertion and counterasser
tion. Thus IL has been stoutly asserted
from the first that the Louisiana Re
turning Board was a reckless set OF ras
Gals, who had been already caught ia
cheating, and who would not hesitate 4
cheat again. This may be true. We ar,
not nOw denying il. But what do thoss
who say II know about i2 II any can
did Democrat reads these lines We ven
ture to say that hs believes the Louisian.
vote TO have been fairly given 10 Mr
1Ilden, and that the rascally Returning
Board dishonesty counted him out
What does he know OF the facts, exc~p
that Mr. Tiiden had the face of the r.
turns? l. that eonclusive2 Does tn
candid Democrat hold that there shoul
never be any investigation behind th
returnsY Oi course, II the returns, hos
ever procured, are final. there can be a
, further debate upon the question, and {