The Portland daily press., 1876-07-10
HayeS-Tilden,

A pigmy, an obscurity, a mediocrity,
negative man without record are few OF
the more pleasant of the titles bestowed by
the Democratic press upon Governor Hayes.
Unable to assault his character, finding him
man without flaw or blemish, the only re-
sort OF the Democratic organs is deprecia-
tion, as il man to be President must be
distinguished or renowned like Julius Caesar
or Alexander the Great. Nevertheless this
same Democratic party has nominated
candidate for the Presidency who has seen
less of public life, and has shown fewer evil
dences of craftsmanship and patriotism than
any man ever named by the Republican
party for the Chief Magistracy.
Let us briefly notice the candidates at the
head of the respective tickets that we may
be able to judge which of the two has dis
played the more wisdom, sincerity, patriot
ism, and has the highest qualifications for
the Office.
When the Southern Democratic leaders
called state conventions in 1901 to pass
ordinances of secession, GOV. Hayes de-
clared that he would sooner perish in an at.
tempt to save the Union than live in coun-
try rent in twain. Gov. Tilden on the other
hand, encouraged the destructionists by
taking the ground of President Buchanan
that 1.-THE Federal power had no authority
under the Constitution to compel state to
remain in the Union. Which of the two
was the wiser and the more patriotic at that
critical period?
When at length the war broke out Gov.
Hayes was among the first to enter the
Union army. He fought through many of
the most bloodily contested battles of the
war, always with conspicuous gallantry in
the front of the fight, and, without asking
for promotion, rose from the rank of major
to that of major-general. During that period
his devotion to the Union cause was of the
most intense character. Into that cause he
threw his life, his all. When being solicited
in 1864 to retire from the army and run for
Congress, he Indignantly replied that the
man who would do such thing should be
scalped. Where was Samuel J. Tilden while
this struggle for national existence was going
on? Was he at the front with Gov. Hayes
or at home using his influence to sustain
President Lincoln, encourage the loyal
people and denounce the Democratic leaders,
who, all through the North were the active
allies of the armed rebels in the South? No,
he was peace man, in hearty sympathy
with Seymour, Fernando Wood and Dean
Richmond, whom he succeeded as chairman
OF the Democratic State Committee. He
was in the Copperhead National Convention
OF 1854, consenting to that infamous resolu-
tion denouncing the was as failure and de-
manding a cowardly armistice-a resolution
which met the hearty approval of the present
Democratic leaders in Maine. While Gov.
Hayes wasbravlng danger and facing death for
the Union, Gov. Tilden was engaged in a
series of railroad speculatlons, one of which,
now in court, the Democratic New York
Express few weeks since characterized as
"Another Credit Mobilier." At any rate, by
some means he has amassed a fortune
amounting to 100000 at the lowest esti-
mate. In that most critical period of the
nations existence, did the Republican or the
Democratic candidate display the greatest
patriotism and real wisdom?
When Gov. Hayes retired from the army at
the close of the war he entered Congress
where he served until by the call of the Re-
publican party of the "Empire state of the
West" he became its candidate for Governor
against Mr.. Pendleton who went into th'