Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-12-30
What The Returns Show.

What The Returns Show.
A subscriber requests us to state
the popular majority of MIR. Tilden
in the Presidential election. The
following from the Boston Journal
will answer his question we think:
The friends OF Mr.. Tilden never
tire of informing the public that he
has received popular majority of
100000, so that if Mr.. Hayes is
President, Mr.. Tilden will still rep,
resent the will of a majority of the
people. The official returns are now
nearly all in. The aggregate vote
of all the States except Colorado,
whose electors were chosen by the
Legislature, is $3.50, 1853, of which
number 4, 1914, 577 is majority. Mr..
Tilden received 4,2GS, 267; Mr..
Hayes 1927, 245; Mr.. Cooper 49,.
1872 Mr.. Smith, Prohibitionist, 10,
O55; scattering 2791. Consequent
ly Mr.. Tilden's actual majority is
$500, or his vote is 147, 1881 in ex-
cess of that of all the other candi
dates. This is something short of
100000, but quite as near as our
RefOrmers get to the reality when
they are stating the strength of the
Democratic party.
But this meagre majority is only
apparent. Had there been fair and
free elections in the South, followed
by an honest count, not only would
Mr.. Tilden's majority have been wip.
ed out, but there would have been
decided majority of the popular
vote for Gov. Hayes. In Alabama
the Tilden vote exceeds the. Hayes
vote 33,772. The State is Republ-
can in an honest election by from
10000 to $4,000 majority. In Mis-
sissippi the Democratic majority
was ,S53-more than 5000 in eX-
cess of the entire Republican vote.
Without'the Democratic bludgeon
and shot-gunpolicy, the State would
give Republican majority of at
least 5000. Mississippi papers and
Democratic leaders there admit the
existence of a Republican majority of
thousands in that State which Scan
not be utilized" In Georgia, the
Democratic majority in fair cleo.
ton will not exceed 10000. In o..
vember the Democratic majority
was S1,1S1. These States, if there
had been the free and impartial cleo
ton which the law contemplates,
would have changed the much boast
ed Democratic majority into a mi
nority, and given the Republican
candidate fair majority of the cleo.
toral votes.
In Alabama the Republican vote
had fallen off 25,G9S since 1874; in
Mississippi 3O,O53, and in Georgia
34,173 since 1868. In the former
State the falling off amounts to q
per cent. of the entire Republican
vote; in Mississippi 81 per cent,
and III Georgia Al per cent. No in
telligent man will pretend to claim
SO large percentage Of the Repub-
lican voters as these figures repre-
sent have so lost their interest in DO.
litical matters as to neglect to vote
entirely or have voted the Demo
cratic ticket voluntarily. In all the
States of the Union, except seven
Of those of the South under Demo.
cratic control, the Republican vote
was increased. Is it probable that
in those States, and in no others.
Republicans, by the thousand, have
joined the Democratic party? All
manner of argument failed in the
Northern States to win Republican
votes. Indeed, the aggregate Re
publican vote of the Northern States
increased from 2,6O3,4l7 in 1872, to
2,94O,4 in 1S76-a gain of 397 ,OO5.
In the greater part of the Southern
States, the Republicans, in spite of
the distractions to free ballot,
held their own or increased their
vote. But in Alabama, Mississippi
and Georgia, from One-tourth to one.
half were converted to Democracy!
These three States gave MIR. Tilden
q majority of IL, 900 over Mr.. Hayes,
or $4,000 votes more than his entire
majority in the country.
The Democracy can congratulate
itself upon its popular majority-a
majority obtained by bands OF po-
litical missionaries who have enfOrc
ed their doctrines by the untiring
use Of the whip, the revolver and
the shotgun, and who have con- .
those to whom they are sent
Dftheirearnestness by brutal scourg-
lngs and midnight murders. We
are told that it is all done in the in {
terest of Honesty and Reform!
KEVTv and RIiSS op1 Toboco,,