New-York tribune., 1876-03-25
THE PRESIDENCY.
MONTGOMERY BLAIR DECLARES FOR
TILDEN.
From The Coopersto,of, Lv. " Journal, March 2

From bs W journal, Hnfcb E5
DEAR SIR: | have your letter requesting IOr
publication the views expressed by me in rccen, con
versation with respect to the pending presneha rUn
tcst The sum of them that We ought to continue
forego all other issues save tlat o1 reform " r ,bn
ministration OF the Government. Tie adversary Lhen
struggled and st strives with the help OF the hon.
Ben Hill keep alive the issues OF the war lof le
20 Unchecked While Sectional strife holds the public
mind We did not carry the election IN l8IZ because we
were not fully successful in making the issue OF reform
But we made beginning that the victory OF our a,
versaries has roved harren one we SO ir r it
that show Of investigation had to be made Ihe Ctel m
Mobier fraud, which, though well known before 10 al
public men could not command pubic atIblon, no"
who had largely advanced the money TO carry
the elections. could not be reimnnTsea paC;c
Railroad bonds and therefore failed. The socalied III
yestigsng eonmi tees, organized not 10 o99tc' w.
experts in finding out how not to do IT, ana the uepaIt
ments helped tnem assiduousy; but the indopehdcnl
press did the work caectuay that large Dcm9ra,e
majority was returned TO the present House ., nIr ,h
sentatives. Unfortunately, this tide oi success Nhcn
been arrested ana back by the intrusion into he
canvass last Fan Of another issue, Oh WHICH
the Radicals have eagerly and successfully awaited the
selves Aud their effort Is to hold on 10 int Issue anu
make the Presidential election turn on the question oI
the question OF reform, upon whicn tney nave os' we
day. If they succeed III THIS the result VII, inenta
on this issue last Fan in states where anti RESUMPTION
strongest, our vote IN New-YoIk, even tWi'hou,
largely affected by the attitude OF friends III those
States no mind fai " see hat such an Issue
IL is PLAN from this brief statement OF the situation,
that success depends upon our aoillty 10 rhsie
equally PLAIN this Is not to be done by resolution,
but by such action win only proclaim It, but VIII
Tie nomination Of Tilden wi OF itself force this Issue,
and make the election tuin upon H. Tue friends Oh 1ll
candidates object nomination of citlzen oi New
York and claim the nomination Tor the West But Ji.ch-
not selected because he was chen Oh Lsn- %
ncssee, or JetlcIson because he was ctItn OF Nh-
gina, or Grant because he was Tor soh1 ''ino me
oio1t .anc ignores altogether
only consideration upon "lch II C'uir'''N i .
ought 10 be selected viz as the Ieptesenla ui ,Ie
only his nomination would Of sei force on ihe
ssne OF Reform, which sure card in the pcndbbS
canvass do not doubt the oter gentlemen spoaen
would prove vigorous reorhers, ana EaNe no pr
neither Of them is 80 identified with Reform " in
the public mind as Iilden. They nave either hot
had the opp or Ine roe mu ne aa. Shown to
purge the state of fraud and JobDng. They Live NOT
oined hands with political adversares TO overthrow ana
arraIgn, and convict criminals the master spirits
Of their own party while they seemed t. be iInrcsabN
ntrencned in the control OF is organzaton ana have
NOT by such conduct lifted INTO by the support
OF large bodies of political opponents, even asaiLs'
had not tie zeal i'll the OF reform
Nor hey. after reaching power, so ssnailed 'hen
administration 10y an unspariue war on lODD ~.
Ey tins course 1lden has made hnsel, more ihn any
OF day. the representative man o, uie IA
to which the Democratic parry so enphallcaliy peuseu
itself in s72 ana his nomination would be acocptet hot
only by the Liberal Rcp1bcil5 wo tnen IL "e'.u & ~ @ '
ontee that tie pledge would be faithfully redeemed; ana
his war record and Ills nuii'iaI Views "Ouu 'icS'""y
prevent diversion by false Issues =,
The active enmty which Iiiden has provoked III his
~ marry serves oy attest his fitness for the occd
sion No man ever drove more men out of the Demo
cratic party tAan Jackson but no man ever Teortrd
II so randy from the tue men Ia the ranhS oi Lis
oDpo ents AT the same time. And TINS vIaizns pro
cess must be renewed. lie curse Oh tAe pcnIo-
cratic Marty has been IT'S Tweeds. The strtncin
OF its opponents, WHO the Government Tor
class ACKNOWLEDGMENT, is derived from vast 1 en-
Ienditure by corrupting the people ia ore 1oiil
rr anotner with their own money, and BY misleading
them with false Issues. but Old Bullion never std any
thing more true that 1.-The Democratic party to bc
strong must be clean" 80,
Ttcu il the type the who were horored ny thc
marty i'm Tie DAYS it's strength end hs nomination
heing suTe bond for to their policy VIII Insure
its return 10 power. Yours truly, .
Wash,ngton March Is, 1876. MONTGOMERY BLAIR