New-York tribune., 1876-12-16
NOT 4 GOOD PLACE TO BEGIN.

We cannot withhold our sympathy for the
persons, distinguished and undistmguished,
who. believing Mr.. Tilden to have been fairly
elected, and hoping in the event of his inau-
guration to have opportunities to engage in
the work of administrative reform at stated
salaries, are endeavoring to induce the Amer
lean People to rise up. They seem to be hav-
ing q serious time of 1t. The People do not
rise I'D worth cent. The attitude OF the
Democracy is so unusual that they are more
interested in studying and wondering over
that than in rising up. few years ago
Connecticut gentleman was told that two
prominent politicians of that State, who were
better known for their liveliness OF disposition
than fdf abstemiOusness, were making speeches
on the temperance question. "rm glad OF 1t;
"glad of it," said he and then after mo-
ment's reflection he suddenly inquired, Which
"side 7" The people have heard with some
thing of the same pleasurable emotion that the
Democratic party is in a state of mind about the
purity of elections, and very urgent to have n
popular demonstration on the subject. Every
body said at once they were glad of 1t, but
unon reflection it seemed so queer and was so
confusing that everybody stopped and asked
(Which side 2n In this confused and uncer-
tain condition of the public mind, the Demo-
cratic agitators do not find it so easy to rouse
the people as to get excited themselves. lhey
must bear with the people, however, under the
circumstances, and attribute their unreadiness
to rise up to their inability TO appreciate the
suddenness of the conversion.
We would not lay feather in the way ot
the very earnest persons who are engaged III
rousing the people. Ii is proper ana legitl-
mate method of influencing legislation. If
there is any popular feeling upon this subject,
such as would naturally find expression III
public meetings and resolutions, and speeches,
and that sort of demonstration, there can be
no reasonable objection to the utterance oil
the feeling The people need no justification for
taking such steps to make their opinions known
to their representatives in the National Legis-
lature, and the National Legislature ought
always to give them the weight and consider
alton to which they are entitled. We take
leave to suggest however, that Indiana Is not
a good starting point for an enterprise of
this character, and that an aroused public
sentiment on the necessity of fair election
and an honest count is hardly likely to find
its first expression in a partisan demonstration
participated in by n defeated candidate. Gov.
HcnurlCkS may DE ehtlciy uhHtulnh III no
devotion to the cause Of administrative re-
form and his advocacy Of the purity OF
elections, but we submit that he does not
appear well as an actor Ill pnbhc
demonstration against the result of an cleo
ton in which he was q defeated candidate.
| Uncharitablc people will say that hc cares
more for the Vice Presidency than for any abb
stract question of political morality. The State
of Indiana, too has reputation in matters OF
this sort that is not likely 10 help rouslng
Tat originates there. The Democrats OF that
State have heretofore risen up in opposition To
the Government and the demonstration was
not attended by any results except to put the
! party in an uncomfortable, not to say rdlcu-
! LOUIS position. Doubtless it is easy enough to
| get up a considerable mass meeting in that
State of persons who have been disappointed
| in the result of the election, and who think
something ought TO be done TO change It, Dlr.
Hendricks, we can well believe, found it easy
| to draw up an address to the people on the
subject. But has it not occurred to these per-
| sons that the uprising had better begin some
where else and among different class of peo-
pe2 1t certainly seems to men of average
understanding as though the performances of
the Indiana Democrats were only calculated to
bring the movement they desire to set on foot
! into contempt.