The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-07-13
Vantage Ground of the Democracy.

There IS no mistake about one impOr-
tant point in the present Presidential cam
paign, which is that ali the excuses, en-
plantations, sc. are to be made by the adj
ministration and its party They have had
absolute control for four terms of the ad-
minlstraton in all its branches, including
both houses Of Congress Whatever has
been done is their work, and it is their
part to explain. That explanation too,
which comes before the election is but a
trile TO that which will follow the exam-
nation OF the departments and records
after the Democrats have taken possession
The St. Louis Republican puts this point
torcibly when it says that the wise Demo
cratic nominations relieve that party from
the disadvantage it has labored under in
the last three campaigns. of making de
tensiye fight, ana transfers that disalivan-
tage to the other side The Republicans
have got to explain and defend themselves
They are the party in power, and they
must justify the policy and the results Of
the last four years if they can. They are
responsible for every act of the Grant ad-
ministration, and for all that has been
permitted and omitted by it. No other
ground and conditions are allowable.
They deliberately chose as their candidate
Il man Of undistnguished and undistin-
guishablc personality simply because moth
ing could be said against him. They must
accept the inevitable consequence II
Hayes cannot be found, the present Re-
publican administration can; and there is
II great deal to be said against it, for
which the Republicans and their ticket
must be held responsible. The Democrats
have paid to the conntry the Difference of
presenting the two most distinguished
men in their party. The Republicans set
aside all their distinguished men, and
nominated for the first Office one whose
boosted merit is that he is u stranger to
the people. The Democrats listen atten-
lively to the popular demand for reform,
and present an eminent statesman who is
a recognized retormer The Republicans
defy the popular demand, reject the only
man in their party who is Il recognized
retormer, and offer Il quiet, cstlnAble
gentleman, who, rs Mr.. Doo.itllc said
will be as wax in the hands Of the party
leaders. If Hayes is Il man Of no faults
Tilden is Il man of great merits. If Hayes
great deal Of good. Ii Hayes is y person
ally honest man, Tilden is more; he is
the enemy OF dishonest men Hayes is a
good Republican, who can be implicitly
relied on to do whatever the party leaders
require, and leave undone whatever they
disapprove. Iilden is u wilinl Democrat
who will do right whether the party APP
proves it or not. These are the two men
that the country must choose between.
Gov Hayes and his party are on trial.
What the party is we know from the re-
cord of the administration which it ~
dorsed-lrom the yet unended catalogue
of gigantic frauds and peculations which
it required six grand-juries and as many
committees Of congress at one time to in
vestigatc; from the persistent efforts
made by high officers of the adminstra-
ton and the party leaders to thwart these
investigations, and from the fate that Sec
rotary Bristow met, at last. for doing his
duty. We have no assurance whatever
that the administration of the government
under Hayes would be any better than
under Grant The convention that nomi
mated Hayes approved the administration
Of Grant, and thereby gave the country to
understand that it need not expect an inn
provement. 1t refused to demand reform:
it refused even to admit a state of things
that required to be reformed.
1t may be said that no one can tell what
the Democracy would be. or do, if it were
in power. This is true; but we do know
what Tilden as Democratic president
would be. and do There is no risk of
BEEN he would do as he has done-and
that is enough. His name alone affords all
the guaranty of Il publication of the public
service that the country asks for; his pros