New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-11-18
THE POLITICAL CRISIS.
THE GREAT ELECTION HOAX.

xvuo WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE IMPOSITION =
THE TELEGRAPH USED TO DECEIVE A NATION
r. me EdftOr Of the Tribune
s,p. t. II not high time to inquire into the mon
.+rous and impudent hoax which was promulgated
through the telegraph concerning the Presidential
elections During the Sth of November every daiiy
in New-YorlI-and perhaps throughout the country
published simulated table of results declaring ta'
Tiden had carried TWO hundred eiectoral NoVes
and pretending to state the approximate looSi
maiorities This table was published not ~ wi
lection of SURPRISES, but rs collection Vi i"O''
Nearly the whole nation was for time deceived by
y and vast numbers of men still remain more OF
las. blended. Meantime the table was sham
s,bseouent information has proved 1t to be untrust
xvo,tby even as a prediction. Several States when
a claimed postVely for Tilden have certainly gone
Cor HAYES Moreover now that we have had time
In think we all see that such decisive knowledge
as il pretended to convey could possibly have Deeh
rece,yed in New York within ten or twelve hours
after the close of the ballOtbOxes. We see' Also
that no snch returns could have arrived there as
would warrant even estimate as to the poii'ica,
complexion of the more distant and sparsely-settieu
States. fraud so vast, so gross, and so insoieht
was never before perpetrated by the teiegraphc
system.
IT, il no light thing to hoax great people on such
q momentoUs matter the choice OF lts ChleI
Magistrate. The deception has already produced
serious and dlsquieting results. 1t has quadrupeu
the natural excitement of an important and Close
election Lives have been sacrificed before the con-
ficting and lying bulletins. Both the great po'ai
parties have been hurried into alternate spasms Oh
confidence and despair all the frantic because
of the revnsion Suspicious of fraud and rumors OF
violence have received a credence and reused a
wrath which would not have been possible had not
the Democrats been deluded into belief that VIC
tory was already theirs Whichever candidate may
have really won the prize will long be regarded by
MANY of his opponents usurper who succeeded
only through trckeries practiced at the last mo-
ment. And all this because somebody dared to in
VENT and promugate the result of an election whose
uncertainties covered half a continent
What was the origin of this INDUSTRIOUS imposition ]
This is what all of u.s. whether RepuDhcans OF
Democrats will soon demand to know. III is time
that the editors ofNewYork set about obtaining ln-
formation from which to furnish reply. Dlu the
managers of the telegraph attempt TO supply TetuIls
from a mathematical calculation OF probabilities
Was the table of results and OF local maJ0rlteS ue
vice of the political bureau which SO long 12isely
claimed Democratic success III ColOrad0i Nas II,
as many persons now suspect trick OF the betting
rinpf Some millions of unnecessarily e&cltcu Not-
ers would like to hear these questions answered.
This is no testing matter. The authors OF such ue
ceptiOn ought TO be exposed and Drought 10 sh,'e,
If not more severely punished If the telegraph, OF
persons who purchase temporary control over IL;
can with mpunity play tricks IKE tins, our Ilatloa
peace NAV some day be sacrificed TO ." campaign
fieD As for the suppOsitlOn that we have been
hoaxed by betting ring, 1t Is Thoroughly disgust
ing, degrading, and nfuriating. Are our eiect0ns
to be decided in advance, perhaps 10 be decideu lo
good and ALL by knot of gamblersi 1t would seen
that we ought either to put the master OF the pools
in iail or to make him President outright and lei
him rule US, if he must in legal fashion ION ReSpgct
NsO.iHare1., Conn, Eov.l3. 1876.