The New York herald., 1876-11-21
THE PRESIDENCY.
A COMPROMISE PROPOSITION.
NV SIII Aa.. o.


WASHINGTON, Nov. is, 1874
To EDITOR or THE HERALD
IL appears quite evident that fair solution OF thu
election problem to be arrived At either In Louisiana
South Carolina or Florida The Northern gentlemen
who have gone there professedly in the interes
of fair play are unwilling unable to agree upon the
first principle Of what Is TO constitute that fair play
They look upon the question from opposite stand
points and hence there Is no focal point at which
their views meet and coincide. The American
people. therefore, may abandon, II they have not
already abandoned, all hope from that quarter.
Whether justly or not The republicans, backed by tho
adm nstratiou will have the electoral votes OF those
States for Mr.. Hayes and II Is but too appar
that democrats backed by public opinion, will
resist that Unfortunately there Is no tribunal
invested with the power OF deciding the question: II
there its decision, whether adverse 10 the one
party the other, would DO acqulesced In without
murinur dispute. The absence Of such tribunal
constitutes the most dangerous element In the sua
The democratic House OF Representatives Will
inevitably refuse 10 be a party to what, in ts
opinion, Will be a defeat Of tho popular will
IN the late election; while the republican
Senate. backed Oy al administration whose avewed
aud definite policy is to insure republican sucS4s.
SION, viii undertake to give ioree and efficacy Wfx'
action OF carpeLbsg governments whose existencs
has been National disgrace, II may prove also 70
be national calamity. The consequence OF this hos.
Congress no ono can ioresee and few would willingly
contemplate.
But there no outlet from this Labyrinth Are the
people TO ths country led step by step into state
oi anarchy and viii they not make an effort to pre-
vent sucn catas'ropheY rne people ~ . wnois
really very little whether the next f4ssi-
dent OF the United States shall bc republican or
democrat party nsines and party shibbolsths arc Of
the nature OF contemplate superstitiops-pus
thoy do that the regular and sytematic
working OF the machine of government shall not Do
nterered wlh Tor day; and, above all, that II shall
not be subjected shock which might prove atai to
1t and disastrous the best interests of tho country
A characteristic OF the Ango-saxon IL DISPOSE
tion escape from perilous positions by the
oi prudence and by making iar compromises rather
than r,sk all by insisting upon what may regard
absolute right IL Tor the American people to-day
TO put play that innate good sense and 10 exercise
that virtue Of compromise without which popular gov
ernment cannot be perpetuatsd.
There is little in discussing the abstract
question as to whether legally and iasy the votes Of
all any OF those three Southern States should be
counted Tor The candidate or the other IL -
enough TO know tnat mono Of them viii be counted for
Mr. Tldcn and that, therefore, that gentleman cannot
bo installed in the Presidency in the usual simple and
unquostoned manner Ii he gets the ofhce ~ all u
very dangerous modes OF procedure. And il All OF
tho be counted for MT hayes that gentleman would,
to say the least Of It, assume the onics with all Inc
taint attaching to himself his administration o
bcng the product OF gross fraud and outrage upon
the people No gentleman should DO placed 10 such
false position and iesI sure that II would DO en-
trey repuguant 10 Mr. Hayes high sense Of honor and
decency
What then can be done TO reconcile these jarrna
and conflicting views and interestsy
One course can be taken which, strange AZ the
proposition may at nrst sight, will obviats all
the oil position, restore friendly feeling
all parties and sections and start the Republe
second century OF existence with brighter and
fairer prospects ot good government than has ever
had in It's nrst century The plan - SIMPLY s:-Ls
Il be unanimously agreed, As basis Of
settlement, that the Presidential eieetori
OF each State shall their votei
for Hayes President and for Tldcn Vice Presdcn
Tor Tildcn President and hayes Vice Prest
dent); that tho President shall resign the 4th o
March. 1879, to be succeeded by the Vice President
| according TO the constitution and that MsssrS
Cabinet as head Of OF the departments The out
gong President might In turn, bc elected 10 the Sem
ate and become Vice President IL would for several
reason. be desirable that Mr. Hayes should succeed
General Grant, because then the changes IN the per-
sonnel oil tho government well ~ IN It's policy,
would be easy and gradual; but the details o. the
arrangement could be scttisd amieabiy and without
difficulty. In this way the will OF the people, 40 mani
tested ~ the late election I'm which the contest has bees
so close to be virtually tie), would be carried
out all danger OF disturbed condition Of public az
fairs avoided the existence OF carpet bag Roverumenu
the South totally wiped out the way made easy &o
she thorough reform Of civil service the usperitics
partisan politics smoothed away, NO vioence done 10
constitutional law justice and career Of psacs
and prosperity opened to the whole land.
There no practical difficulty about IT, Tho chair
men OF the central committees Of the two parties
could arrange the whole details 10 day; could obtain
by teegrapnic correspondence the coueurrence OF al
parties concerned, and in week from to-day the glad
some news might be impaired TO- aud would be hailcd
with delight by every person within the broad boundf
OF the Republic And thus, out Of the nettle dange
would have Dluckod the aower safety.