New-York tribune., 1876-12-22
YORK DAILY TRIBUNE. FRIDAY DECEMBER q 1876

isiana an apparent majority, cannot understand
how Republicans, equally honest and conscien-
tious with themselves, are unwilling 10 accep'
that result, and insist that the action Oh 'he
Returning Board in throwing out the votes Oh
certain parishes is just and right. fer-
bans our Democratic friends forget history
DO they remember that there mas Deeh
war, a rebellion against the General ooV-
crpment, in which all the States whose votes
have been disputed were engaged? Have they
forgotten that at the close of the war the ke-
publican party then holding almost absolute
mower. had the choice either to remand the
rebellious States TO territorial condition, TO
disflanchise permanently all who engaged IN
the rebellion, or to exhibit o magnanim-
ity for which history furnishes no par
oIeI.s and with amnesty almost universal
wine out the past and let States anu
citizens come back into the old relation !
Have they forgotten that the great ana ainosV
the only objection to adopting the maghani-
mons course was the fear that the negro
whom we had set free at such tremendous
cost would not receive just treatment at inc
hands of his former master were the iat'cl
restored TO the rights of citizenship; and that
simply as n measure of protection, as weapon
of defense. the freedmen were invested with
tho bollot, in order that the generous pol
;cv might be pursued2 Do they remenl-
her that the first indications OF the 1eel-
inc existing toward the blacks came In
the shane of legislation looking straight
10 their virtual reinstatement and that
II was this discovery that set on the
Republicans to enacting safeguards Tor these
moor people by constitutional amendment
Do tbey not know that the amnestied citizens
of the South have given the Republicans VINO
endowed them as well as the blacks with the
ballot, good cause for jealousy and suspicion
Is It at all strange, in the light of these his
torical facts, that the Republican party at the
No,tb-tbe honest and conscientious men who
have seen the fight so far through, ana
believe it was fought for something-shoulu
have an ear for those who tell them that Dach
of the returns, which on their lace eiece ny
negro votes the negro's traditional oppressor'
there are wrongs and abuses which ought 10
be correctedi Would it be strange, indeed, IL
the men who at such a sacrifice gave the
negro freedom and the ballot were not will
ing TO strain point rather than see the issue
or tbe fight reversed and the hands turned
back
II may be the duty of these Republicans to
accept the high standard which their opponents
set up for them more readily than for them
srlyes. and say tho returns should be received
for what they carry on their face, and there
should be no going back of them, no throwing
ont ON the ground of intimidation. In short,
il may be their duty to recognize the Louisiana
returns as correct and true in the same way IN
which they submitted without question
To the declarations OF elections Dy
tie Tammany Ring when they counted
in Hoffman and the Seymour electors. ihey
do not happen 10 view it in that light. The
laws of Louisiana are explicit on that point,
and left the Returning Board no discretion
They had To throw out the vote in the intimi-
dated parishes merely because they had sworn
IN obey the law, and the law required 1t. ke-
publicans regard the result in the other South
crn States as still clearer. In word, they
believe Gov. Hayes has been fairly elected,
and they know that having been 80 it is inn
portant that no should be naugurated. They
are in earnest about that. simply because there
il some wild talk in certain quarters OF OPP
posing it, But that has now pretty much sub
sided. The truth is. the election was very
close. and that accounts for the carnestness dis
played. IL is not strange that disappointment
has sourcd the Democrats, nor is 1t Mt all to
be wondered at that the Republicans under the
circumstances have taken the course they have,
or that they should stick TO it so persistently.
There is partisanship, and great deal of 1t,
on both sides, and that alone accounts for Il
great deal of heat.