New-York tribune., 1876-11-22
THE PRESIDENCY.
,,r1Uu oplNroNs ON THE CONTEST.


r.xpNry IN THE PUBLIC MISD-MIsGIvINGs RE-
GARDNG THE UNRULY ELEMENTS IN THE DEN"
oCRAnc PARTY.
IrROM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE'l
LONDON, Nov. 9.-The latest dispatches published
this morning leave us in some slight doubt whether
Mr. Tden has been elected, but they came too late
to modify the tenor of the leading articles in oays
London journals. All the papers assume that MI
HAYES is defeated and their comments are equany
instructive whether he be defeated or elected The
mirror they hold I'D is one in which the leaders
most of them--of the Republican party may view
themselves in clear but certainly not tlattering
light. The same is true in private life. During the
last few days when the near approach OF the cleo
tjop made il q frequent topic of conversation,
heard NAV say, but one opinion expressed. NO
friend Of ours desired to see the South return 10
power in the person of Mr. Tden, but every one saw
that this il il happened would be due to the dstrst
and disgust with which Grantism had inspired the
thinking non-partisan people of the North. Grant
ism is not word much used over here. use 1t asa
convenient abbreviation for what Englshmen con-
denn as worst in the political life of the Admins
tration for the corruption among the men whom
Gen. Grant appointed and sustained for the polcy
which has irrtated the South without securing any
one of its avowed objects, and for the many other
grave faults which are only too familiar to you and
to Englishmen alike 1t need not be supposed that
the names of Messrs Belknap and Babcoek, OF
Messrs. Morton and Butler and even Logan, are I'M
known i'm Europe No facts in American history
were ever promptly and fully reported IN the
leading European journals as the scandals OF the
last wears of President Grants administration. No
legislation has ever been watched so critically as
that by which the Republican party attempted to
reconstruct the South and the finances. Nor is the
condemnation passed on the authors of the many
crimes and blunders we depOre indiscTiminate.
If Mr. Conklng is disliked here, it is not because
anybody suppOses him guilty of the vulgar crimes
which have made Belknaps name a byword. He is
simply held responsible for false policy toward the
South and willful adherence to party. So a just
distinction is made between Gen. Butler and the
bulk of the party which has incurred his support.
might 20 on with illustrations but it is enough to
add that in the case of President Grant himself
European Judgment tries to be both accurate and
lenent Inever heard it doubted that he is person
ally honest and well-meaning. Nobody accuses him
of profting by the gigantic thefts and dishonesty
which have signalized his administration 1t is his
failure to prevent and to punish such crimes, his
failure to purify the party and his lack OF real po-
htical capacity which have brought reproach on
him here. These are the considerations which led
intelligent Englshmen to say that they doubted
whether Mr. Hayes could shake himself free from
the influences which had dragged down man OF SO
much force of character as President Grant.
If you think am stating this too strongly turn to
the newspapers and see what their testimony is.
"The change is made" says The Daily AeWs, I'm
form which may be regarded as personal rebuke
to the Republican leaders. They have thrown away
the most splendid opportunity ever given to party,
and made TIE political fortune of their dscredlted
opponents" And again.
The sole change is that large number Of unattached
people who voted for President Grant and had Noted o
President Lincoln before him, have been aienated 6 ne
Grants Government and have gone over with decisive
effect Democratic candidate Mr. l1lden therefore
will owe his not much TO the public approval 0
Democratic principles to widespread dIsapproDaloh
of Republican administration
This is as correct as the judgment of this wellin
formed journal usually is upon the causes of accom-
nlisbed events 1t is not always so clear-sghted
about the future. should be glad if could share
the confidence il expresses that there is mo" fear
of "apyD reversal of the policy of the nation as to
"any" question settled by the war. II the South
were in the same mind as some of its stanchest OLD
friends in this country might feel as much conf
dence as The Daily hecs feels. The Standard itself
shows few traces of its usual bitterness in the long
leading article in which it discusses and, OF course
applauds Mr.. Tilden's election 1t halls eagerly, TO
be sure, the near approach of the day when the
whites shall recover their natural ascendency,"
but rcpels just eagerly the suggestion that Presi-
dent Tilden could regard with indifference any
attempt to encroach the rights of the Union or
the liberties of the negro race" adding: AS no
such attempt is likely to be made by the leaders OF
the Southern people, by any large section OF the
people themselves, he may be trusted to control
cffectaally any outbreaks of unseemly triumph or
any reactionary movements that might be adven-
tured by a few hot-headed fanatics"
similar disposition to bury old animosities in
spires The Daily Telegraph in its expression of an
"earnest hope" that the So solid North and "solid
SouthD NAV henceforth disappear from American
party warfare, to be uttered and heard no more"
If what we hear this morning be true-that South
Carolina and Louisiana have gone Repubcan-the
situation is indeed improved for the solid South has
broken asunder. If South Carolina had been car
ried without troops and Louisiana without fraud,
the improvement would have been still greater. No
single fact in the whole campaign made worse i'm
preston on English observers than the use of the
military in political contest
Not less hopeful than The Daily Necs is The Times
In its forecast of what Mr.. Tilden may be expected
not to do. Yet it is significant that both journals
have to occupy themselves at the first moment with
consideration, not of what positive policy Mr.. Ill
den may adopt, but of the imminent pers he has to
steer clear Of The difficulties in his way are for
midable SAYS The 1iqes-the most dangerous Of them
living in ambush in the constitution of the Demo
cratic party itself. There is the extreme Southern
faction, prominent representation of which in Mr.
Tilden's Cabinet would, in The lmes's opinion, at
once excite popular dstrust in the North There
the infatlonlsts with Mr.. Hendricks at their head
vet Mr.. Tilden hard-money man, cannot give, or
even pretend to Offer Office to ex-Gov. Allen or Gen.
Ewing" Lastly, there are the Irish. with Messrs.
Kelly, Morrissey, and 0Brien, each expect
ing position OF power Neither to them
nor tn the Southerners can the Pres-