National Republican., 1876-11-11
ARTS OF POLITICAL TRICKsTERs.

The intelligence conveyed by kilograms
printed elsewhere Of the seizure of poll
lists and registry and transfer books in San
Francisco by an irresponsible and self
elected board of supervisors, under foreign
inspiration, upon the pretense of correcting
alleged fraudulent voting by Republicans,
and the issue of ukase by Hon. Abram 3.
Hewitt, of New York, Chairman of the Ma
tiousl Democratic committee, convoking
Democratic committee of gentlemen at New
Orleans to confer with a mob of excited rev.
olutionists which has gathered in that city
for the purpose of extorting such returns
from the Returning Board of the State of
Louisiana as will secure the vote of that
State for Mr.. Tilden, smack so strongly of
rebellious interference with the legal and
ordinary methods of ascertaining the result
of popular elections for President and Vice
President as to excite the grayest appre-
tensions of law-abiding people for the
peace of the country and the permsnence
of our system Of popular government.
He who at this juncture attempts to
stir up revolution by casting suspicion OF
fraud upon all those judges of elections
who may disagree with him 10 politics.
and whose honest action in their minis
terisl capacity as canyassers of election
returns may be deemed inimicll to his
party interests, is an enemy of his country,
'tfit for treason. strategems and spoils."
The man who is always suspicious of his
neighbor needs watching himself In the
present exigency those who are swift to
accuse their opponents Of q design to
tsmper with the election returns lay them
selves open to the gravest suspicious of
having contemplated using illegal. if not
violent, means to win their cause, provided
such means should become necessary.
The alacrity with which Mr.. Hewitt now
summons his confederates to meet together
at the distance of one thousand miles from
their homes to interfere with the duties of
a Returning Board that is fully competent
to transact its own business places him in
this category. If he had really believed
the peace of the country to be in peril,
why did he not appeal to the President or
to the Attorney General for the necessary
aid to insure ordera He has probably learned
by this time that the Chief Executive
of the nation has quite as much regard for
an honest count of the ballots and the
peace of the State of Louisiana as the
chairman of the Democratic Committee;
while he has exhibited q much higher
regard for the legal and proper
modes of securing them. His brief and
terse but comprehensive instructions 10 the
General of the Army, in the interest Of
honesty and peace, comprise in few words
the solution of the contemplated revolu-
tionsry proceedings of Mr.. Hewitt and his
eonfederates. His sensible comment upon
the man who would accept the Office of
President If it was secured by fraud may
sound strangely to such patriots as Hewitt,
Tilden and John Goode, but will meet with
hearty and approving response from all
honest men.
always stands boldly in the front when
perils assail his country. No act of his
brilliant career does him more honor, or
will meet with more general commenda-
ton, than his determination to protect the
Boards of Canvsssers In the Republican
Southern States from threatened violence
in the performance of their duties. All
impartial and unbiased non. partisan evil
dences point to the fact that Florida, South
Carolina, Mississippi and Louisiana are Re-
publican States upon any fair expression of
opinion. The census returns of 1870,
showing the large preponderance of colored
male population above the age of twenty
one In those States, coupled with the known
fact that the colored vote there is certain to
be cast almost solid for the Republican
ticket, in addition to the very considerable
white Republican vote known to exist 10 each
of the States enumerated, leaves no doubt
in unpreJudiced minds that their voices in
the Electoral College would be cast for
Hayes and Wheeler. 1t follows, there
fore, that Mr.. Tilden cannot fairly hope to
secure his election through the votes of
any of these States by fair means. And 1t
also follows that the present "hue and cry"
of the Southern Democratic politicians that
they have carried these States is sheer TAB
rication, and is only preparatory to the
desperate means which they intend to call
to their aid in order to obtain Democratic
certificates of election. The succession OF
braggart kilograms with which the country