New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-12-13


impeached to that of the impeaching witness
bad good effect in enlightening the minds OF
the triers and leading them to just and in
telligent Judgment. There are times when the
magistrate may PROFOUND with gruff discrim-
nation, to the accuser as well as the accused,
the blunt inquiry, "Well, who are you ~ and be
guilty of no improperly. Injustice may come OF
it, it is true. The thief, the prostitute, the
utterer of counterfeit money, the gambler, the
policy -vender, the bookseller, the swindler,
the vagabOnd, may any of them be defeated OF
Justice and greatly wronged, because IN the
balancing of evidence the weight Of their own
bad characters is against them. That thcy
should be uniustly dealt with upon the
ground of previous bad character is their
misfortune. That they have a bad character
Is their fault. Everybody is entitled to the
equal and exact justice promised by the Jaw
but the worlds eyes are not now, nor ever
will be, red with weeping over the wrongs OF
thieves who have been robbed, counterfeiters
who have been swlndled, balot-bOx suffers
and repeaters who have been counted out,
or gamblers who have been cheated at " SKIN
games" The world takes that sort OF IN
Justice with the greatest serenity and COM
posture.
Now that the Democratic party is so aroused
by a sense of outrage and injustice In the
matter of declaring the result of the Presi-
Dental election, and is working itself mp by
defamation aud denunciatiOn to such high
pitch of excitement, it occurs 10 us that the
American People, the high tribunal to when
the wronged and counted OUT Democracy
makes its boisterOus appeal, may well look
sharply round and ask, amid the uproar,
"Well, who are you?" And who out of this
crowd. clamoring so loudly for fair election
and an honest count and true return; who
of these bowling bedlamites demanding
investigations, denOuncing the opposition, and
threatening slaughter, will step out and make
answer The question would Immediately sug-
pest its own answer to any one familiar with
the record and history of the Democratic
party. Suggest it so completely that no man
would have the assurance to undertake TO add
ANYTHING thereto. In the face of that reducho
dd absWrdun-for it would be no less-the
Democratic party could do no better than
make the answer of the witness quoted above
"Nopc of your id business" and step down.
Now there are several eminent persons IN the
Democratic party who have just begun to rise
I'D to the importance OF having honest elec-
tons, and who are feeling profoundly upon
the subject They charge that the RepuDll-
cans have defrauded them of the election. Mr.
Fernando Wood is of that opinion. and Is
quite certain it is an outrage, against when
the people in their majesty ought to rise. Mr..
Samuel j. Randall concurs in that view, and
is greatly exercised about it, Gov. Seymour
has expressed his Indignation at this state OF
things, and wondered what we shall all come
TO if things 90 on so. Distinguished persons
of the Democratic persuasion in and out OF
Congress have joined in the arraign-
ment of the Republican party and the
demand for justice. Mr.. John Morrissey, a
leading statesman, has indicated his dis
apprObatiOn of the whole proceeding by
declaring all bets off, at the same time that
he attested his own judicial fairness by de-
Quoting his commissions with absolute impair
tiality from both sides. The feeling III the
party is, We may say, general Almost WITH
out exception the members OF this great or
ganizatiOn, and particularly the leading mem
bers, such men for instance as Mr.. Randall
and Mr. Wood, and Gov. 1ilden himself, who
have had large experience III the management
of elections, as chairmcn and members OF
State Committees, and as such have learned to
detest corrupt practices and discourage
fraud-all such men particularly are pro-
nounced in their opinions of the outrage and
earnest IN demanding redress. 1t is pleasing
as well as an exciting spectacle. No one can
doubt the earnestness or sincerity of these
gentlemen. They do honestly think they have
been cheated, and that the American People
Il ,,,gfta bntF
say so in the same impressive manner with
which the person lately III the cOunterfeiting
business testified that he would not believe
under oath the man who had once had him
arrested, but toward whom he had only the
kindest feelings. And they likewise think
with him that questions as to character under
these circumstances are impairment.
If then Gov. Tllden shall say TO the AmeIi-
can People that he has been honestly elected
and is in danger of being cheated out of ii,
and shall ask that something be done about it,
the People may well say, eve have known
"you, Mr. Tildcn, qs chairman Of State
Committee, consenting TO the practice OF
"wOrse things than you charge on your oppO-
"nents. There was nothing done about it, and
"yOu didn't ask anything TO bo done about il,
"though the vote of the State of New DIRK
"was stolen for Horatio Seymour and John
on Hoffman. We were calm then. Pray be
"calm yourself now" They may say to all
these bellgerent Democrats, eve have
"seen your party practcing habitually year
"aftcr year worse fir uds than you now
"charge on your opponents, and we are not
going to get excited or be stirred up to strife
"nOw because You think you have been de-
frauded. We will endeayor to have the truth
" discovered and judcially determined, and JUS