The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-11-09
Thursday. November Q. 1876.
Admissions Worth Remembering.

The Chicago Tribune, on Wednesday
morning, after the election, admitting the
election Of Tlden and Hendricks, makes
some admissions which it is we'll to put on
record as showing that the charges against
the Republican party made by the Demo
Gratis we're true. 1t says:
1t is not difficult to discover wherein the
Republican party has been overcome in
this election. Four years ago there was a
large detection Of some the best and ablest
Republicans in the country, caused by
dissatisfaction, not with the principles of
the Republican party, but with the general
character of the men then administering
the government. The people however,
were not prepared to hand over the gov
ernment to the Democratic party, and the
Republican administration was continued.
The men in Office chose to regard this as a
personal vindication, and, needless of the
great popular demand tor reforms, they
grew holder in their conduct. Then came
popular indignation, as shown in the cleo
ton of 1874, and when 1875 opened il
was certain that unless the Republican
party could give the nation an assurance
of its purpose to reform the administrative
policy Of the government the party could
not retain control Of the government. tt
do this it was necessary to select candi
date whose name and ability were of them
selves a guarantee that reform would be
vigorous and comprehensive. The Repub
lican convention was not able to select the
man whom the country needed and ex
pected. Division among the aspirants
and the persistent efforts of the machine
politicians to perpetuate their system
compelled the selection Of a compromise
candidate. But there was never.
theless a popular disappointment. Though
the main portion of those who had gone
off 10 1879 and of those who had abstaineC
from voting in 1874 returned to the Re
publican party, the campaign opened
under the shadow of public regret that il
the battle for Reform the leadership haC
not been given to the man already en-
deared to the country as the great Repub
lican Reformer. This shadow has reste(
upon the party from the beginning to the
end. The Republican press, the Republi
can orators, and the whole energies of thu
party have been of necessity directed no
to attract new voters, nor to break int
and capture Democrats, but to retain tn
party SIIeuBIHs duu W pIeN6uI u6leCGOL
The party was compelled from tn
beginning to the end to direct all its ap
peals and all its labors to prevent its ow
members going over to the opposition
seek from that party
that reform in the administrative policy
the government which the Republica
party had by its nominations failed
give the country satisfactory assuranc
was intended or would be possible undo
its many machine leaders. While the K,
publicans were thus endeavoriug to pre-
vent assertions and to hold their ow
forces, the Democratic party pursued
most aggressive war, 1t held Gov Hayt
responsible for all the errors and mistake
of the administration during the last eigl
years, and he had to carr
the weight of the very crime
and follies which he had bee
selected to reform. The result Of a can
paign thus conducted, "a campaign il
tensely aggressive on the one hand, al
exclusively defensive on the other
shown in its effect in all the close al
debatable states. In Indiana it cause
defeat, which defeat gave new vigor to Il
Democratic party in other states, and
the general result the story is told Of Il
defeat of great and powerful party by
few thousand votes in each of two or thr
small states.