Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-12-21

cheating in elections, and that is that
the party knows its best hold aud would
always rather take its chance where
there are facilities for fraud than in an
honest election. The logic of the case
would be irresistible, even were the
truth not demonstrsble, as it is from
the record in scores Of cases Of elections,
contested and uncontested, in which
frauds of the most extensive character
have seen perpetrated.
For more than thirty years this par
ty, now So clamorous for investigation,
so indignant at what it considers sharp
practice and dishonest conduct on the
part fits opponents, and so anxious for
a popular uprising to vindicate the
purity of elections, has stood before the
country with its tongue in its cheek
when the evidence of Its own dishon-
esty was palpable and indisputable,
and said with a lazy wink. swell,
what are you going to do about it ?"
The 1ammany statesman now in Lud-
low Street did not invent the phrase.
The Democratic party had been saying
it, in its policy and acts if not in SO
many words. for years; and when he
stood in front with all the party at his
back, the spirit of the party only spoke
through him when he said, with the
Sneer of a man who knew his backing,
and how well he could count upon it,
"Well what are you going to do about
it?" 1t is party with which success
has always been the governing princi-
pie. To that end all means were justi
| fable. and no sacrifice too great. The
moral quality OF a transaction has new
er in any case Influenced the party's
| Judgment o. affected its decision, or
ever even been entertained in discus.
sion, except as the basis for an appeal
to the conscience of an opponent sup
posed to be guilty of the weakness OF
| being governed by such considerations.
Nothing could be more repugnant to
the principles or the practice of this
party than the idea that morals have
any relation with politics, or that in
political management and political ac-
tiOn there can be any higher allegiance
than 10 the party, any more binding
obligation than that Of party success.
1t is party with little in its past to be
proud of, and with twenty years be
hind ii of such laundering and folly,
such incompetence, reckIessness, and
crime, such floundering from one de-
gree OF 0aseneSs to another, and such
disclosures of unfitness, rapacity, and
greed that, instead of asking to be trust.
ed now, it might much better lay its
hand upon its mouth aud its mouth in
the dust, and cry, "Unclean unclean !'
and there Is not one of the eminent
persons who are to-day so urgent fOi
Investigation, and so sOlcitious for fail
election and honest count, who has not
known all these years that his party
has in every instance when il had TIE
opportunity done what ii could to de-
stroy all the hinderances to fraudulent
voting and false reiurns;, not one o.
them but has known Of repeated in.
stances of fraud, corruption, and VIC.
lence being resorted to by own par
ty from the time of the attempt to fsrce
slavery into Kansas down to the time
of Tweed, and not one of them that has
ever whispered syllable of disapprov.
al or protest. And the picture before
the country to-day is of this party and
these men frantically endeavOring to
incite popular uprising in behalf OF
the purity OF elections, not as an alb.
stract question of public morals or pub
lie justice, but because they think they
have themselves been cheated or out
cheated at last.
One wrong does rot by any means
| justify another. Because the Demo
cratic party has been all that we have
described, and has made for itself the
record we have referred to, it by nc
means follows that it should not have
Justice done it. The tribune has In
sisted from the first that this is ques-
ton not of parties but OF right and JUS
tice, and 1t does not for a moment justi.
fy any policy of retaliation. But we
have observed in some quarters express
siOns of surprise that the public mind
is not more excited over this question
that public meetings are not held, &c.
&c. In looking for reasons for the
calmness with which the people are
contemplating the situation and the
stOlidity with which they listen to the
appeals of Democratic leaders, it has
seemed to Us that possibly one of them
may be found in the well-knOwn record
of the Democratic party, and the sud.
denness and unexpectedness with
which il has assumed its present atti-
tude with reference to the purity OF
elections. The attention of great
many honest voters has been diverted
from the merits of the dispute by the
siDgularity of this spectacle. 1t is As
though staggering bully who had
gone out for little recreation in the
breaking of heads had come staggering
back with a badly damaged counte-
nance 10 enter a complaint. fer assault.
He must have justice. of cOurse;but then
the change in character seems 80 abrupt
that the court ought to have little
time to pull itselftogether and consider