The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-09-20
POLITICAL.
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The TildeR Canvass Thus Far.

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The Tilden Canvass Thus Far.
From the New York Herald. Aug &c.
The CANVASS Oh the Democratic side
has been, up to tais time, so flat and
tame as to raise ominous misgivings in
the minds of Democrats. It would be
ridiculous to suppose that the party in
power can be dislodged without siren
uous and aggressive efforts. They
hold the citadel, and without more
energy on the part Of the assailants
they will continue to hold it. The
Democratic party has been acting on
the defensive ever since the opening
of the campaign. A party out OF
power can accomplish nothing so long
rs it can be kept in a defensive atti-
tude. Unless there is a change very
soon, the Democratic party may as
well make up it's minds to chang it's
harp on the willows and sit down by
the waters Of Babylon and Weep"
Some Democrats are trying to solace
themselves for the want of life in their
campaign with the idea that a languid
canvass is favorable to the party, be-
likely to be called out when the public
mind is i'll a state Of apathy. This
reasoning holds good only in what are
called the ''off years. \ Presiden-
tial year always brings large Repub-
lican vote to the polls, even in the
States where Republican asceDdancy
is SO assured that tWo.ffths az the
voters might stay 1T home without
putting the electoral ticket in jeop-
ardy. The attempt Of Democrats To
console themselves fer the tlatness Of
the Tilden canvass by reasoning which
holds good only in an off year involves
a fatal admission. It comedies that
the Republicans are q majority. and
that they only need to muster their
full strength to insure>a victory. This
IS not an election which can be car
rieu by what Nj. Tilden used to call
"a still hunt. inaslnuch as the great
body Of the Republicans never fail to
vote in q Presidential year.
Every conspicuous thing which the
Democratic party has done since the
st. Louis nominations has been all act
Of defense. Scott Lords Well-known
resolution. which President Grant so
neatly turned to Republican account,
was intended to repeal an accusation.
Nh. Hewitt s widely published speech
in reply to Mr.. kasson, printed with
so much laudation by the Democratic
press, was an effort to repel attacks
on the character Of the Democratic
nominee. Mr.. Til0en has been put on
the defensive in the courts in relation
to certain railroad transactions put
on the defensive by his trucking to
Hendricks OH the great question Of re-
sumption and even the statistics in
his letter Of acceptance have been sue
cessfully assailed. Thus far it has
been a canvass in which the Democrat
ic party has had blows to take but no
telling blows to give. The Republi-
can candidate has not been thus called
on to meet a constant succession of
charges. 1t is impossible to damage
him in public estimation by assail.
ing President Grant. Hayes is in no
way responsible for the blunders of
the present administrations not more
responsible for them than Gen. Dix is,
less responsible for them than Secre-
tary Fish is: and yet nobody thinks
that Dix or Fish can be successfully
stabbed through the sides OF Grant.
Hayes did noc appoint Belknap Hayes
did not protect Babcock; Hayes does
not own Il summer cottage on Long
Branch. has not spent his time in
junketing about the country, has &C.
cepted no presents. smokes no big
black cigars: and has no immoderate
fondnesss for pups Hayes is not
hurt by these staple charges against
Grant, bat the charges against
Ti)den. whether true OF false, are lev
elled ut himself. They have thus far
kept his organs and spokesman on the
defensive, to the great dctriment of
his canvass.