The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-12-28
New YORK Dec. 25, 1876.

how the Presidential question is to be settled.
week of exemption from the proclamations
| o. Mr.. Hewitt-of silence about Cronin Hamp-
ton, Chamberlain; bulldozing and returning
boards; OF peace, quiet and good will, is so
| great change for the better that everybody
will be disposed to keep Christmas with more
than the wonted enthusiasm. If the spirit of
pacifcation which the day symbolizes, should
enter into the hearts of the multitude and abide
there, the clouds that are gathering over the
horizon of the Republic would soon disappear.
AT any rate pause is a good thing 1t gives
time for reflection, and for q cooling of the
passions which are apt to get beyond control
| in the heat of political strifes. 1t affords an
| opportunity to consider with composure, what
is best for the country, and how such result
C ch IL redound to its honor and
advantage. Accidents occasionally put free
| governments on trial and test their strength.
Ours has shown a marvellous capacity for en-
during strain, and is in no danger of under
| going another such experience now or hereaf-
ter But it is well to see it demonstrated how
small intrcaces as we'll as great emergencies
shall be met and dealt with. They are an
| noying when they arise, but if wisely SET
tied every precedent they serve to,establish
| constitutes new bulwark of strength to the
State
From merely political standpoint it is at
least debatable whether either party would be
| benefited by success or injured by defeat. It
is very certain that an administration suspected
of getting possession of authority by fraud
would be an object of bitter criticism and
harsh censorship as long as it LASTED. But with
cannot forego the conclusion that the Demo-
Gratis have altogether the poorest chance Of
showing clear title. Setting aside for the
moment, the fact that the prma facie returns
are against them, the three states they contest
are SO unmistakably Republican that if their
votes are not honestly for Hayes it is solely be-
cause they were not honestly cast and counted.
That is strong point on the Republican side.
When the colored citizens were admitted to
citizenship the basis of representation was
changed, and the South acquired additional
numerical power in the electoral college. Now
if this element of population is to be included
in the voting strength of the South, and yet
excluded from participation in the exercise Of
the right to vote, there is double fraud and the
party that takes advantage of it will outrage
that the Democrats are not wise in coveting
the sceptre der such circumstances. Ger
tainly the idea of their using violence or force
to acquire it is preposterous in the extreme
II the count as it stands is declared, and
Hayes inaugurated, they have just one chauco
of life, and that is by patient submission to
what they alege to be wrong, and pathetic
appeal to the people to redress it at the earliest
future opportunity If they were to assume Q
bellicose attitude they would be literally dis
troyed by the public execrations which would
be poured upon them. There is no danger of
their doing anything so ridiculous as that. Il
would be a good thing for the country perhaps,
if they did, because it would enhance the pop-
ular appreciation of Republican sway and tend
to make it permanent But their leaders are
too shrewd to commit so gross blunder as
that. They will take their chances Of working
up a little sympathy by declaiming in the
market places against 'bayonet rule, and the
''shackled South interspersing their protests
with other phrases that convey the idea that
the peaceful and harmless white Southron is
victim to the tyranny of his implacable and
savage foe, the black maD.
II Mr.. Tilden were to be made President BY
the rejection of the vote of state he would be
surrounded with embarrassments which would
render it difficult for him to govern the country
successfully. His own party would give him al
most as much vexation as the opposing one.
Ia the matter of patronage there would be
much to ask and little to give. The hordes Of
applicants for places would make his life
burden to him. But that trouble
would be as nothing compared to the task he
would have of reconci!ing the conflicting opin-
ions of his friends on the financial question.
He cast his barque upon the rocks when he
consummated the trade which gave him the
vote of Indiana The soft money men of the
West are pretty much all Democrats. They
mean business. They want paper money.
There are enough of them in Congress and
they are unreasonable and perverse enough to
give him great annoyance. They are nurtur-
ing the extravagant delusion that the issue Of
more legal tender notes will increase the pros
perity of the people. Their belief on this
point is Just as positive as if 1t was founded on
knowledge or common sense, and great deal
less amenable to argument. The situation at
the South is by no means satisfactory. The
whites of that section are bad lot to govern,
and ll:worse to be governed BY. We have had
one trial of them, aud they bullied and wor-
ried every President from Tyler to Lincoln.
That was when they were in minority. I'M
agine the airs they would put on If they con-
stituted two thirds of the electoral body which
made the President. Remember to what
shame, humiliation and degradation they re-
diced Pierce and Buchanan whom they did so
little to elect, and then think of the exaction
they would make of man who without thei
support would have figured as Scattering In
the returns.
1 do not think any adequate conception Is
generally entertained of the mischievous conse
quences likely to ensue from the re-establish-
meut of Southern oigsrcby. The South
itself is terra incognita to the masses. The
white people there have little more sympathy
with the rest of the Union than the Indians Of
the frontier have with the federal government,
Reconstruction has been failure because
their perverse obstinacy has made it so. Hatred
of Northerners and Northern principles and
institutions is the prevailing sentiment of what
is called Society in the South. The war
against rebellion conquered treason, but it
rather deepened than obliterated prejudice.
The Northern men who purposed to settle
there after hostilities ceased were so rudely
treated that they couldn't stay. If one OF their
own people accepted office from the Republican
administration he was Immediately tabooed in
most offensive and indecent way. Even Gen.
Longstreet, whose valor as a confederate sol
dier ought to have protected him from insult at
the hands of those he had served, was haugh-
ty Stunned or brutally reviled by the ''chiv-
airy when he took the place of Surveyor of
New Orleans, a city that is cosmopolitan COM
pared with Charleston or Mobile. 1t is consid-
cred mark of gentility among these peculiar
people to display feelings of resentment towards
everybody who has been or is willing to be
loyal to the national flag An army officer of
Southern birth recently stationed in one of the
gulf states expressed desire to call on family
that had lately met with an affiictiop, and
invited comrade to accompany him. "Ex-
cuse me" said his companion, 81 have had a
surfsit of cold shoulder from folks of that
sort" But" replied the officer, these are
old acquantances; they have met with be-
reavement: feel "a sympathy for them; 1t is