The daily Argus., 1876-11-11
From the ". Y. Tribune, NoU. s.
MT. Tilden the President,

ana the banners nung up TOT aust 10 set
tie on the hoarse and husky orators are
resting from their prolonged and heavy
labors, and let us hope that within few
days now the average citizen will emerge
from the quadrennial madness in his right
mind and ready to think and talk of some
thing other than politics, and ask some
other question than w ell, how does it look p
We shall be wise if with the trumpery of
the campaign, its torches and banners, and
all the paraphernalia of professions, as we
lay away the partisanship passion and pre-
iudice with which tie period has been rife,
and from ardent partisans seeking party
success become simply good citizens con-
sidering only the public welfare and the
general good. That is the truest philos.
ophy of the situation as it seems to us;
the highest wisdom and the most obvious
duty. Nearly one-half the voters in the
country are disappointed in greater or
less degree at the result, and more or less
dissatisfied with it, 1t would have been
so at any event. That is, Of course, inye
liable in popular elections. Somebody
must be disappointed, and the larger the
number the greater the check
upon the successful party in the tendencies
TO recklessness and waste which are born
of power. If in the heat of the campaign
which eliminated in the blaze of last nights
bonfres, and has ended in the embers and
ashes of this morning, any of US have
magni6ed to ourselves and others the
perils of the future if we have involun-
tarily exaggerated the evil consequences
10 be apprehended from the defeat of our
own desires; if we have fallen as under
such circumstances men naturally do, into
the habit of contemplating only unalloyed
good as the result Of our own party's sue
cess, and only unmitigated i'll as the conse-
quence OF an opposition victory, we may
we'll turn ourselves about and strive to
cultivate a more charitable Judgment of
the motives ofeour fellow men as we'll as a
more hopeful view of the country's future.
Mr.. Jefferson never uttered q truer propo.
sition than when he said to his Albemarle
neighbors, on his return from France in
1890, The will Of the majority, the nat
''ural law of every society, is the only sure
guardian of the rights of man, Perhaps
'even this may err; but its errors are hon.
lest, solitary aud short-lived." Our
experience as a Eation has fully demostra,
ted the truth of the proposition, and
established the fact for the comfort and
consolation of all sincere but faint-hearted
souls who drop into despair of the Repub-
lie whenever their party becomes a mi
nority.
With last nights counting of the votes
Gov. Tilden ceased to be the candidate oI
party-to-day he is elected President oi
the whole country. As such, and until he
has done something to forfeit his claim
thereto, he Is entitled to our respect, con
fidence and support. However we may
have doubted him or his party or his
policy heretofore, let us now accept
the situation and hope for the best
Our opposition to the election Of Gov. Til.
den has been based chiefly upon three
considerations. First, utter distrust oi
the party behind him, and the fear that
his election, instead of being followed by
reform in the civil service as he promised
would be the signal for revolution of the
service which, while it might be the means
of dismissing few corrupt and incompe
tent officials, would at the same time lei
loose upon the government places as incap
able, dishonest, and vile an army of cor
mOrants as ever robbed by authority ol
stole under a license. Second, distrust 81
his position upon the financial question
not so much of his own individual views
and opinions, SIS of the opinions of thu
party leaders who having once ALREADY
driven him to a serious modification of hi
views might be successful in an effort t
dictate the policy of his administration
Third well grounded apprehensions of
purpose, distinct, well defined and toC
powerful for Coy. Tilden to resist, on tn
part of his supporters. to reverse so far a
possible the results OF the war by reducing
the negro to practical subsection and deny
ing him the free exercise of the ballot
and also to compel the general government
in one form or another to pay the vas
amount of indebtedness incurred by tn
southern states in carrying on the rebel
lion. Looking over these questions nov
and the probable effect Of Mr., Tiiden'
election upon them,we shall be only just t
him, while we indulge in the most hopeful
view the situation offers, if we remembe
that he has strenuously denied ever,
promise of his opponents with re
gard to his and his partys position
upon those issues. The campaign ha
been more a discussion of questions of fac
than Of opposing principles or theories;
has not been characterized so much b.
argument as by assertion and denial TIL
hopetufasp of Mr.. Tilden's election thel
groundless, our suspicious and our doubts
to say the least, unjust. There is no neet
now to 90 over the record and recount Ou
reasons for distrust. That argument i
closed, and a decision adverse to ou
hopes has been given by the majority
Our hopes as patriots now must be tha
Gov. Tilden was not only sincere when
professed to be in favor of genuine admin
iotro two rnEoryY, an1 n ooup1 m
opposed to the payment of Confederat
war claims, but that he will have tn
courage of his convictions, the stubborn
ness of will and purpose to insist upo
what he has professed to believe in, and
sufficient backing in his party to be abl
to carry out his views.
We have opposed him partly because c
natural doubts of his sincerity inspired b.
his record as a party manager aud publ
man; more because of doubts of his actua
ability to resist the will and overcome th
spirit and purpose Of the party benin
him. Now that he is the elected pres
dent, it is only fair that we lay aside an
pride of opinion we may have; that W
indulge in no spirit of mere factiOus oppOs
tion. but hope that he will do and be a
that he has promised and professed, an
disappoipt those who have doubted ratht
than those who have trusted him. Layin
aside then the manifold reasons for doubtin
his earnestness as reformer and his abb
ity to enforce reforms, we may conter
ourselves with remembering that there al
some things in connection with his publ
service as governor, which do not leave l
without hope of some good from his admit
istratiOn, and we may also find encourage