Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1876-11-15
Letter from an Old Jacksonian Democrat
Of Greenwood Township.
NEAR SEVEN STAR TAVERN, \
November Ii, 1876. (

n
after that think little more about II uB
al the nez, Saturday night, when we'd
go out TO some store or tavern and tall
the thing over. Sometimes week:
passed away before We found out who
was elected, and in all that time We
never thought Of getting excited. 81
you can know how | saiJ, Oh shade
Of Andy, how things have changed
since his day, when got down to the
Stars this evening and was told that
the city people were so excited over
the election that they were ready &c
fight about it. felt like a fell1w who
has popped the question to his girl aud
she SAID, "No, Barton. dear" Dad You
ever have TO pocket such sumner
tell you Saturday nights are the nights
Of all others OF which fellows hearl
is brought nearly to a stand still by
the little word ssDo." What a sumner
to ask, "Do You love NE - and to gel
the answer, "No." or TO ask, "Will you
be mine forever, dearest 9" and to ge.
for an answer, 81 guess not." 1t 1.
bard to tellwhere fellow feels it most
That was the way with ne when | was
told that the city folks and the people
o: big towns talked of starting another
war because the election was so close
and | know that if old Andy we're now
among the living, he would be shocked
more than when some sinner said that
Mrs jackson smoked corn-cob pipe.
In Old Hickory's time the cities and
towns we're not SO big; they didn'i
have such lot of idle vagaboDd set OF
people in them. Eli tell you, young
man, that the cities are the hot-beds oil
nearly all the troubles and frauds tba,
l trouble US as a nation. The folk at
the Stars have been good deal excited
this evening, not against each other, but
over the news that the people down in
Florida and other Southern States were
much excited, and with the bad element
in Northern cities that an outbreak
among them might take place, and ]
was just thinking to myself how dear
Old Andy would issue a proclamation
if he were living and in power, that
there can be no need of such sn out
rageous excitement and talk, but all
that is needed is to have a correct and
fair count of the vote and an honest
announcement of the same, and to bring
about such state of affairs he would
employ all of bis authority.
had just got done with that thought
when some one came in with the news
tha; President Grant had issued the
following everlasting despatch
General ". T. Sherman, Washington, d. c.
Instruct General Ausur in Louisiana, and
General Ruger in Florida, to be vigilant
with the force at their command to preserve
peace and good order, and to see that the
proper and legal Boards of Canvassers are
unmolesfed in the performance of their
duty. Should there be any ground, of sus-
picion OF a fraudulent count on either side,
II should be reported and denounced at once.
No man worthy OF the office of President
should b. willing to hSld il if counted in,
or placed there by fraud. Either party can
afford TO b. disappointed in the result, but
the country cannot afford to have the result
tainted by the suspicion of Illegal or false
returns. U. s. GRANT.
said Amen to that despatch, and |
don't know you if did not say Amen to
that. That wa. real Old Hickory
despatch, and was equal to Andy say
ing, d" By the Eternal" " hen Andy
said that be intended just what he said
You know that knocked the bottom out
of the Notification measures in 1884,
and you may bet high on it that Grants
order to Sherman will knock the bottom
out of all fraudulent attempts in the
States of Florida, Louisiana aud South
Car olina, if any such attempts are made.
The election laws in South Carolina aud
Louisiana are different from the election
laws in this State, but that is no reason
why the couutry should fight about it.
If the laws are not right they can
change them by peaceable means; but
they must not be allowed to eudanger
the peace of the country By getting up
fight for the candidates for the Presi-
dency on the cry of frauds. If frauds
have been committed the rascals should
be brought to speedy justice, and that
should not only be the case in the
Southern States named, but should be
the case in every part of the country.
Once the ballot boxes become the
places for fraud TO rest in aud count
out its opponents the end of the Re
public has come. Isn't it an outrage
on our boasted civilization that a close
vote should bring men out IN threats of
war if th0ir candidate is the defeated
party. Why if a fight is to settle the
business, what was the use of holding
an election v hat was the use of
having campaign in which to consider
the claims of the respective parties
Why not in the beginning 6ght it out,
and leave the stronger party in power
But once that way is resorted to, free
government is at an end.
But why get excited over the result
because il is close. In our system for
the election of president the majority
of electors elect the man no matter
how small the majority may be, that
majority elects, aud if the government
can't rest on a small majority as we'll
as on large majority without a fight,
and rivers of bloodshei and their at
teudant evils aud sorrows, the sooner
:he Republic is brought TO an end aud
strong government is built on its
foundations the better. So Andy Jack
son would say. The hero of New Or
leans would anathematize the man or
men who would dare to declare that if
the election is only carried by the elec
tors of State that has a small elec
toral vote, they are in for war or rebel
lion. lie would call such people bad
people, or people who should live under
king aud not under government like
Al.