The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-03-15
A WORD 70 DEMOCRATS,

over. HAYES has been counted in by
the partisan ruling of the Electoral
Commission, and inaugurated. We,
in common with every friend Of re-
form, regret the defeat of Mr.. TIL
DEN, and more especially so as it was
accomplished by the most outrage
Gus, shameless and unblushing frauds
and the blacklist and darkest kind of
perjury. We know that the condi-
tion of things is discouraging to us,
and we have heard Democrats say,
swell, it is NO use to hold elections
and vote, and that henceforth they
will refrain from attending either
State or Presidential elections" But
this is all wrong, the Democratic
party was never in a better condition
than it is to-day. Having carried
their candidate by a popular vote of
250, and 100000 of the white
voters of the United States, surely
there is nothing to discourage them
in this. 1t is true that Mr.. HAYES
will be President for four years to
come; but what a humiliating posi-
ton does he and the Republican par
ty assume when they must depend
upon the violation of all law and
frauds of the grossest kind to gain
success. Fellow Democrats, you
have honor, truth and justice on
your side; your record is not stain
ed by the villainies and frauds per
petrated by Returning Boards, and
your position is a thousand times
preferable to that of the Republican
party. Stand by your principles,
uphold your Democracy, and the flag
of your party never surrender so long
as you can fight with truth and JUS
tice on your side. You r citizens
of a great and growing country; by
occupying a passive, or inactive po-
sition in the future, we have every
thing to lose and nothing to gain.
Duty to our country, to ourselves
and our children, should stimulate
every Democrat in the land to renew
ed effort. We occupy an advantage
Gus position-let US not lose by in
difference or inaction, the great ad-
vantages now within our grasp. Let
every true friend ofreform buckle on
anew his armor and be ready to do
battle for the right. On this subject
the New York Herald, which is in
dependent, says:
"The country will be safe under
President Hayes, not because the re-
form element will be predominant in
the republican party, but because the
party as a whole will be restrained
by a constant sens of insecurity af-
ter an election which has proved that
the democrats outnumber them by
something like q quarter ola million
in the country atlarge. The admin
istration of President Hayes will be
put on its good behavior from the
very start. 1t cannot afford to make
mistakes. 1t will set out with every
advantage except the e possess
ion of office, in the hands of its adj
~versaries. The democrats are not
only superior in numbers but are
armed with weapons of singular po-
tency for attack and accusation. Uh-
less they commit some egregious
blunder they can keep the admins
tration perpetually on the defensive.
They can force it either to yindicate
its questioned title by conspicuous
reforms or to exhibit itselfa amark
for ~shattering assaults. The batter
ing rams of a powerful opposition
will tumble it into the ruins unless
it fortihes itself by a thorough re.
noyation of our existing public life.
The flaw in Mr.. Hayes's title and
the lettering condition of his party
will enable the Democrats to force
him to keep his pledges or bring his
administration into discredit during
the years Gifts existence. The dem.
%ocratic party will have an immense
lever under the new administration
with power enough to work it. In
the present juncture of affairs they
can benefit the country far more as
an opposition than they could il
power, with a hostile Senate to thwar.
them, a split among themselves OF
the currency question"