Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-02-08
The Presidential Question.

lie sguNStiOh'
Since the arguments were made by the
counsel of the respective sides before the
commission, there has been a visible in
crease of confidence among republicans
that their cause will succeed, and cor
responding decrease Of hope among demo-
Gratis that Tilden will be counted in. On
the part of the republicans who have spoken
before the commission there has been the
clearcst statement of the legal points in
volved, the sharpest definition of their
case, the most faithful adherence to reason,
law, and truth as the means TO the end
they would attain They rest their case
upon its substantial merits. Their argu-
ment forms a structure of logical precis-
ion. They mark out distinctly the line
between State and national authority,
and there they stand firmly fixed as
though on the rock of eternal justice and
truth.
This unhinching, manly, confident atti-
tude of Kasson, Mathews and Evarts, as
.
in that of the great argument of the latter,
has had vast influence upon public OPP
inion in favor Of the republican cause,
when contrasted with the course of the
democratic advocates, from David Dudley
Field to Charles O'Connor. The latter
speak and act as though they feel their
cause to be weak. They do not define their
ground clearly. They appear to have no
flea where the right of the State ends and
that of the nation begins. They fatter
and bully the commission by turns. Mr..
OConnor opened with laudation of the
commission for its great learning, wisdom
and love of justice, and before he got
through implicitly threatened that if their
decision was not in favor Of Tilden the
democrats would not submit TO it, and the
democratic House would elect their candi-
date.
This threat Of Mr.. OConnor, echoed by
other democrats in high position, is having
a blighting influence upon the hopes of
their party. 1t is prophetic of defeat for
Tilden before the commission. 1t is what
no democrat would do who thought he had
a strong case. Ii is an insult to the COM
mission. 1t is applying to that body the
argument Of the highwayman, give or we
take, decide in favor of Tilden or the
house will elect him and inaugurate revol-
ution and civil war. It's another applca-
ton OF bull-dozing-the carrying of the
mississippi plan" into this high court OF
arbitration.
But what better than this Can be OK
pected of democrats while republicans SUI
pincly allow themselves to be outraged
and trampled upon as they are by bull
dozer Field and his emissaries. The coun-
try is in high Indignation at the brutalites
inflicted upon the Louisiana returning
board, but the republicans in Congress
who should protect the members of the
board sit in abject terror and servilty
while the bull-dozer in chief goes on with
his inquisltorial and barbarous proceed
ings. If this is the spirit Of our party in
Congress we shall 90 on from compromise
to actual surrender. Shame on such cow
ardly work. We hope that the day of
weakness is past, that the threat of O'Con-
nor to break the compromise if the decis-
ion is against Tilden will be met with iron
firmness and with that pluck and res
olution which the emergency may de-
mand.