Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-01-25
But there is another side for our

But there is another side for our
consideration, essential to q clear UNDER
standing Of the situation and how it,
came about. Our yiewof the compromise
is that it is quite as fair as my one
could have expected. Each party
having gone into it, neither can reject
it for the reasons so far alleged against
it. Recognizing that there is difference
of opinion subsisting, the party must
suffer thatrejeets whatits own committee
men vouch to be fair tribunal. What
Conklin, Edmunds, Frelinghuysen and
Hoar pronounce fair to the Republicans
what Thurman, Bayard, Hewitt and
Hunton say IS just to the..democrats,
must be accepted by each or bring upon
the head of the party rejecting an
indignation that will sweep it from the
face of the earth. The country is ready
to break out IN flame CT red hot
condemnation upon the man or men
who shall refuse the healing remedy OF
his Or their own prescribing. ..-f
But whether there ought to have
been such committee is the other side
to be viewed. 1t is rather late to talk
about it, except as we may learn from it, or
crafty those who wonder why it is thus.
1t is not wise to grieye after split milk,
nor do we but little vanity, perhaps,
impels the irrepressible II told you SO. "
The democratic house never ought to
have consented to a compromise
committee. Its speaker had I'M
hesitatingly held the 22nd Joint rule to
be in force. Certainly it had not been
repealed. Under it, three republican
presidents had been counted into office,
and under it M. Tilden was certain OF
Inauguration. It is equally certain that
the Senate's dissent to the operation OF
this rule would have brought about
some anarchical proceedings when the
two houses convened in joint session,
but the odds and the right were with the
democrats. One Of two, Cor both)
apprehensions must have obtained the
mastery. Either they We're overcome
bv the commercial and bondholding
elements Ct the party, Or else they
feared an interference Of the present
executive to sustain the vice-president
in counting in Hayes and Wheeler. II
the first, we hope it may never be
known: for if the calico markets Of the
cities or the feverish excitement Of gold
rooms can so impress democratic poiity
in crisis like this, then the name
would become reproachful to the second
generation. If it were the latter, they
displayed iaca Of sagacity inexcusable
in curbstoners. Few people doubt Grants
capabiity for such work; but without
a united republican support in the
Senate he was not likely to undertake it,
and still less likely to succeed. That
several republican senators would revolt
against Ferry's usurpatlon was observ-
able to readers at a distance. The
whole country had settled down to this
conviction. republicans and democrats
alike agreeing that Tilden was sure OF
the presidency the only doubt being
whether Hendricks Or Wheeler would
be second. The same senators who
would not sustain their party in open
fraud, conceived the idea Of compromise
and trapped the unwary democrats.
Thus Conklin and his following relieved
themselves from all embarrassment and
involved the inaugural question in the
doubts with which the compromise plan
enshrouds it. Morton remained of
because he is unscrupulous enough to
prefer the desperate chance Of Grants
interference to the supreme court
arbitration,
The mistake ETas II consenting to d
committee. We have l85 votes, with
5000 majority in Louisiana, and the
courts of Florida certifying for us there.
The Senate was forced behind the returns
to question our Oregon vote, and then
the Honse had the power to count
Louisiana and Florida democratic or not
at all. If democratic we got Tilden
and Hendricks if not at all, we got
Tjlden. The Oregon vote, and the
courts. added Game to our High, Low,
and this our members Of congress
threw up for new deal. Verify the tidal
wave of IA did not give us brains
proportioned to our majority. However,
there is a power that sometimes DEGREES
even in favor stupidity.