National Republican., 1877-12-28
Was IL q Bargain and Sale?

There can be no doubt In the mind Of any
Intelligent, candid man IN the United States
That RUTHERFORD b. HAYES, under q fair
and honest count, was the choice of the
American people as President of the United
States. Under the bull-dozing, shotgun
policy of the Democrats in the South, North
Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia
were absolutely wrested from the Repubi-
san Cause when they lesitimstely and hon.
estly belonged to that side. But, through
these evil agencies, those States were de-
clared to be carried by the Democrats, and
the struggle was narrowed down, counting
the States of South Carolina and Louisiana
on the Republican side, to majority Of one in
the Electoral College. This conclusion was
stcrnly resisted by the Democratic party,
and TO avoid greater evils the Electoral
Commission was invented under an agree
ment between the leaders of both parties,
both sides believing that they had the best
of the arrangement. The Democrats, how
ever, lost some confidence when Judge
DAVIS retired from the bench of the Su-
preme Court, but they lost none Of their de-
termination to succeed. When 1t was as
oertained that the Electoral Commission
stood eight for HAYES to seven for TILpEH,
perate, and at one time went so far "a to de-
termine upon success or revolution. The
House being strongly Democratic 1t had the
power to delay, If not to defeat the result.
They believed that they could defeat 1t,
and acted upon this hypothesis up to a GER
tain period in the conflict when they sud-
denly ceased firing and gave token of sub
mission. From that time the work of elect
ing President by the commission became
very easy.
We reprint to-day an abstract of an open
letter which the Hon. W. L. CHANDLER, for
merly secretary of the Republican Central
National Committee, has recently addressed
to the Republicans of New Hampshire, which
presents q Gordon of statements strongly
bearing the semblance of truth, inasmuch
N they are surrounded by strong corrobora-
tive circumstances, which positively declare
that the battle VIA ultimately won to the
Republican SIDE by specific bargain and
sale. This -mot-if IL shall be sustained
puts new feature upon the character OF
President HAYES and the high contracting
parties who managed his case. They are
one and all mere political tricksters, who
have closed hands with the enemy and con-
summated bargain under which the Re.
publican party has been betrayed and Re,
publican principles and interests have been
sacrificed to personal advantage. This bar,
gain, as 1t appears, involved the desertion
Of the Republican cause in the South, which
sacrificed the rightssnd interests of the col
ored race, and virtually accomplished the
handing over Of several decidedly R6pub-
hcan Southern States to the behests of the
Democrats.
Il may be claimed that the President was
not cognizant of the arrangement, and per-
haps he was not. But, lot us ask, why did
Senator SHERMAN make his trip to Gen.
HAYES ut that particular juncture, and
why did heiDenIocmts recede from their
active hostility in the House Immediately
after his rstuEn, If his visit TO Ohio had
nothing n do with IL, and If Mr.. HAYES
was isnarant Of what was going onH That
needs explanation. Perhaps
Afr. suxRNAS and the President may be
,ble 10 explain that matter satisfactorily.
Nc hope they may, and thus relieve the