Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-01-11
The legendary Demonstrations.


den were weak demonstrations when COM
pared with the original democratic plan.
The Tildeni;es intended at the outset to
hold meetings all over the country. in cit
les, towns and villages, that would bring
out the full strength of the democratic par
ty, fire up the democratic heart TO The rev
dictionary pitch, and BULLDOG Northern
communities to consent to the Inaugural
ton of Tiden in order to avert threat
| ened bloodshed
This was the plan. How it was OBJ
served and executed We know. Only
three meetings worthy Of mention occur
red, one AZ Washington, one At Columbus,
and one At indianapolis. These three
meetings were the sum total OF all that
the Tldenilcs could accomplish by seer
al weeks of persistent blowing and prep
araiion, with the great name and fame
OF jackson To assist them, coupled with
the pity-moving figures ol meek Wade
Hampton and Butler the Hamburg butch
er as prosecuted martyrs suffering in the
cause of Liberty aud Reform.
The accounts OF these meetings which
have come to hand are rs disappointing
in their sangunary character as is the col
lapse of the general plan. They have, it
is true, occasional hints of blood if Hayes
is declared elected, but many of the
speeches and letters plainly discounte-
nance the mad schemes of the revolution
lists. One speaker at the Washington
meeting strutted before his hearers in full
war paint, declaring that there would De
100,0 900 men in Washington 10 see the vote
counted, an9 intimated that by the Eter-
nal" if Tilden were not counted in there
to bare his breast to the bullet of the ty-
rant and rush headlong upon his glitter
ing steel"
In the Columbus meeting there were
also among the speakers some Tllden pa
trots who clustered and threatened, also
in the indianapolis gathering, but they
were of that class who are ''inyincible in
peace and Invisible in war" Like the
Washington meeting, these were the faint
est echo of the original idea of the Sth Of
January meetings The very clustering
which appeared was 50 weak as to show
that it was only buster, attempting to con-
ceal the want of courage and hope that
pervades the democracy.
So Tlden's effort to "fre the public
heart" has been grand fizzle. The peo-
pie are not in a mood for bloodshed.
They know what war is, how destructive
to property, how terrible It's sacrifice of
life. They are not going TO that length to
support any pretender to the Presidency.
Mr.. Tilden must be content with the po-
sition that the constitution as understood
by the fathers of the country assigns him.
Money and fraud have been tried by
him as no other candidate for the Pres
idency ever tried them, but they have not
availed to give him even an apparent ma
iority of the electoral votes. Nor will
threats serve him any better. Bull-dozing
has been successful means of frightening
the ignorant and peaceable negroes of the
South out of their political rights and
privileges, but in the free and intelligent
North it will not work. Yet the purpose
of these 9Th of January meetings was
intimidation. They were intended to
alarm timid people with the idea that
blood would flow unless Tilden were
| placed in the Presidential chair. We hope
Mr.. Tilden will be willing after the failure
of his grand attempt to fire the public
heart" and scare somebody, to let peace
full and legal methods have their course.
The report sent abroad by the demo
Gratis on the Florida committee that the
committee will agree to report the State
for Tildcn is contradicted by the repub
lican members. They say the evidence
| taken has not in the least disturbed the
Hayes majority OF 935 woes, and that
Stearns should not have been counted