The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-14


dates. These defeated gentlemen seemed
conscious OF the ndelicacy OF appearing be-
fore the public to parade their grievances
and complain that they do not hold the two
highest offices of the government. They at
tempted to parry the criticism which con-
duet so extraordinary would naturally elicit
by profuse and reiterated disclaimers that
they were speaking in their own behalf.
Oh mol they came forward only Us the
champions Of the four millions or more OF
American citizens whose rights had been
trampled upon by the inauguration OF
HAYES and Wheeler. What a disinterested
regard for the sacredness OF the popular
will Mr.. Tilden and Mr. Hendricks unite
in declaring that they have no more interest
in this question than any other two citizens
of the country. AS we have their word for
it we suppose We are bound to believe them.
Mr.. Tilden processes to think that COM
plants of the kind he makes are unexam-
Piled. He said in his speech = "This is the
first time in American history that anybody
has ever pretended that the government OF
this great country was handed over to any
set OF men through fraud" Instead OF
being the first time it is the third. After
the election Of 1914 it was general
screech OF denunciation in the whole
whig press that Mr. Clay had been de-
feated by fraud. In the ''Whig Almanac
Of the next year Mr.. Greeley maintained
by an elaborate exhibition OF proofs and
statistics shat systematic, enormous. afro
Nc;1 t.,, 10, fad
election, and that James X. Polk is chosen
President by virtue Of these frauds On
the title page OF the almanac for the follow
ing year there was staring exhibition OF
the same thing in display type, the recital
closing with the statement, 'By virtue OF
such frauds Polk is now President" Clay's
principal biographcr, Mr. Cotton, said
1T is evident from the facts disclosed
in this chapter that the frauds in each OF
these States were considerably, and in two
or three of them largely, in excess Of Folks
maiorties. 1t is therefore undoubtedly
true that, by legal right, the electoral vote
Of the States of New York, Pennsylvania,
Georgia and Louisiana belonged to Henry
Clay, in addition to the vote actually re-
turned for him, and that he was legally
elected President Of the United States by
an electoral majority OF 1873 against 81; but
it is not true that the forms Of law
have SO operated as to declare it."
The other instance in which Mr.
Tilden's statement contradicts history
Jackson had 155, S72 popular votes against
1O5, 321 for John Quincy Adams, and 80
electoral votes against "a for Adams,
and yet Adams was made President
! It is notorious that this result was persis-
tently denounced by democratic politicians
and journals as o monstrous fraud. BAR
gain and corruption" was leading party
cry for the ensuing four years It was in
dustriously charged that the will OF the
| people was defeated and that Adams was
made President by o corrupt trade between
him and Clay.
this is the first time in our history that
defeated political party has ascribed it's
disappointment to fraud. But there is one
thing which is quite unexampled. Until
Mr.. Tilden made his singular speech at the
Manhattan Club there was never an instance
Of a defeated candidate for the Presidency
coming voluntarily before the public to
parade his own disappointment. Clay did
nothing ofsthe kind, although his whole
party believed that he had been defeated
by enormous and atrocious election frauds,
and if General Jackson was exhibited in
this complaining and denunciatory attitude
it was only by guest in his house repeat
ing his private conversation in newspaper.
He aiterward said in explanation THE
origin, the beginning of this matter, was at
nv own house and fireside, where surely
freeman may be permitted to speak on
public topics without having ascribed to
him improper designs. l have not gone
into the highways and market places to pro-
claim my opinions. Who has heard me com
plain? No one" jackson felt and Clay
felt that however deeply they might have
been wronged by frauds in the elections or
corruption in declaring the result, it would
i'll befit the dignity of citizen who had
been the candidate Of great party for the
first Office to stand up before the public and
| rail- AZ tuOSc WIZ Assu CduSOu LID uClCuS' -
the people feel wronged they hold in their
hands the means of redress, and it is an IN
dignifcd proceeding for disappointed can
didates to strip the bandages from their
political wounds and expose them to the
public.
Even If these speeches had been made by
other gentlemen than the rejected claimants
it would be impossible to commend their
substance and spirit, although in that case
they might be less Objectionable in point of
taste. The logical effect Of such speeches
would be m attempt to Dust President