The New York herald., 1877-01-24
THE PROBLEM OF THE HOUR.
Mr. PABKE GOODWIN ON THE srTUATrox-sHARP
CRITICISM OF RETURNING BoARDs-rHE DEM

MIR. PABKE GOODWIN ON THE srrUATIox-sHARP
CRITICISM OF RETURNING BoARDs-rHK DEM
ocRArs TO INSIST UPON THEIR RIGHTS.
Mr.. Parkc Goodwin delivered mis- view OF tho polt.
cal situation in the form OF address at the Cooper
Institute last evening" under the auspices OF tho
Young Mems Democratic Union, before large audi
encc On the platform General Sigel william
Cullen Bryant, James NJ. Brown Adrian Isctn, C. G.
Baldwin, Q. NJ. Fry Eastman Johnson Charles ID. Iu-
gorso, Henry l.. Clinton Simon stcrnc many other
notabilitcs in politics or the professions Mr.. Will
liam Van Wyck, President Of the club introduced tho
lecturer political philosopher and sage Mr.
Goodwin commenced his address with tho re-
mark that would be needless TO say
that the situation is not critical Business pros
trate No wholly at his ease, and there werc
some, although he did not agree with them. who had
q lurking dread OF civil war Ho warned the members
of the association however, that they must not ex-
pect fervor of he had displayed at
the Cooper Institute former occasion, when the
issues of the campaign s,iIl pending. Chancellor
Kent had pointed long since that certain
,ngeIcy the day must como when our instt ut ions
would be tried. Tho Cbancelors words were In some
respects prophetic The crisis had certainly come.
The question whether Mr.. Tdcn or Mr.. Hayes should
be President OF the United States for tho next
four years unimportant Neither could
enter upon any radical measures with one
Of the great legislative forcos against him; and
either would doubt nll tho Office crcditably. The
important point that tho question should bc
settled in accordance with the constitution, anu that
the defeated party should yield up Its power grace.
fully and frankly. This had boen the rule for a con.
tury, one instance, when tho Southern States
preferred bayonet to ballot and took up arms to
dcatc Oh the field principles they could not
sustain at tho polls. The question, then was to
Wh tdnfn rl,,l ful eaL T.n
republican party was entitled 10 all honor for the
dact OF the war. Tho work OF reconstruction involved
however, one great mistak--that OF putting
tho ballot into the hands OF ignorant men, incapable
OF welding H. and liable to become the prey OF dcma-
| gogues. This mistake had been accepted, however
as settled, and tho only living question, therefore,
tho ato election was the question OF administration
tho civil service, and other important interests tho
republican party decidedly neflcicnt and detri-
mental to the public good
| DEcADENCE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
II was issue also Of the opposition that during its
long lensc OF power tho republican administration had
grown corrupt and that such those ol Bclknnp
were only sporadic cruptions OF deep seated cor
rupsion. 1t was further urged that the recon-
struction policy OF the party, aud particularly
It's present policy toward the South, tended to
keep alive sectional issues and to distract tho country
II was understood thing during tho campaign that
the republican party was on trial II tho people did
not understand this 1t not for lack OF the
being strongly before them Tho Tribune had con.
| cedcd 1SS electoral votes Tiden on tho morning
after the election; tho HERALD l99. The Times seemed
to DO sadly muddled on that morning. 1t stated that
II Hayes had carried New Jersey he would havc lS7
votes, and then congratulated the people OF the United
States on tho quiclness with which fho election had
boen conducted Not case OF violence at the polls
was recorded, In the votes OF many millions of mon.
On the second morning. however, 1t was intimated
tain, IL depended on tho counting of tho
votes In several States where tho defeated
party had tho counting lie did not think any careful
observer doubted what tho result would be any lmc
while the campaign was pending. The leaders of the
republican parry had then already commenced TO
before assumed tho position OF open critics. In 1870
this movement eliminated and thousands everywhere,
who had not been followers OF the democratic party,
became incorporated In its ranks These desercrs from
the republican party foil into threc classes The first
consisted OF what Mr. Lincoln call ''pain pco
pie" The second composed OF business men who
had become weary OF Custom House cxtortion fast
and loose administrator OF cirrcncy question,
and of msmanaged finance. rho third class, led by
mon like David A. Wells aud Professor Seclyc, was
composed OF men who dssentcd IRON the republican
party on economical issues and radical tcncts OF
political philosophy
REGENT GROWTH OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
Mr.. Goodwin hero proceeded to show the statis-
tical development OF the democratic party during the
past few and compared the percentage OF demo.
cratic gain IN proportion 10 tho aggregate tho
several States with that OF republican party At
this rate OF progress, he said the democrats would
election; and OF tho great middle belt oil States ut the
ratio OF Increase during tho last eight years.
would be left to tho republican party in 1880
He next proceeded TO an analysis Of the growth Of
democratic maortcs In the Souihern states, attribu
ting worry large proportion O that growth to the dis
gust OF tho with the carpetbag politicians that
had long been their leaders. With this preface he
went on TO discuss tho returns In Florida and Lousi-
deciding that tho Tllden ticket had doubcd
majority IN the former, and very largo majority
the latter IL seemed 10 him that the
was clearly beaten tho recent contest BY the
sounding voice Of tho people at tho last election IL
had been decided that corruption should be propcd
The first lesson Of this campaign that the republi-
can party had no margin TO retrieve mistake. Ac
saw no reason why the democrats should be essJ
gressive than they had been, or why they should
not insist calmly and nrmly upon their rights under
the constitution. Tho great objection the Louis
lana Returning Board was that II not 'constitu.
ti0nal body ~ but his objection to that cxcrescenco
still more iuudamen tal-namcly, that II was iu-
consistent with tue OF republican govern
body oil men the right to and popular
verdict; ani this exactly the junction OF the Lou
isiana Returning Board. II discussed intmidato on
as political cry, arguing that under the principles
could 0vcrturn election at polling place tho
State OF New YORK. BY such processes alteration
OF 13 600 had been madc In the vote Of the State OF
LOUISIANA which would be equivalent alteration
| OF 90, 600 IN the OF the State of New York,
GoDwIy's REMEDY.
But how was the country to be extrcaed from such
difficulty? Ths IN hts OPINION, was the question Tor
republican leaders In Congress answer One cues
tion had sotted, tina: that tho Presidcnt
OF the Senate had power the vote and he was
glad see, IRON the attitude Of rcpu Senators
toward the new Joint rule, that better and moro
patriotic spirit was now gaming ground partisan
passion ana bias. He had thought himself that II
would DO well 10 refer the question back the people,
say about next April for nna decision, but he oud
not venture to predict what measures would be de-
cided upon by Congress. lie hoped any event tn at
the people o the United States put dow
such engines OF fraud the returning boards that had
bcen discussed. He concluded with "A cuiogy OF Sam.
uel j. Tiidcn as one OF the great statesmen and pub
cists OF this country. and the desk while
tho audience was still applaudlpg.
Ey-DEpTITY COITECTOR WILLIAMS