The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-10-31
TILDEN'S SPEECH.
HEDENOUNCEs THE POLITICAL CRIME
OF THE REPUBLICANS.
A Review of Republican Legislation
Increase I'm the Power Of the Federal
GOvernment-lncrease In the Number
Of OfIlceh0lders-CiviI service Reform,
Cincinnati Enquirer.


cratfo Club serenaded ex- Governor Iiden to-.
night, at his residence in Gfamercy Park. and
the Governor made o long and ca efnlly pre-;
pnred speech In response. D0dworth's band
took Q position in the park about nine o'clock.
and the lively music It discoursed. together
with tie calcium lights profusely scattered
about the neighborhood, attracted Q crowd Of
some 5000 or 1000 persons. In addition to the
members Of the Young, Mems Club, COMMITTEES
tended, the serenade end reception in Governor
Tilden's parlor, which preceded the main event
About half-pas nine the crowd outside had
swelled to the requisite dim nsions. and had
begun also to grow impatient shouting with
Coy. .Tilden,. That ge tlaman came out and
took his position on the broad stone guard to
Immense cheers and cries of Three cheers
and continued some minutes Mr.. Tifden, when
the noise had subsidized. began his spe ch. He
opened In q low tone and with little animation,
but when he reached the subject of his personal
grievances a ms voice sometimes rose almost to q
Speaking, of the present State election. Mr..
The election. although for State officers, has
relations to national politics. to which know
you will expect me to alude The condemna-
Zion by the people Of The eatest political crime
Dental election Of 1876 was set aside and re-
wersed, is general and overwhelming, Her sis
Yer States might ao T. ~ have the yoes q Ney
the universal juugm gment of the civilized world 1t
ne nsading. @ But @ New York Herself h cannot afford
tohave her voice, unheart. :,
IA voice, TITS been heard Another voice,
MIR Tilden-f did not get robbed; the people
got robbed, tGreat cheeIringl The DECLARATION
Of Independence. the bill of rights. the State
constitutions, all contain assertions Of the right
ot The people to e % aaa s
havasssss8ed IT, have any meaning to the Amert-
vsa was y psl5Sdy to dispute. The contests Known
To &c comprehend the significance Of these de la
rations 1t is necessary to carry ourselves back
to the example OF human experience, In view
the governmental ma hine and small govern
mental class. sometimes with the aid OF the
army able 9 aG ma y 9yer millions
In forming the government of the United
States they endeavored to take every preea4-
country. They kept down the sanding army
to nominal amount. they intended to limit
tile functions of the Federal Government SO as
to prevent the growth IN dangerous dimen-i ms
of an office -noldiog class and Of corrupt in
fiuences. They preserved the State govern,
oninion % and % as org pnized m means AM Of resistance &C
to revolutionary .usurpat,on by the Fedora!
Ngoyernment. Jefferson. the leader Of liberal
Opinion, in his first inaugural recognized this
theory. Hamilton, the representative Of the
extreme conservative sentiment. In the FEEDER
1tist expounded with elaborate a. gumen's: the
father Of the constitution enforced these con.
IA voce-"There were nc, Returning Boards,
no Returning Boards in those days. The people
elected their own officers. and there were no Re-
5eansg t5anE Boards ns Of E9pSa @ and hoqTana
The increase Of power In the Federal Govern.
ment during he last twenty years, the creation
dependents. and the growth Of the means OF
corrupt influence have well nigh destroyed the
balance OF our complex system. 1t was my
a change of administration needed to embrace
two-thirds of the. people at the beginning OF
the canvass In order to cast majority y oi votes
its inevitable result will be the practical de-
struction of our system. Let the Federal gov
ernment grasp power over the great corpora
tions of our country, and acquire the means q
addressing their interests and their fears-let 1t
take jurisdiction OF riots, which It is the duty
increasing the army-and soon those In posses
sion Of the government will have. power with
which nc opposition Il, can successfully eompete
embarked in the contest with unscrupulous ac-
tivity. A member of the Cabinet was at the
head Of the partisan committee. Agents stood
at the door of the pay offices to exac, contribu-
tions from official subordnates. The whole
office-holding class were made to exhaust their
power. Even the army, for the first time to the
disgust of the soldiers and many of the officers
was moved about the country as an electioneer-
Here Mr. Tiiden. departing from his prepared
speech, shouted out: And here let me say, fell
w-citizens that for one am undoubtedly op-
posed to any increase Of the army. l Twill never
consent to it-never, no. never, neverl'
Mr.. Tilden continued: All this was done
under the eye of the beneficiary of it who was
making the air vocal with professions of civil
service reform. He began after he had himself
exhausted all the immoral advantages Of civi
service abuses. Public opinion in some States
was overborne by corrupt influences and by
fraud. But SO strong was the desire for reform
that the Democratic candidates received 800 00t
suffrages This was a majority of the popular
vote of about 100000. and 25o. 900 OF the, white
citizens. The step from al extreme degree
OF corrupt abuses In the elections to a sub
version Of the elective system itself is
natural No sooner was the election ovel
than the whole power of the ofice-ho
ing class. led by a Cabi net minister. was exert
ed to procure, and aid procure. from the STATE
eanvassers Of two States Illegal or fraudu
lent certificates. which were made a pretext fol
2 false COUNT of the electoral votes. To enable
these ofilcers to exercise the immoral c9urag,
NECESSARY to the part assigned to them, and Z
relieve them from the timi iity. which God has
fmpla nfed u the human brain as q limit K
criminal audacitY. attachments of the army
were sent 70 afford them shelter. The expe
d;onts by Yaich tic votes u electors c4sssn y,