The Portland daily press., 1877-02-13
Our New York Letter.
The Inconsolabie Democracy--A Law
Defying 0rganizaiiOn-A Contrast aud
a Moral Regulating the Bond--
Senator Cameron's Suit.

| pons noW Oh resorting 10 expedients which will
prevent decisive action on the part of the Elec-
toral Commission. The proceedings Ct the
House yesterday were manifestly prompted by
this motive. The rulings IN the case of Florida
have made them wel-uigh hopeless of the de-
feat OF Hayes, and as that was what they were
after when they aoquiesced in the scheme they
are trying to negative their previous action.
| 1t is as we'll perhaps that they should ex-
hibt themselves in this light provided they fail
IN accomplishing the object they are aiming at.
The country needs to be brought to a realizing
sense OF what revolutionary and law-defying
organization the Democratic party 10. Sixteen
years have elapsed since they plunged the Re-
public into the carnage Of civil war to prevent
the peaceful succession of ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
| They have since been profuse 10 expressions of
penltence for this great crime They have
made four pathetic appeals for restoration on
the ground that they were heartily sorry for
past offenses and on promises that for all time
to come they would be the most order. loving
and pacific party that ever existed.
| But how impossible it is for them to restrain
the old revolutionary spirit. Ever since it was
ascertaned that the Republican candidate for
the Presidency had a majority of the electoral
votes they have been threatening violence.
Brawling men in various sections have been
vaDoring wildly about raising armies to enforce
the Inauguration of Tilden. The tranquility of
the Union has been disturbed, its business
interests seriously ieopardized, the recovery Of
its prosperity hindered by these menaces For
| three months certain vague sense of uneasi-
ness arising out of this defiant attitude of Dem
ocratic demagogues has paralyzed the indus
| trial forces of the Republic
Contrast the conduct of the Republicans with
| that of their opponents during this critical
period. Observe with what respect not for law
| only, for that was matter of course, but for
right, for equity for justice they have acted
They held the winning hand all the while.
The precedent of counting the votes dsvolved
that duty upon Republican Vice President.
| Chief Magistrate sat at the head of the State,
OF their choice, whose ability and will to thwart
treason and make short shrift for traitors
everybody understood. There could not be any
/ overt act of rebellion while Grant was Presi-
| dent. The most timid citizens comprehended
| that. The loudest blusterer felt tightening
| sensation about his neck as he remembered the
fact.
Nevertheless majority of the Republicans
In Congress magnanlmously surrendered this
vantage ground and consented to the creation
of an appellate tribunal as impartial as human
wisdom could devise. This concession was not
granted from motives of fear or appre hension.
1t had its origin in higher incentive 1t was
lofty disclaimer of any wish to hold power
otherwise than rightfully AMI by the will of
| the people. 1t was the President himself who
firstS hat
| devised which would dispose of the subject
with such perfect fairness as to leave no flaw
in the title of his successor. His timely words,
| uttered by telegraph three days after the elrc-
| ton, tersey embodied the moral sense of his
| countrymen, and furnished the text for the
law, under which the Commission at the Capt.
| tai is now acting. 1t gave the Democrats all
the chances they possibly could have of secur-
| ing the Presidency. Bitter complaints were
made against it by Republican partsans that
it literally threw away certainty. "You
| wouldn't catch the Democrats doing such
Lhing!' was frequent exclamation while the
bill was pending. of course you weuldn't.
Nobody imagines II. There is no similltude
between the principles, the policies or the
methods of the two parties. But it is the poor
est reason imaginable why Republicans should
neglect to do what their views of rectitude
prompted because Democrats under like cir
cumstances would lack the virtue to initiate SO
| good an example.
| L am very proud of the Republican party
feel that it is an honor always to have be-
longed to it. and matter of self graduation
never to have been fathless or Indifferent to it.
But am proudest of it that in its hour of trial
and temptation it refused to grasp the scepter
which was plainly within its reach, unless it
should be determined with absolute certainty
that it was ethically as well as technically en-
titled to rule 1 have small patience with the
poor creatures whom it has lifted into promi
nence only to find that after they had had all
the honors they could get and far more than
they deserved, they were ready to traduce and
betray it. There were just enough of these
renegades to bring it so near the verge of de-
feat as it was impeled last fall. II they had
gone over to the enemy's ranks bag and bag
gage they would have done less harm But
they remained upon the outskirts of the Re-
publlcan camp libellng it grossly and whining
in sneaking, cauting, hypocritical way about
its "corruptions and frauds" in respect Of
which if they knew anything whatever, they
|
former period of its glorious history from every
cause of reproach.
However, it was not BETTING that an organ
izatien SO august and honorable should stain
its grand record by any arbitrary seizure or re-
tention of power. Therefore it is that in my
mind, the law creating the Electoral College,
whatever may be the issue of its deliberations
is another of the great series of measures which
entities the Republican party to the gratitude
and homage of mankind
| should be glad if the Democrats were to
evince enough practical good sense to acqui-
esce patiently in the result. / should be very
willing to think better of them than ever
have or could. have sometimes thought that
a resident of New York city must naturally be
more deeply imbued with prejudice against
Democracy than members of more favored
communities. We see it here in all its worst
phases. Indeed, it cannot be as bad anywhere
else under the sun, except perhaps in some of
the Southern States where intimidation pre-
walls and murder has become an every day
affair. But even here, we have taken our turn
at that CHASTITY practice too. 1t was only thir-
teen years ago last summer that negroes were
hanged on lamp posts in populous parts of the
metropolis, and every one of the assassins was
an ardent Democrat, and is to-day If be has
not been summoned to his dread account
The depravity of the party took lower
form afterwards, but besides the ballot-box
stuffing which prevailed up to and including
J the election of 1868, half of the enormous mu-
niclpal debt the interest of which groaning
people are casting about for means to pay, rep
resents thefts that were practiced with great
openness by local Democratic regime.
But it looks at this moment as though
Democracy meant to assert itself after its orig
inal fashion in dealing with the Electoral Com
mission. That's the indication from its present
posture. If it must be so, the country will
appreciate more fully than ever the importance
} of keeping its government out of the control OF
party which stops at nothing for the sake of
obtaining or holding ascendency. If they are
disposed to exhibit any revolutionary propen-
sites this is as convenient time as any for
them to try it on. Only themselves would
suffer by it. 1 presume, however, they will try
| ,I,o t;,,a nd throu ohstacaa N tha