Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1877-02-20
From Harper's Weekly,
"Reforln" With q Great X.

'htIOFM w 20" u UfS'
Reform is beautiful word from Dem
ocratic lips. During the campaign the
Democrats failed to tell the country pre-
cisely what would be done if they sue
ceeded, but we might all be sure that they
would take care Of Reform" The Re-
publicans were very bad people, MIR. Fer
nando Wood was constrained to say 1t,
and a regard for truth compelled Messrs.
Cox, Willis, Morrissey, Spinola, helley'
and others no longer to conceal the fact
Honesty, humanity, and liberty, but es-
pecially honesty, left stricken country
no resource but "1ilden and Reform. "
The Democratic party was a kind OF con-
s,ellation OF "Retorm," or prodlglous
comet, of which Mr.. Tilden was the nu-
cleus, and Messrs. Wood, Randall Cox,
Willis, MOrrissey-and CrOnin-were the
fair shining tail. Wells, Of louisiana,
according to the gospel of "Tilden and
Reform, is too great knave to be men
toned patiently. But Cronin, OF Ore.
gon, is the hope of "Relorm." Reform
requires above all things "the will OF the
people.n "the face Of the returns, and
ian honest count" Murders, maimlngs'
whippings, burnings, and general terror
and intimidation are things of naught to
Reform" but "the will Of the people
ana "the face of the returns" are lndls-
pensable.
In louisiana there were forty political
murders in one parish; there was intimi-
dation as fragrant and undeniable, as we
have before said, as Turkish barbarities
in Bulgaria and because the vote OF
parishes so terrorized and coerced was
thrown out by the Returning Board
proceeding undeniably lawful, whatever
else may be said OF 1.-THE Democrats
shrieked as if Reform" were slain. 1t
is confeSSedly a question whether there
was a free and fair election in Louisiana
or in Mississippi, South Carolina or Flor
ida but because 1.-The face of the returns
is not admitted to be conclusive, the
friends of "Tilden and Reform" refuse to
be comtorted. Now in Oregon there was
no question whatever that the election
was perfectly free and fair, and that "the
face of the returns" elected the Republi.
cans as indisputable as in New York ii
elected the Democrats. But not one oil
the Republicans so elected has been re-
turned. and the friends Of "lilden aud
Reform" are not in the least discomposed
Later developments and testimony re-
veal still larger Il in Reform 1t
appears that on the day before Grover
gave the certificate to CrOnin, and Cronin
elected his two associates, nephew and
agent Of Mr.. Tilden went to bank Of
which that gentleman is a director and
large stakeholder, and procured check
for eight thousand dollars in favor Of well
known persons in Oregon. This nephew
had no account at the bank, and had de-
posted no collateral, but on the evening
of the day before the check was drawn
and the Cronin performance took place
Mr.. W. Il. Scott, OF the democratic VA
tional Committee, told the cashier that he
would black" the nephew to the amount
Of twenty thousand dollars.
Here is Reform" with the largest pos
sible L, and the most painful anxiety FOL
honesty and purity, and above all, for 1.-The
face of the returns" and the majesty Of
the expressed will Of the people. The
solemn appeal to be just and fear not, come:
with immense weight from those who are
50 bent upon Reform that if they can
not drag their candidate into office by
respecting "the face of the returns III
Louisiana, they will try to do it by re-
jecting "the face of the returns in Ore
gon.