The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-01-11
PLAIN FicTs ron DEMOCRATS.
why their Party I. Weak and Divided, and
n. Future Uncertain.

To the OCCASION which presents NsclI 10 tncW.
Their would-bc party leaders are neither har-
monious nor homogeneous. The majority OF
the Southern men are at heart opposed to II re-
opening of the electoral question. some Of them
because they entered into n corrupt bar
gain and desire and expect favors Of
the Fraudulent Administration. and others
because they fear that an investigation
would excite Northern prejudccs Still others
believe that 1t is the shrewdcst sort Of political
strategy to do nothing that will tend to unite
the Republican party. This latter class COM
prlscs probably the greater number Of Southern
Representatives. They. of course. imagine that
what they don't know about statesmanship
is not worth knowing They think that
the fight between the Radical Republicans.
under the lead Of Blaine and Conk-
ling. and the moderate Republicans. rep
resented by Evarts and schurz. will continue
for the remainder Of IIayes's term. and that
their party will come into power In 1881 through
the divisions Of the Republicans, just as the Re-
publicans came into power in 1861 through the
divisions Of the Democracy. The bargaining ele-
mcnt OF the Southern Democrats believe that
the Hayes party. controlling ~ 1t does the
patronage of the Government. Is bound to
grow into an influential organization. rep
rescnting the conservative element OF the
Northern people. and they want to be in posi-
ton to Join it or the Democratic party. as their
interests may dictate. They aspire to hold the
balance Of power. and thus be able to knock
themselves down to the highest bidder
There is not much more harmony and unity
among would-be Democratic leaders OF the
North. There are perhaps more petty, mean ri
varies among them than there are among their
Southern colleagues. More than one Of them
aspire TO head the Democratic ticket in 1850.
and still more Of them are determined to havea
great deal to do with making "A Presidential
candidate and owning him after he
gets into the White House. Another thing
which aflics the Democratic party in Congress
beyond measure is the pitabe lack OF brains.
Not one man either from the South or North. in
Congress. has any commanding superiority
over his fellows. 1t il dead level OF mediocrlty.
some of them are shrcwd local politicians.
tut not one OF them has either the
intellectual or moral superiority TO mark him
a. leader Of mon. The result in the House J,
tina. he Democratic majority is a dsorgani2od
raibe. In the sai.atc the Democrats are little
hettor OF. Thurman Jas ability. but neither
the tact nor the experience To mako him tn"
chicftan. Wallace is the only man who has
tactical genius. and he Is without the mental
and moral force to qualify him for leadership.
But there Is still another thing which. after
| all. is perhaps the worst enemy Of the Demo-
cratic party at this ail-imrortant iuncture. It
il the y'ry general dislike OF Mr. Tillcn. There
can be no sectional lines run on this
question. Some 81 Tidcns most ar
dent admirers come from the South and
He has friends in the Middle and Western
States. but his cnomies IN these sections out
number his admirers ten to one And II is this
| hostility toward Tillen. this mean, nasty siirit
that NOR, than any other cause prevents III,
Democrats in C0ngr0 IS from being Practically
a unit in i1vor of searching inyc-ti-a-
uon of the great Fraud Of 1870. They do uo'
represent their constituents i'm this natter
They are VOL aware ~ this fact. TAe pcopi,
uul, inatod Tildcn NJ 81. Louis when there wa
NOT score Of Democratic Corgroesmon friendly
to him. The Consrrssmon don't want this {,
happen again. They are opposed To further
inquiry into tho Fraud and the bargains
10y which Hayes was made President prin.i.
name still more prominently before the people
They have no ambition TO punish the greatest
crime Of the age by making an example d
Hayes and the men who were the instrument,
b. which Fraud was made first triumphant in
American history" They have not the shrowl
ness to see that such a chance a. is now oficre,
To- them was never before within the grasp 10
public men. They do not appear TO have th'
faintest conception Of the length. breadth an,
depth Of the bitterness Of the Rad
al Republican leaders toward Harcs
they had the mcntal capacity TO appreciate tn
real situation and the moral courage 10 embrace
the opportunity which almost obtrudcs h-cl
upon them. they could put Mr.. Tilcn in tn
White House before the It'll Of March ncxl
and either land halt dozen visiting Statesmen
in the prnitcniiary or drive them into cXil,
This is not random assertion; it Is sober trutl
OF course there are many people who WI
turn upthe whites Of theil eyes. lit their hand,
and say dcprccatnrly, This would be rcyou
tiorary.' II would be no such thing II wou,
he simply righiing great wrong and punisl
ins the perpetrators II it. besides, it would J.
douo By purely legal and moral means Nor
over, it would Doe revolving back
honesty and right and it would n
he a violent change. II the Demo rats were
united body. animated and actuatol by hone
, purposes and if the facts that now lie upon Il
very surface were brought to light. both lIou-'
/ would vote 10y an almost two-thrls mnori
that Mr.. Hayes is not rghtlully President
the United States. There is abundant proof
my command to establish the correctness
- thi, statement