New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-12-13
THE PRELUDE AND THE LECTURE.

Mr.. Cook entered the hall last evening ac-
cOmpanicd by number OF cleigymen' including Tue
Rev DIR. Adamp, Professor Roswell ID. Hitchcock the
Rev Dr. OrmstOn and Others, all OF whom look seats
uDon the stage. Mr.. Cook called for the singing
Of one verse Of a familiar hymn and then
after n short prayer seated himself, and
in an easy conversational Tone made the following
comments on the cipher dispatches and frauds, as
prelude to his lecture
The ostrich hides her thin, wilful head IN the
sand and thinks whole body covered In these days
when CHASTITY election frauds startle South and North
and achieve historical prominence from the discussion
OF them in Presidential message, perhaps tue large
conspicuous truth may be whispered without offence
that great Is the American eagle, greater the American
peacock but greatest Of all the American ostrich.
ILaughter.l
what are few OF the facts illustrating Amer
can ingenuity frustrating the popular will expressed
at the posi wny looking around the present National
horizon from the point Of view tho political party now
IA power we see fraud-chiefy in the South and among
the hfth-rate managers OF the Democratic party But
II there were a Democratic President at the Wne
House, I am not but that the Nation would
have evidence before 1t Of fraud among hfth-
rate Republican political managers. 1t alleged that
the cipher dispatches which Of late have been unearthed
by The superb enterprise OF the leading American news
paper, were exhibited TO prominent men III Congress
before the Electoral Commission was appointed. Both
the Field and the Morton Committee demanded at that
Tie
OrtOn, OF the telegraph company, refused TO sur
render them He assured Senator Morton that the
secret kilograms would compromise conspicuous
men Of both parties and make horrible scandal.
He showed them representatives ON both sides,
who saw that they would bring disgrace on prominent
men, but who insisted, nevertheless, on their pubca
ton Obliged to surrender the dispatches to the Con
cresqonal Committees. orion at last gave them up TO
Senator Morton who used portions ofhem TO overcome
Democratic opposition the count after the decision OF
the Electoral Commission Inc dispatches, II is sug
gested fOnnd among his papers after his decodse
but some OF them bad been destroyed. This nc
count to which papers widely contrasted as
The geo York Herald and The Nev.YorL Nation (see
the latter October II, pp. 231 and 23D nave given
currency and substantial CTedGuce agrees well with tue
version which been current In we!-nfn med cir
Giles in Washington the two political parties, lust
before Electoral Commission met agreed not to ex-
anime each others record any further / know how
frankly am speaking but this place in which TO
speak frankly Cor platform is not political nor par
tisan. [Appldusel
The use which has been made OF the cipher dispatches
by The NEw-YoRK TRIBUNE deserves great praise
although the exposure has been party weapon CHIEFLY
What we want now is an the DISPATCHES that can be
obtained aud as fun an account possible of any that
are missing II can be- shown that only political
party mas been rmpleated IN secret hana gFeaf aa
poslte party; and 50 that party slould De Wiling 10
I'm existence Thus the investigation would assist to
bring about general publication, and would not be
merely party weapon.
WHAT THE INVESTIGATION HAS PROVED.
What has been proved by the investigation thus fart
Nearly all good are, judge, agreed in spite Of
the partisan character Of the exposure. that
l. In Oregon S., 600 was offered for an eector, and
Demoer ttIc money srnt to pay for the fraud.
O. In Florida $4,000 thus offered by RESPONSE
bic agent at Gramercy Park IN New-York
g. In south Carolina $4,000 was offered ana the
money sent to Baltimore to pay for the fraud.
a. Ia Louisiana the Republican record ls not clean,
md the Democratic far from being suppose i,i,
now clear that what is called the Potter Investigating
Committee has not brought any great Odlum upon the
persons II has attacked. That partisan mvesga
ton aud has done much damage TO It's opponents
as TnE TRIBUNE exposure has done 10 those against
whom II Was directed.
s. Il Is also to be set down historical fact that
THE TRIBUNE exposure has received tnus la5 no age
the principal character imp caed, and the nlSh h9nor
ne1pIe IN uk n fan to affirm that explanations
in view OIL the great crcumstantahty aud eouet-
agents have not been wholly satlsfact ~; Per-
haps they exonerate INN IN sight degree;
but, hc knew nothing al what ms aGtnt' Wcrr .og,
his indignation 1T er acts ought 10 be 6uc as To cause
him to drop them from he employment which he
has doue Tho denlsus ol tue SUBSIDIARY men ~ tIe
conspiracy stu more Lame than those OF tue lriuci-
pal The ciIef OF the subsidiary agents says re h
ming TO say on the subject Dui whoever III ms poi
ton has nothing 10 say about these CHARGES has mucI
BGt the most suggestive facts proved are these:
g. That he Presidency Was Tor sale by Few corrupt
T. That third and fourthrate politicians offered to buy
AZ II Sc cscaDed from the existence OF fraudulent
Presidency IL not on account Of any peculiar excel
enee in electoral machine or IN our hth and sew
euthate politicians who managed IT, IL was not result
OF the virtue Of several prominent men In both parties
1berye That tae leader OF the hepuDean parry nov VI
the undrlven snow from STAIN Whe we PRIDE ourselves
on this confidence however let us keep Ia mind the ct
that our electoral machinery now zuch that al any
time In closely contested National elect on the Presi-
dency may be for sale by fev politicians OF the tenth
rank State where the count Is 10 settle the dis
pute 80. .. 1901, .,,,,.,o, to- g.,
root Of the evil with them How far does bribery
20 IN Northern city electiOnsf Here CncagO and
things All nations hal beard Of the existenee ia New
York city OF Tweed Rng,accnsome 10 s'aill1g ballot
boxes mscOuntng the votes, and various forms OF M
tmIdatIOn by roughs at the polls PORTIONS OF
the southern DeHoctHI0 palJ t n9 'npro'ou NJ,
TWeed's measures. lie never knew no" 10 u.s.
tssue-Paper adrOity they do. He never employed
the siolun as they have done no never dared strike
of iron tue registry list as has been doue IN NE
Southern Sl@ es. We are peculiarly ndlSnaut over Tue
or Tue opening OF pOingDiaees IN sacn locations ~
made them exceedingly Vonlent Tor Dlaca ciuzCns
Massachusetts.
ROOT OF THE POLITICAL EVIL
We must go further down than TO the cipher dis
patches Of 1876 IL TO reach the root OF our diff
Guilty suppose IL % he that great number Of
average voters in both political parties expect to sell
their votes closely contested elections Riding down
the Hudson the other day with prominent politician
he told me that with hls own eyes he In ely out
side OF New-Eugaud church members going about with
tier hands full OF currency and paving So,
So So, for votes election day. An Inn
pOrant measure up and these church members
were determined to carry II through and in the case
TO which am making reference, they did carry an i'm
portant reform In city Of $4,000 or $4,000 nhabi-
tauts They carried IL by open bribery at the polls
Now what the churches TO say in such easel Are
won ready iudOre action OF that sort in who
ieSs look 70 the Holy OF HOLES for leafershlpf
/ was told by leading politician the other
day not far from Ncw-Yerk City, that when
he put the question 70 q Democratic mana