The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-06-12

NO Reason Why the DemOcra tie Party
Should Not sweep the States from
Maine California.


Unless the signs OF the times are exceed
ingly deceptive, the political outlook for the
I fall campaign is anything but encouraging
/ for the party which claims all of the moral
/ ity and ali of the decency there is to be had
In this and in all of the states of the Union.
/ III il is true, as the evidence now being given
before the committee of investigation at
Washington appears to entirely substantiate,
that the leaders of the republican party have
been engaged in perpetratiDg frauds in the
election returns in Florida and in Louisiana
during the presidential election of 1876, and
that honorable senators and honorable men,
bers of congress have given aid and
encouragement to unprfncipled men TO de-
fraud the nation of its choice for president,
and that honorable senators and honorable
members of congress did promise these I'M
princip pied men lucrative offices as compensa-
ton for the commission of crime, we do not
see how the republican party can go before
the people of the country this fall, and ask
the voters to return that party in power or
in the control of the legislative departments
of the government A settled conviction
must eventually fasten itseIf upon the public
mind that great wrong has been committed
and that majority OF the people of the
nation have been defrauded out of their
rights and that their will, as expressed
through the balloi-box, has been set aside
through dishonest and corrupt returning
boards. What is needed now is to expose this
unjust action and to expose the men however
high their position may have been in times
past who have conspired TO make our popu-
lar elections farce and a mOckery. This
exposure should be so thorough and COM
plete that it will prevent the like action
from being repeated in the future. Ii the
ballot-box is to be in the hands of knaves
and unprincipled men; if the election re-
turns are 10 be altered or changed at the will
and pleasure of secret returning boards, we
see no sure way by which the viii of the
people can be made effective If it is proved
beyond reasonable doubt that the returns
in Louisiana and in Florida have been TAM
Dered with; that they have been changed 50
as to elect Mr.. Hayes president; that these
unlawful acts have been committed in the
interest OF party and tor partisan pur-
poses and that these unlawful acts
were instigated by men who have been
held in high esteem in their party, and con-
sdsred honorable men by their political OPP
ponents then We say emphaiically that not
only the acts but the men who will sanction
forgery 10 advance their political aspirations
should be made OdiOus In the estimation OF
every honest man in the land. Their names
should be made so promioent that the finger
of scoTn will be directed towards them in all
time TO come. The good name OF the coun-
try demands that this much should be done.
The morals of the nation should not be sac
rificed upon the altar of unholy ambition,
seIfshness or avarice. If such actions go
unpunishei the people will soon lo-e re-
spect for our republican form of govern
ment. aud declare it to be failure. These
circumstances-take III connection with the
extravagance of the republican party in the
states and in the nation. its class legislation,
ITS system of finance which tends to make
the rich richer, and the poor poorer; which
engenders extravaganza among the people,
which creates heavy indebtedness, and
high rate of taxation which paralyzes all de-
partments of trade and commerce, and
which reduces the masses down to poverty
and want-must have their effect upon the
peOp'e when they go to the ballot-box this
fall, to elect state officers and members of
congress. We see no reason why the demo-
Gratis can not make a sweep from Maine to
Texas and from the Atlantic to the Pacific.