New-York tribune., 1878-12-17

party. The Herald has observed that the party
really has brains, but insists upon going
through the world heels uppermost. Whle
its brains are laboring to devise some way OF
getting rid of the "fraud" Issue, and of all
the other issues on which the party has been
shamefulIy wrong and disgracefulIy beaten, the
heels of the party keep up a clatter about
the campaign of 1876, and ill the public ear
and eye. Democratic editors and speakers of
the cheaper sort do not see how the party can
be kept alive except by crying fraud" and
imagine that voters are so dersely Ignorant
and dull that vOciferOus Outcry without any
evidence will move them to wrath at Republic
cans accused while no proof however conclusive
will rouse any feeling against Democrats, even
though their guilt is virtually acknowledged.
This notion has had fair trial. Against Re-
publIcans, from highest to lowest the mean
est ISLANDERS that periurers can be
hired to utter have been industriOusly
circulated, as established beyond dispute.
As to Democrats, The TRIBUNE has
submitted their own cipher dispatches,
the keys and the transations, and has taken
pains never formally to assert quite as much
as those dispatches cause candid men to be-
lieye The result is known. Overwhelming losses
have forced Democrats to regard their complete
defeat in 1880 as exceedingly probable. These
losses have been greatest precisely where
Democrats themselves had raised the lOudest
cries of fraud.n And now, while the Cheap
Johns of the party continue to howl as be-
fore, ITS leaders and wisest advisers are anX-
iuusly seeking some way TO get out OF the
mess.
There is no way ont Some are in favor of
throwing overheard "Tilden and Reform"
But it is not clear that he Will suffer him
self to be thrown overheard. Neither is
it clear that throwing him overheard
will convince voters that the Democratic
party is innocent or pure; 1t only
proves that the party Is frightened. Finally,
there is one thing clear, unfortunately FOR
DemOcrats-that the party abandons all hope
of carrying New-Iork, il 1T tries to
make Mr.. Tilden its scapegOat. lie
Will not 90 into the wilderness until he
has made an end of Democratic hopes.
Why should h not put the knife to the party
if he plrases7 He bought it in convention at
st. Louis, and a man may surely do what he
will with his own. Not many Will doubt
his power, whenever he plcascs, to make
it impossible for the Democratic party to
carry NcW-YoTk by heaping its sins on his
shoulders. To unload Mr.. TIlden, therefore,
means to stake everything upon success
in gaining new Western votes; but any
ATTEMPT To gain votes Mt the West for
the Democratic party will involve a course
which must render absolutely impossible
Democratic success in Ncw-Jerscy or Con-
nrcticut as well as in New-Iork.
Another plan suggested Is to neither unload
nor defend Tildenism. but to drop all discus
sion Of the campaign of 1876, and hope
that the people will forget It. Pol
itical memories are short. one Wise
politician observes. and perhaps the
fraudn business may blow over" II
Democrats keep quiet about it. Here, again,
there are difficulties. The Democratic stupIds
will not keep quiet. Neither will the Republic
cans let the matter be forgotten. Somebody
will insist upon investigation. TO deny II, or
ATTEMPT TO cOnine It tO n pncked committee
of whtewashers, would be worse for the
Democrats than to shoulder Alr. Tilden and
his friends and accept responsibility for
all their acts. With investigation will come
daily reports. Proofs hitherto wanting will
bc piled up. The mass of evidence which
has been found hitherto only in Republican
journals Will fill the news columns of all
papers, and get collected and formally authcn-
ticatCd in official documents. That breeze, the
Democrats may rest assured. will not blow
over; In fact. 1t has only commenced to blow.
Any attempt to shoulder Tilden aud white
wash his friends will be resisted by very
many Democrats, who have had more than
enough of reform by Fraud II will
oil
INDEPENDENTS. and make Democratic sue
cess impossible in those Eastern States
where the Independent voters hold the bal
ance of power. No conceivable proof of Re
publican wrong-dong, If any could be OBJ
tanned. would better Democratic prospects in
the least, if that party should try
to defend or whitcwash Tildenism for
the Republican party would at once
thrust aside any man or set of men
against whom proof of corrupt conduct might
be produced. The difficulty with the Demo-
Gratis is that they cannot do the same, because
Mr.. Tiden and his friends were too promi-
ncnt and powerful in that party; because
il has defended him and them too long al
rcady-fOr the Oregon exposure Is nearly two
years od-and because tho party can neither
afford TO give up its grievance nor to
make Mr.. Tilden scapegOat and face his
thrusts i'll New-York. so there is fastened 10
the Democratic party another load. Defence
of slavery the Kansas-N Ncbraska iniquity,
secession, copperheadsm, White Lcnsucism
and political maSsacres and assassinations,
reputation and initiation, and finally
an attempt to buy the Presidency-the are
burdens which no party can afford to carry.
II ,ypl, IL Inf tIo,,
only by disbanding itself.