Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1878-05-04
THE DEATH-sTRUGGLE OF THE RE-
PUBLICAN PARTY.
BY GEORGE w. JULIAN.
PART THREE

PART THREE
1t was not strange, therefore, that the
old leaders assumed the entire direction
and management of the canvass for
Governor Hayes. They were entitled to
it by the logic of politics. Instead of
advocating the reforms specified in the
Cincinnati platform and his letter of
acceptance, they studiously avoided ali
reference to them. The question of our
civil service was not discussed, and, it
| mentioned at all, it was in the way o.
laudatlon. The whole management OF
the canvass assumed that the admin
lstration oil Governor Hayes. should he
be elected. would be a continuation OF
that OF General Grant. The canvass, in
fact. was merely renewal OF the strug-
gle between the policy OF hate and the
policy OF reconciliation which had SO
long divided the people. and under
cover Of which political decentralization
was rapidly reaching its climax. 1t was
a new and enlarged edition of the con-
publican leaders in every section of the
Union labored necessarily to unite the
party and energ ize its action by keeping
|
dered by the war. Governor Hayes Sc
renely looked on, and, if he did not ex-
pressIy sanction this mode of conducting
the canvass, he certainly could not have
been ignorant OF the issue on which the
battle was being waged, and the meth
DDS employed to secure the victory. If
it had been known that alter reaching
the presidency he would openly espouse
the democratic policy respecting the
affairs OF the South, and set his face
against the corrupt use of the public
patronage which had prevailed under
his predecessor, we are confident he
would not have received single vote at
Cincinnati, nor have been thought of as
even a possible candidate. His election
was the triumph of the machine poll
ticians," because they had a perfect right
to claim it as legitimately redouudng to
their glory and advantage; and it
should surprise no one that they are
now banded against him as his enemies,
and determined to punish HIM for recre-
ancy to party obligations by which he
had fairly bound himself in the accept
tance OF his nomination and the attitude
he maintained during the canvass.
But let us follow the fortunes of the
party little further, and note the efforts
1t put forth to prolong its unhallowed
rule Its career thus far had made 1t
perfectly certain that it would not will
lingly resign its hold on power, and
would Scruple at no means OF prolong-
ing its lite; but the memories OF the
war could not last forever. In peace or
in strife the people OF the lately warning
sections ot the Union were destined to
live together, and it was the clear inter-
est of both that the past should be for
gotten in the rivalries OF a common
, brotherhood for the common veal. The
grand achievements OF the party during
the war could not always form
the basis and handspring of its life, and
hide from the people the lrightlui abuses
which ut last threatened the existence
OF our institutions The death strugg +,
OF the party was alarmingly loreshad
owed by events; but its trained captains
: glrding themselves for the work, anG
: relying upon the same party devilwor-
ship which had served them so long
prepared for the final conflict. Iha
> they still acted upon the darling theory
} that the overthrow OF the party would in
yolye the certain rum uf the country
and that its continued ascendency wa:
therefore to be maintained at all haz
ards, was abundantiy demonstrated b,
l unmistakable facts, to which we mus
! now invite the attention OF the reader.
On the morning of the day following
the presidential election the opinion
, generally prevailed that Tilden an,
/ Hendricks had been chosen. The lead
ing organs OF repubicanism conceded
!, the fact, and several OF them indulged IL
melancholy morallZlngs over the event
, Democrats, of course, rejoiced, bu
their JOY was short-lived. A Telegram
q from William T.. Chandler was sool
flashed over the wires, claiming the elec
ton OF Hayes and Wheeler. by one ma
jority of the ELECTORAL college, and b,
o the votes of the very states which were
r finally counted in their favor, through tn
Z. electoral commission. This claim wa
at once asserted by the republican
press and politicians throughout thu
j country, and was never aband
e oned MIR. Chandler was Yer
e active and prominent republican pol
itician, member OF the natlona
executive committee, and perfectly nc
1t torious as most unscrupulous partisan
He is the same gentleman whose SCI
valuable to his party, in securing tn
count OF that state ior the republica
2 candidates, IN defiance OF both tact an
g law. and who has since publicly detent
IA ed the action of the Louisiana returnin
board, in throwing out Governor III
den's majority of more than seven tho,
~ sand votes, on the ground that 1.-The n;
in tional exigency demanded it,
le The supporters OF Tilden and liel
~ bricks were surprised and alarmed b
Mr.. Chandler's telegram and NJ
u Hewitt, chairman OF the national den
re ocratic committee, soon aiterward II
is vited several representative public me
of both political parties, to repair
New Orleans for the purpose OF secu
OF ing fair count OF the vote OF Louisian
d, The president, protesting to have II
ul cause of honesty and fair dealing
~ heart, extended a similar invitation to
. number of prominent politicians, b
W. all, be il noted, members OF the repu
IS lican party, and the chlet of them We
&C. decided partisans. lie also ordered
Louisiana an imposing military force
preserve peace and good order, and S
T. that the returning board was unmole:
OF ell in the performance OF its dutyi bt
lat AS he had destroyed civil government
the state, by the bayonet. ut the biddil
:. of his party in 1872, it was not easy
81 see the necessity for this military ordt
se unless some new outrage was confer
ID plated. 1t should also be remember
cv that, according to his own declar
=. opinion, the state was in such 4 cone
L. ton of lawlessness that its vote shou
up not be counted, which was an admissi
ty that Tilden and Hendricks had be
rv elected On their arrival in New Orleal
bo the men who had responded to MIR. He
-. it's request proposed to Senator Sh'
IL man, and the republicans associate
ng with him, a joint conference and tricn
tn. ly cooperation, with the view to Il il
in. and satisfactory settlement OF the thre;
80. ening political controversy. But Il
ISL proposition was summarily rejected,
the pretext that these representative |
publicans had no legal authority to
terfere with the vote OF the state, or
Ia action of its officers i'll canvassing
and when they were reminded that
ve such authority had been thought OF, al
that the proposed conference contel
plated only such moral influence rs
Ct might be able to exert, these repub
ng cans dlsavOwed any authority or wish
interfere with the action of the retur
ing board even to that extent, and thei
on on by left the public completely in the II
Gu as to the meaning of their mission.