The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-12

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We supported Mr. TILDEN in the election
of 1876 to the best OF our ability. This we
iid, not merely because he seemed to us the
most available among the aspirants for the
Democratic nomination, but because we
found in him. what Is too rare among our
public men, n thorough faith IN the Consti-
luton Of the United States and in the prin-
,iplcs Of genuine Jeffcrsonian democracy.
And this Constitution and these principles
siubody and contain for us tho whole doc
trine and the whole rule OF political saliva
in.
Mr.. TILDrN was elected. He had ma
jority of the electors and a majority OF the
popular vote. Taking all the citizens Of the
country together, black and white, his ma
iority was more than quarter Of Il million;
and taking the white votes alone. il rose to
The proportions of million. seldom. II
svcr. has the decision In n momcntous puit-
raj struggle been pronounced with such en-
phusis. Seldom has il been so free from
rvcry real element OF uncertainty.
The Republican managers, however, con-
erircd, after the ballots had been cast, TO
reverse the Judgment of the people Having
failed To make President through the suf-
iAhN'' " Ai' NNlfiNs AI'N iDM htl'llnilNM
to make one through fraud. In order To
cover and to palliatc their conspiracy. they
t"t up the prctcncc that in certain portions
ui the country negroes had been ntimi-
lated SO that they had not voted; and on
this ground they claimed that the cleo
lion Of Mr.. TILDES ought not TO be-
held valid. II was an absurd an utterly
prcposterous claim. To admit ii would be
TO Justify every defeated party in resisting
The judgment Of the ballot box 1t would
uc Co destroy the Government and oblitcrato
The republic That In such case as this
such u plea should be interposed by de-
'cnt men, Is but an evidence Of political
Icpravity and OF partisan faulty. How
over. IL Is the only excuse that has ever
uccn offered for the Republican conspiracy
81 fraud, and a. such we speak OF il here
Through the cooperation of the Democratic
party in Congress, led by the senator from
Ohio and the Senator from Delaware, the
conspiracy was successful. and Il Fraudulent
President was put in Mr.. TILDEN's seat.
While a. u question Of the highest manly
qualities we have not been entirely satisfied
with the conduct of Mr.. TILDEN In this
critical emergency; and while we should
have preferred more decided leadership
un his part, we have never rcGchoed the
-oame that has been cast upon him on this
account. Under all the circumstances, such
blame seems TO us without conclusive rea-
sons. Considering the fact that the Rcpub-
liean party had been I'm possession of the
Government for sixteen years, and that
during this time the Democracy had
been cowcd anu broken by the chaetisement
NJ defeat after defeat: and considering
the enormous difficulty, the impossibilty,
almost, Of over turning out party that
holds the patronage and tho power Of the
Federal Administration; considering also
that Nlr. TILDEN had been trained. a. a con-
euting lawyer and political philosopher
to be man OF extreme prudence and eau
ton. and that he had never been ac-
rustomcd to the shocks and the conflicts
oven Of parliamentary controversy we can
not repruach him. much a. We may regret
that he did not display in that iuncturc the
splendid determination and aggressyoncss
Of Henry CLAY or Of ANDREW JACKsoN.
The Democratic part : remained dcfraudad
and plundcrcd but II still preserved the
glory Of n gallant fight, and there was no
tarnish on the escutchcOn Of its chosen
representative. The contest had simply
passed from one arena TO another, but II
was yet full OF nope and Of promise for the
future The final victory was delayed, but
il seemed none the less certain. Had the
party remained truc 20 its principles, had
IT anew and sternly asserted its devotion to
the Constitution, and its preference Of that
venerable charter over the ncw-fanglcl, ille-
gal, ana cowardly device of the Electoral
Commission, It might ~ have governed
the country, and brought back an era
az peace, Of economy II integrity and Of
genuine republican dignity. But this was
not to be. Many Of its chieftains in Con-
gress and in the States, inspired by no
high principles, pursuing petty ends, innu-
enced by cOwardice, laborng for contemptl-
bic objects of personal ambition or personal
greed, shamcfully fastened TO abandon the
vantage ground the party occupied, and Ia
convert themselves into partisans Of the
sanctity Of successful Fraud! And thus the
Democratic party has been finally broken
and degraded, If not destroyed so that from
this party, as 1t now exists before us, the
observer cannot draw strength for a single
patriotic hope.
Thus it now makes little practical differ
cnce whether in the election of 1850 Mr.
IIIDEN should or should not be candidate
No statesman would be DESTROYS, except
under some grave public necessity, to bear
standard ON which, even before the battle
black and deadly disaster is seen TO perch
aud yet there would be certain sentiment
tai consolation in once again supporting a
man whose name must forever be- memorable
in history in connection with the Fraud OF
1874 lnnmAtultta irI.aI it,f a