Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-06-06
Chicago Northwestern Railway.
Washington Correspondence.
WASHINGToN, May % 1873

EDITOR REPoRTER:- The reyolu
ton inaugurated by the Tilden de-
mocracy continues to be, as it justly
should, the paramount question of the
day. Mr.. Potter in an open letter to
the Rev -, announces the fact of
his determination to GUST President
Hayes and seat Mr. Tilden, if it is a
possible thing.
The present revolutionary move
of the Tilden democracy is in utter de-
fance of the settlement of the presid-
entail question by the only legally con-
stituted authority that could settle it,
viz: the Forty fourth Congress; which
was not merely lawful settlement,
but was just and right,
In resisting this revolutionary move
ment of the Iilden democracy, repub-
licans do not stand simply upon the
final and irresistible settlement under
the electoral law. We do not rest our
case simply upon the plea that, wheth-
CT there was fraud or not, the result
was fully and conclusively established
by legal process. This fact is, indeed,
sufficient to stamp every hostile move
ment as uniustiiable. There was a
dispute; both parties agreed to refer
it to the Electoral Commission, and to
abide by the result. This arbitrament
was surrendered with all the forms
and sanctities Of law. The decision
may therefore be justly held as abso-
lutely binding upon all, without re-
gard to its merits, and on that ground
alone, republicans could successfully
stand.
But We do not rest there; we main
tain that the determination of the
Electoral Commission, and of the
lawyers, under the law, was not only
conclusive, but essentially right. We
not merely stand by the legal settle
ment, but repel the accusation of fraud
and charge it back upon the de-
mocracy. The elections in various
southern states were marked by pro-
ceedings on both sides which honest
men regret, and which leave dubious
and unpleasant impression, Who can
deny that in fair and candid review
of all the facts, the previous political
complexion of the states, the division
of the populations, the antecedent votes
III the disputed localities, and the ae,
tual evidence as to wrong-doing-that
all the Prescriptions of rlghtful ma
jority, are with the republicans, and
all the presumption of fraud with the
democrats.
Take the case of Florida In every
election from the period of reconstruc.
ton down to 1869, that state cast a
clear and undoubted republican ma
iority There was not single ex-
ception. The majority was not large,
averaging from 1000 to 5000, but il
was great enough and uniform enough
to show the fixed political attitude Of
the state. With this invariable result
in the preceding contests, there was
every reason to expect that Florida
would vote on tho same side in 1876,
and when dispute arose over it, every
presumption was in favor Of the re-
publicans. So with Louisiana. In
every contested election after 1868,
the republicans had a majority. The
blacks outnumbered the whites, and
they were solidly republican. The
disputed parishes were all largely re-
publican, and in every preceding con-
test had shown an overwhelming re-
publican vote. In the presidential
election of 1876, the returns upon
which the democratic claims rested,
not only reversed the usual result, but
showed large democratic preponder-
anee. This unnatural outcome was
repugnant to all reason and bore upon
its face the plain evidence of wrong.
And when supported, as it was, by
conclusive proofof terrorism and crime
it strengthened all the presumption:
in favor Of the republicans.
The same exhibst of dcmocrati,
fraud appears in Mississippi, al
though there the fraud was consum
mated a year earlier, That state haC
clear aepubliban majority of at leas
80, 900. In 1875 the democratic man
ayers set out to override it. They de-
liberately adopted what came to be
known as the Mississippi plan--a plan
of open and avowed intimidation, un,
der which the blacks were prevented
by brutal force from exercising the
franchise. The effect was illustrated