The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-11-27

They sought to be divested Of eveit
personal aspsc,," Gov. Tilden, ills rde
is Ihe representative of the great wropg,
for il was through him the people 'wele
defrauded. But whether he is everls
candidate again r not The issue should
remain the paramount one of our time,
'If the subversion of the elective sys.
tenn proves successful ard prosperous"
all human experience shows it will again
be attempted, and again be successful,
Usurping and dishonest government
may thus be prolonged indefinitely in
the interest of the officeholdiug class. Is
not this class just as ready to-day as it
was in 1875 7 to destroy "the elective
system" TO maintain its power2 Future
generations of ofiiceholders, taught by
the success and prosperity of electoral
crime in our day, will cite it as a prece-
dent jnstifying future usurpations. Thus
the question i lifted far beyond any per-
sona consideration. The wrong to Til.
den is insignificant in comparison to the
destruction of vital principle, without
which free government becomes o delu-
sion and snare.
As long as free elections are maintain
ed, and due effect given to the will of
majorities, all grievances may be re
dressed by methods pointed out in the
Constitution, but destroy the elective
prinCip pie" and everything falls with it,
The governm ent becomes a sham-its
rulers usurpers-its declared voice lie.
The people must stamp fraud first
triumphant in A meriGan history, "a crime
against our institutions, which even sue.
cess and prosperity never can condone,
This is the question of questions. All
other questions are trflng in Compari-
son with it. It is true, the issues pre-
sented at the extra session of Congress
were essentials of free government; but
of what avail were they if the greater
one, OF the right of the people to elec'
tive selfgovernment," should be aban
doned. The elections of the year ans
wers the question. The Democratic
peopIe--the common people who Gohsi'
tute the power of the country and the
Democracy-had burned deep into their
hearts a sense IT deepest wrong. The
individual Democrat felt the wrong as
one done to him-ef just rs much as TO
Gov. Tiden. The eectious of 1877, in
which We swept the North, slowed that
he people were with Us, We made the
fight on the elective principle" and
in angry detestatiou and horror Of the
GREAT crime. The Republicans could not
stand No under the historic frands for
which Their party was Responsible ,u
they were scatter"@ cnaF
We should have kent on pressing the
electoral crime of 1876 7 on the people,
in season and out, until the verdict OF
the whole people was made mp ON il, in
the Presidential contest of next year
Who can doubt the rtsnll? Our failure
came from abandoning through the fol.
", weakness or ambitions of leaders the
overmaslering issue, deep rooted in the
mind and heart Of FIVE millions OF Dem
ovraliG voters.
We believe this issue remains, rs po
tent.a power 10 siir the Democratic heart
az it ever was. lis what the millions
who voted for aud elected rilden in 1876
can De bronghlNo the polls to Vo'e on in
1880 No other Issue, possessing such
inherent and righteous power, can be
presented. L isthe one question when
Democrats feel with all tue Intensity OF
their natures. - Pills. ] OSt.