Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-09-18
The Democracy and Fair
EIQNsiOnS


/ 1t is the misfortune of the Democratic
party that all its history, traditions and
tendencies, and more especially the rev.
olutionary attitude assumed by its rep
resentatives in the late session of Con-
gress, are sodirectly at variance with the
recognize ed principles upon which
our syst tenn of government is based,
that the simple statement of any
elementary political truth is an arraign-
ment of that party for some leading fea-
ture of its policy. 1t follows that Re
publican Conventions have only to for
mulate some Of these established and
unquestioned principles and they have
constructed a distinctively Republican
declaration of faith and a fighting plat
form for an aggressive canvass in any
State contest. A simple statement that
the National honor shall be held sacred
is an Endorsement of the conduct of the
National finances by Republican admin
istratlons and denunciation of Demo-
cratic hostility to resumption and it's
open or covert endeavors to repudiate
the solemn obligations of the Govern
ment. The proclamation made by every
Republican Convention of the year that
this is a Nation and not a league is more
than mere reaffirmation of the central
truth established once and forever by
the war. 1t is the controlling idea in
the entire body of legislation adopted in
the direction of all the administrative
energy expended during the years of
Republican supremacy, and it is an in
dictment of the Democratic party for
plunging the country into civil war, for
aggravating the trials and burdens of
the contest and for its reasonable ef-
forts since to surrender every advantage
that was so painfully and gloriously
won.
A free and honest expression of popu-
| lar opinion at the polls is so manifest a
necessity in our system, and every at
tempt to abridge this feeling, or falsify
its expression, is so utterly subversive
of the basement principle of representa-
tive government, that it is hardly posi-
BILE to understand how a great political
party in a free country could be other
than sensitive on this vital point. And
yet when the Republicans of Minnesota,
followed day later by the Republicans
| of New York, commended Mr.. Hayes
for his firmness in upholding the safe
guards Of the ballOt-box, they pro-
nOunced a condemnation on the party
which lately struggled for months to
withdraw all efficient protection from
the polls and make voting cruel and
delusive farce. Disguise their purpose
as they may the evident object of the
attack upon the election laws was to in
sure Democratic success by fraud. I'm
der the universal rule of this party in
the South there is no pretence of fair
election. The ballot is mockery. The
voice Of the people is stihed. Party des-
pOIiolu 10 tDoOluGos ElOCIlOIlS hIG Slln-
ply endorsements at the muzzle of the
shotgun of the DEGREES Of an armed mi
nority. There is solid Democratic
representation from the South in both
houses Of Congress, not because each
member honestly represents Demo-
cratic constituency, but because Repub-
licans do not and dare not register their
will at tie polls.
1t is not the utterance of a useless
truism then when Republican Conven-
tiOns assert the necessity of Il free cleo
tion. lis distinctive Republican doc
trine. 1t is more. 1t is a question of
immediate and capital Importance, and
involves directly the issue of the COM
ing National canvass. If the country is
to pass under the domination of a Dem
ocratic Executive, it will he because
New York and Ohio are stolen by
frauds III this city and Cincinnati. OF
course, the Representatives from the
South who have bulldozed their way in
to Congress have small scruples rs to
the means so long as the Presidency is
captured. AS usual they find subser-
Went allies in their party at the North,
and thus it happens that the Democracy