The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-06-07
For 1890.

~ APHNs
There seems to prevail among certain
Southern politicians u strong opposition TO
the denomination Of Mr.. TrLDrS. How
largely this sentiment exists among the poo
pie who are, or ought 10 be, the masters of
the politicians. is another question. We
printed the other day an interesting letter
on this subject from a Confederate Colonel
OF Alabama, who takes the opposite view.
and attributes the Southern discontcnt 60
Mr.. TILDrN's letter on southern claims,
and his well known uuiiicudinoss 10 the
whilom cotton tnX rounding scheme We
believe our correspondent makes too much
Of these matters The better ciaes Of South
ern men agree with Mr. TiLpEN ON thcsc
questions, and lay the whole o. the late ayi-
tation OF them 10 the so-cniicd lOyali7ts.
They have been heard oil mainly IN Rcrub-
lican campaign Documents and the rahl!c-
rouslng speeches Of uuprincipicd domu-
gugues. who would just as readily say, if
they could find anybody TO believe IL, that
oil the blacksmiths' shops IN the South were
running double time. forging now shacklcs
for the negroes aud making nails Tor the
collins of Northern soiouiuers. There wcrc
in the winter OF 1876 a few southern rep
rcscntatives who looked forward to serious
raids upon the Treasury They were tic
men who traded with HAYES, MATTHEWS.
and FOSTER for the completion II the fraud
ulcnt count and the Dispersal among them
OF the public money. In the sorm 81 subsidies
and the payment OF unrecognizcd claims,
was part Of that bad bargain. But they
never entertained such hopes from the Sue
cess of the Democratic party. II they had.
there would have been no necessity for sell
ing themselves to HAYES.
Our correspondent thinks the Northern
Democrats ought TO be allowed TO dictate
the plan Of the campaign" because the
battle is to be won in the Northern States.
II won Mt all. We cannot agree with him.
A declaration Of principles and purposes
which should be understood to have been
dictated by the weaker wing Of the party.
and TO have Involved the mumcn.ary sup
preston OF the stronger. Tor tire mere pur-
pose Of success at the polls, would command
no confidence whatever There must be no
dictation about il. Tho nominations and tho
platform must represent the genuine senti-
ments Of the party North and South. II
Mr. TiLDEN cmbodes those sentiments bot
ter than any other, and the people want
him, we dare say no will Ice nominated.
Tho South was all but unanimous for him IN
1876, although he had been Identified with
the Free Sellers Of 1s4S, WIS q War Demo-
crat during the rebellion, and was stillly op-
posed to various schemes OF opening the
Treasury which some portions OF the South
were supposed to have much at heart 90
schemes which were sufficiently exposed in
the subsequent negotiations with HAYES.
The real contest is undoubtedly to be
fought on Northern ground, aud II the
Democratic leaders. North and South, are
not seen to be freely and consccntiously in
harmony with conservative public opinion
in the doubtful States, they might rs well
turl their standards and dismiss their
forces. We believe that with prudent be-
havior henceforth, and the nomination Of
conservative anti-slavery man, like TILDEN,
PALMER DAVIS, or FIELD, they cannot fail
fsuccess-certainly they cannot iai! agaiust
GRANT with all the shameful and olious
features OF a canvass in his behalf The OBJ
lection which has really hurt Mr.. TILDEN, Is
that he was once elected President and did
not take tho olllce. But how was he to take
1t when Congress, with the assent Of many
Southern representatives, declared HAYES
elected Whether Mr.. TILDEN made any
serious attempt to stamp out the iniqqitous
scheme of unconstitutional arbitration, we
do not pretend to say. But we do most en-
phatically say that the Constitution laid
upon Congress the duty o. determining the
electoral question according TO the law and
the facts and members cannot plead their
own imbccilty in exclamation OF the offence
they committed IN leaving uudone the things
they should have done. The responsibility
was upon them, and they were sworn 10 dis
charge it properly Mr.. TILDEy had legally
nothing to do with it; and the stream OF
Congressman pouring over here for direc-
tion in the performance Of plain duty was
a disgrace TO the party and to the country.
The men who bitterly criticise SIR TILDEN
for not impartng wisdom and courage TO
Congress couspcuously devoid of these
qualities, forget that THURMAN and BAYARD,
who were then and are still his rivals, had
concocted the infamous electoral scheme
and forced IL down the gagging throats OF
the House Committee before Mr.. TILDEN
ever heard OF it.