The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-04-18
How Dan. Marone Beat Tnden.
AN IMPORTANT AND STARTLING TNCI-
DENT OF THE CAMPAIGN OF 1876.

AN IMPORTANT AND STARTLING lNOI-
DENT OF THE CANPAIGN OF 1876.
The following account of how the Re
publicans took courage from Democratic
doubts on the Presidential election night
of 1876, saws the Lancaster Intelljgencer,
is by Prof Holden, in the International
ReUie,r for April That the incident re-
lated was alone responsible for the inSpi-
ration given the Republican leaders to
count in Hayes is very doubtful, Tor
proofs accumulate that such conspiracy
was framed long before the election, and
that Chandler, Cameron " Co. were
prepared to steal even more States had
they been necessary to count in Hayes.
But the story is told with detail OF
narrative that makes it interesting,
while it serves admirably to show how
in politics, as in war and love, one side
that otherwise has no chance, often takes
/ courage and wins victory when inspired
by signs of weakening on the other
side.
1t may be that the momentOUs cOnSe-
quences ensuing from the Republican
vilIainy then did not flow from Demo-
cratic ChaiTman'S timid inquiry at Re
publican sources, but the same thing
was illustrated on a broader scale when
in Congress the Republicans gained a
fOOthOld for their successful planS-by the
Democratic acknowledgment of a doubt
in a matter regarding which our leaders
should have planted themselves on the
impregnablc rock of certainty.
This is Prof. HOlden's story:
On the night of Tuesday the 9TH Of No
vember 1876. all the returns of the PreSi-
dental vote were not received in New Ork.
. There were 1S5 electoral votes required for
choice The States of Florida, Louisiana,
I Oregon, Nevada, Colorado and South caro-
lima were distant and in all of them the yO-
. tingwas expected to be close The kilograms
received in the early hours of the evening
We're from the nearest States, and strongly
indicated the election of Mr.. Tilden, II any
single one Of the doubtful States went with
them. At three o'clock in the morning of
the Sth the rooms of the Republican National
Committee, in the Fifth Avenue hotel, were
vacant The hotel was quiet; only the clerk
in the Office and few sleepy pOrterS were
stirring. The Republican officials had gone
off to their beds to drown in sleep the disap-
pOntmcnt Of anticipated defeat. At the
. Democratic headquarters at the Everett
house there was more activity and great Ella
ton. To quote from high authority on this
side, "Uncle Sammy was to be pulled
through"
But even eIation is firing. and by three
. o'clock in the morning these rooms, too, We're
. nearly empty. The kilograms came in slow
". The tune Of the later ones was, Hayes, J"
Hayes" " Hayes" until it became mOnOt-
OnOuS and droning, as well as alarming, to
. the sleepy ear.
In the newspaper offices the night editors
. We're buSily compiling returns and seeking
. the imperSOnal fame of a well-cdited outside
page. They, too according to political COM
pleXiOn had been elated or alarmed and
alarm and elatiOn were changing sides with
them also. Still the Republican journals had
small hopes, and one of the most prominent
of them even published two editions, the first
conceding the election to Mr.. Tilden, and the
next denying it.
At 345 a. m, the alarm at the Everett
house took shape in the following telegram :
Everett House. New York.
'.Nelc York Times:
please give your estimate Of electoral
. votes secured fer Tilden. Answer at once.
ID. 4. MAGOSE, JR.,
chairman Democratic Committee,
Everett House.
4 [''Time, 3:45 a. m
So there was doubt in the Democratic
camp. Doubt there meant victory, OF at
least the claim Of victory to the Times Take
composing room, but leave it standing with
due prudence; We may need it tomorrow.
Write a new leader Of different tone, editor
prOthOnOtary, and carriage, boy and look
sharp. This is news for your betterS at the
other headquarters.
So the news editor of the Times, with the
telegram in his hand, drives furiOuSy to the
Fifth avenue hotel. waking clerks and portcrS
chance that the rooms We're not empty
They had been until nearly daylight" But
one of the faithful was there, 50 he states in
his testimony @. 527), Mr.. VIM. F. Chandler
counsel for the Republican Executive
Committee or for the Republican party: Il
do not know the name of my client" At
once the situation changed. The telegraph
operator was Wakened up. Dispatches went
promptly to the doubtful points
without Nevada Hayes is defeated
Telegraph again when Nevada is sure"
To Florida
"The Presidential election depends on the
vote Of Florida, and the Democrats will try
and wreSt it from US. Watch it. and hasten
returns"
The same dispatch was sent to louisiana
The next went to South Carolina:
Hayes Is elected if we have carried South
Carolina, Florida and Louisiana. Can you
hold your State %"
And TO Oregon:
without Oregon, Hayes is defeated
Don't be defrauded. Hasten returns"
NOW. return to your newspaper. | have
set the wheels In motion. and ! am instantly
going to Florida by way Of LynchbuTg and
Raleigh. Answer your Democratic friend
that Nj Hayes Is the President.
With this Nh Chandler vanishes into Flo
rida for the present Other Republicans 90
to the other doubtful States They have the
start Of their Democratic rivals by several
days, for the Everett house wakes up all too
slowly to the situation in the meantime two
campaigns are being organized on the Dem
Ocratic side One by the National Executive
Committee, and one more secret by a power
behind this, OF within it.