The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-10-16
COURSE.

We hare heard it urged as a COM
plant against Mfr. Tilden that pend
ing the action of the electoral COM
mission he should have taken some
bod decisive step-issued an ad
'dfess to the country; blown a gath
ering bnglesblast; called on Democ-
racy to arm. organize and drill,' or
done something else, we know not
what, forthe complaints fail to sug-
gest a definite programme. 1t is
easy to make such complaints as
this, but it is far more difficult to
show that they are founded in rea-
son. During the scenes that follow
ed the election in 1876, there was
really nothing that Mr.. Tilden could
do to influence the course of events,
and to have needlessly inflamed the
public mind by unmeaning nantes
toes; in advance of,the action of Con-
gress, would have been fruitless and
perhaps dangerous. He had carried
a majority of the State and of the
people and it could not then be as
sumed that. Congress would counter
ance any scheme to deprive him of
1.-The Presidency. Up to the time
that the Republican majority in the
Senate, throwing away all masks,
showed the world plainly that they
were determined to prevent his in
stallation at all hazards, his official
fate was wholly in the hands Of Con
gress, for that body alone could de-
termine the contested election re-
turns. Indeed, at that juncture, we
have the best authority for the state
ment that Mr.. Tilden, knowing that
the eyes Of the national Democracy,
the majority of the people of the
United States, were fastened upon
him, was extremely desirous of an
nouneing his personal views and in
sisting in the most emphatic + rm
on the enforcement of his unques-
toned rights, but was deferred by
1.-THE influence Of prominent Demo
cratic, Congressman. He was quite
peremptorily told that the whole
matter rested with Congress, that q
Democratic majority controlled the
house of representatives and that il
was his business to quietly await
the result. He possessed no legal
authority to assume the responsible
ity Of the situation, and it would
have been unpatrintic and unstates
manlike to have thrust himself for
ward as a personal leader ofthe peo
pie when Congress held in its hanG
the plenary power of settlement
Such an act would have been revolu
tiolary placing him and the Demo
cratic party outside of the bounds o
law, and threatening the public peace
and the disruption of our %reviyins
industries. How many mad pro
.ljects were suggested during thos'
Iexciting days many of our readers
Twill remember and it is well for tn,
United States that a cool, firm hant
held the reins of public passion
Nj. Tilden was neither intoxicated
by the magnificent victory Of hi
. election, nor confused nor m!sled BY
the clamors of Hotspurs and dema
gogues. He probably forsaw tn
J Conspiracy to defraud him out of th,
Presidency-he resented it proba
bly, more keenly than any man il
the country, but he respected TIN
laws and subordinated his ambition
to their requirements. He had moth
, ing to do WITH the electoral commits
sion act. The responsibility for it
, origin and passage rests with Con
, gress and primarily with Democrat
ic members. 1t was q laundering
| exped;eat, devised in q spirit of con
: ~cession and Cancellation, and receiv
3 ing it's first suggestion from fear
: that had no foundation in fact. But
:, bad or good, wise or unwise, it be
; came q law Of the land, and notwith
! standing the hideous fraud commit
i, ted under it, to have resisted its en-
) forcement would have been treason
against the government. There ar
many hot headed persons through
/, the country, we are well aware, VIII
I object to this conclusion. "Any
: thing they say, "would have bee
= better than quiet submission to sue
: outrageous imposition-such inefa
cable dishonor on American institu
tions." We do not think SO. Th
t other alternative was worse even +
: contemplate than submission to
wrong which however damnable, di
not dislocate society and the rectif
cation of the results of which coul
be accomplished in the future eve
if the disgrace was indelible. An
way MIR. Trden was not responsible
+ for the passage of the electoral CON
mission act, and When the radica
schemers IN the Senate used it t
T; count a minority candidate into tn
Presidential chair, the iniquity c
@ the fraud rests on them and the re
, sponsibility for the machinery whic
made it possible rests on the Demo
cratic Congressman who consente
e to 1t. If there were any decisiv
steps to be taken at any time tn
house of representatives was the bod
!, to taRe them, and when the hous
excepted the result and the nationt
J committees did the same, it woul
have been the worst kind of folly fo
e one man to intimate a diferer
course. 1t would have been mel
turbulence resulting in a sacrifice {
. reputation and an injury to the pa.
u ty.
s Mr.. Tilden's curse throughor
e the whole difficulty was temporal
r dignifed and patriotic, and on
which imposes an obligation on tn
people of the United States to r
spect and honor him.
q g. -~O~~
e Alaska has never paid a yer
heavy per cent. uDOn the money III