The People's vindicator., 1879-02-15
FOR PRESIDENT IN 1880.
The Hon. Montgomery Blair Believes
that the Democracy will Stand
by nlden. : =
New York Sun.) .
Washington, Jan. Is.

Dear Sir The expressions referred
t" ~ yours Of the 10th wore used il
private conversation, and could no,
properly be be made public. But sl.
though they would interest the pub
lie because used by = leading acto,
in the surrender Of the election ol
1876, and would expose tho false pre-.
tence upon which the Electoral bill
was passed, by which that NHs done,
they are not 1t oil necessary to sub.
stitute shat fact. No ono who will
consider the facts now before the
public, however reluctsnt to come to
that conclusion, can fail to Gee that
it was not, as pretended, that war
was apprehended from adherence BY
Democrats to the constitution mode
Of counting the electoral vote, that
they abandoned II. and allowed it to
be done by Radical Commission i:
but simply because the. jobbing and
rival political inte,est in tho Demo.
cratic party, which had combined to
prevent Mr.. Tilden's nomination, be-
Iieved that those interests would be
promoted BY cooperation with the
Radicals in setting aside the election.
Nor is it necessary to group all the
circumstances bearing upon it, to
substantiate this position. 1t is only
necessary to recall some Of tho cir.
cnmstances attending the Transaction,
aud to point to the subsequent con.
duct aud present attitude Of some Of
the chief actors in it.
When, on the day after the cleo
ton, and after Mr.. Hayes had pub.
licly admitted his defeat, Mr.. Zach.
Chandler ordered false returns to be
fabricated 10 Louisiana, Florida, and
South Carolina, to count him 10, the
Democrats with one voice declared
that it would he the duty of the House
OF Representatives to exclude these
returns from the count. Nj. Tilden.
to strengthen tho hands of the Dem.
ocrate 10 the House in carrying ont
the will of the party, prepared with
elaborate cate from the records 4
complete history of the proceedinss
of Congress in counting the electoral
vote, showing that the House had re.
peatedly exercised this power, and
that it was expressly affirmed by the
twenty second joint rule Of the two
Houses, Cbandlers order, and the
purpose manifested BY his class of 20
'iticians to hold on 70 the Govern.
ment in virtue Of the frauds
to be perpetrated uuder it.
created much excitement; and there
was some talk, BY irrepressible per.
sons, Of meeting tho attempt with
force. But Mr.. Tiiden, the chosen
leader Of the party, and President.
elect, and therefore entitled TO in.
dicate tho plan Of action to be pur.
sued to consumate the purpose Of the
people to make him President, ,fdis.
counteoanced this. He diaeested
even from the proposal to hold sinul.
ianeous meetiDgs throughout the
country, desiring to have tho ques>
tion settled BY the proper authori.
ties, free from excitement, and upon
the facte and according to tho pro.
cedents he had prepared and submit.
ted tO them. And this policy vas
accepted BY the party.
The meetiDgs were not held, and il
Was impossible for tho Democratic
Senators and Representatives not 70
underatand that it required them %
abstain from any word OF act cslcu.
lated to create excitement OF provoke |
violenee, bat to adhere 70 tho prece.
dents and firmly assert tho righta Of
tho House Of Representatives; and !
Mr. \ Randall, on taking bic Sat % !
Speaker of the House at tho opeoipg| |
Of the session in December. ls76.
gave voice to this nniverssl feeline
of tho party. But within ok weeks !
they had resolved to disregard the |
policy they were required % follow
BY their constituents and By tho Con- |
stitotioo, and tho settled usaee under
1t, % shown BY tho volume prepared
and submitted to them BY their party
leader, on the ground that il this
policy were followed it would lead 70 |
war! The sole ground upon which |
this pretence Was based was tho -.
sumption that, 10 case the House
should assert ito right to exclude the |
fraudulent votes from tho count. tho i
Senate would claim for ito rresidipe |
officer tho right to count the vote |
that he would count Hayes in, while
the House would declare Tilden
President; that there would be two |
persons claiming tho Office, and aj
conflict Of arms would ensuo between
their partisans.
The Senate had taken NJ setiop to !
warrant this assumption. Nothing |
could be moro Improbable than that |
body would put itself in tho attitude !
Of imperilling tho peace Of tho coun.
try by insisting upon tho count Of
votes known to every intelligent man |
to bo fraudulent. Tho Republicans |
In that body weie, for tho most part, |
unSCfuDui0uA nArtiaAns. vhn rasili1v |