Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg Court House [S.C.]) 1877-1881, 1879-10-17
For the OrangcDurg TINES.
Tilden and His Accuscrs.

nave from time to time been i'm
pressed, with the wisdom of your
views on Mr.. Tilden, and his relation
to the Democratic nomination for
President in 1880; and am frank to
admit that to every student Of the
past political history of this country,
and to every close observer of the
present bearing and aspect of affairs,
they must appear as sagacious and
well-timed-
1t WAS only few years back that
MIR. TIlden's name was in the mouth
of nine.ten.hs of tile Democrats of the
South as the greatest retormer of the
country. Without him the great
Democratic party seemed helpless.
by an almost universal agreement he
WAS chosen MS its standard bearer. A
gallant fight was made under his
leadership for the Presidency. The
Ey.s Of his name carried enthusiasm
every where; and it led the Demo
cracy to v!ctor. At :he polls; but by
the stupidity and the lack Of courage
On the part of the Democratic House
of Congress, lie was not Installed as
ne should nave been, but had his
triumph submitted to a Juggling
Commission, the majority Of whose
members had their. minds made up to
seat Hayes before they took their
naths of office I'ilden was not then,
and should not now he held respon
sible for that gigantic fraud. No
one during the sittings of the Com
mission pretended to say that it was
the work of Iii,len. On the contrary,
it was regarded rs the result of the
combined wisdom of the Democratic
r, anders in Congress. Bur AS so,n "a
1t iniled to perform the task which
anxious Democrats wished it To do iu
spite OF every thing, the men who con
ceived the idea o. oriyinatin. it, began
to hunt about Tor excuses to shield
themselves from blame or censure ;
and soon The onus Of the whole lung
ling affair was duly paced upon the
broad shoulders OF lie sage of Gramar-
cy Park. "lIe ought to have march
ed to Washington anil taken the oath
of office, lhese Shutters said, land we
would have backed him with our
treasure and our blood" Wha t
transparent nonsense There is not a
reader of your paper but would have
damned him into eternal infumy if
he had attempted any thing of the
kind, and becn unsuccessful! With
Grant ut the head of the nation, h e
and his followers would have heen
shot down like dogs, and the South
would have had to undergo new
reconstruction; for the ba N, of the
whole affair would have been lai |
upon the South by the politicians of
the North, and instrnl of lin, in
almost entire posses Sion oe the govern.
ment, as the Democratic party is To
day, the nation would have been re-
manded back into tie han l. Of the
worst element of Radical politicians :.
Under the circumstances, bslieva
that Tillen's course was wise, patri,t ic
and subserved the best interes Is
of the South; and it comes with i'll
grace from her cdi,ors to be continu-
nlly damning him for what WAS best
f,r their country. They have lavish
eel unsti.te,' praise upon Hayes, who
stole the Presidency, but they have
proved with tiendish slec upon the
very vitals of the man who no doub.
saved The nation from bein, 'rcncf-
ed II second ime in blood.
do not say nominate Til den, but
| d, say he sh uld receive batter
treatment from people he tried 50
hard to rescue from GrantiSm Is
sides, should he he rcnpninltc |,
Radical orators and journals will tax G
what is said againsy him now to fight
us with i'll 1880. Don't you remember