Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-05-07

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phase in politics, namely, than an
election did not secure an Office. II
had made casting votes one thing and
counting them quite another. When
it zane to this latter part of the job,
of course, Mr.. Tilden could not watch
the returning boards in person. This
had to be intrusted to visiting states
men. If a lack of courage was dis
played around the tables where parish
aud county returns were spread, it was
the fault of the distinguished leaders
of the Democratic party who sat facing
the little squad of corrupt officials who
held the fate of the nation in their
polluted hands. The sage of Gram
Grey Park could have no control over
that part Of the business. But after
the returning boards had made a false
count in the very face and eyes of the
ablest, shrewdest and most determined
men in the party, one more step had to
be taken, and this false vote had to be
declared a true vote in the halls OF
congress. Here again Tilden had no
voice, no control. But a Democratic
house, with a majority of seventy, did
have some control. 1t could say
whether it would or would not be a
party to the acceptance Of this false
count.
Every Democratic member who sat
in the house had in his power to say
these perjured returns shall not be
allowed to express the will of the ma
ton. There was not a man there who
was not vested with authority in the
matter; not a man there who was
not under a solemn obligation to resist
fraud and falsehoOd in the choice of
the nation chief magistrate. IfTilden
was a coward, much more were
Throckmorton, Hancock, Reagan,
Culbertson and all the other represen-
tatives of Southern courage and the
nations rights. For they had a voice
and legal authority in the matter, and
Tilden had none. The friends of
Hayes were looking wisely and we'll at
his interests in congress, while he
scarcely lifted his little finger to Sc.
cure the coveted place. Bnt what
did the Democratic house and the
bold array of Democratic senators do?
Did they say, as is too frequently said
now, that all that is needed to solve
this problem is a rigid spine? Not a
bit Of it. Did they send word to Mr..
Tilden that he must come down and
see himself counted in? Not at all.
They knew only too well that the
business did not belong to Mr.. Tilden.
but to themselves Hence. they set
about the task. But how-by a rigid
backbone process? Did they say in a
voice like that ofOld Hickory. the will
Of the people as expressed at the polls
must be final, and, by the eternal. our
man must go in2 Not at all. They
preferred the willy ways Of modern
politics to the iron courage of the
hero of New Orleans. The result was
a compromise and the high joint com
mission, with the mighty Morton al
the head aud aliunde Joe as a broken
reed for the noble Democracy to lean
upon. Was it Tilden's fault that
nearly every Democrat in congres.
voted for this high joint? Were the
noble senator's, crusted over with ex.
perience in politics, and the battle.
Scared heroes of many bloody battle,
such babes of the hour that the great
banner-bearer Of the campaign had tC
supply them with the wisdom and
courage necessary to perform theil
part Of the contest shrewdly and sue.
c~essfully2 If Tilden was timid. what
shah We say of this army of the peo.
pies representatives who made littl,
Joseph Bradley their high tower
their rock Of defense, their bulwark
breastwork and palladium of tn,
party? The Trojans were as wis,
when they hurried the wooden horsI
within their walls as were the Dem
ocracy when they leaned up agains
the spinal column of Joseph Bradley
just think Of it! The Judge ha,
his opinion written out in favor O
Tilden, but all that night coaches sur
rounded his house, and the mex
morning he made the vote eight I
seven. If you ask where the courag
Of the Democracy went, it was los
that night. 1t had all been emptie
into this weak vessel, and, while dark
ness surrounded the world and silenc
ruled without, the giants of the Re
publican party bent over the littl
man, whispered in his ear, looked hir
sternly in the eye or sweetly caresse
him, and all the bravery which I'll
Democracy had loaned him oozed on
through the pores and melted in Ii
viewles air.
That settled the matter and cheate
the party out Of the Presidency an
thousands and tens of thousands
expeotapt, eager Democrats out of a
! opportunity 10 serve their country, bl
the fault was not Tilden's.