The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-04-23

The Claims of Mr.. .rilden Set Forth for
Leadership.
Col


The Claims of MIR. rilden Set Forth for
Leadership.
IGalveston News.l
The first contests for the presidency are
within the lines of the opposing parties.
Intrigue and contention have been pretty
much submerged in the Republican party
by the adoption of sectional programme
coupled with the conceded pre-eminence OF
Grant as champion of solid North against
solid South. But in the Democratic party
nothing has yet occurred to reduce presi-
Dental rivalries and presidential factions to
any decided agreement as to an issue and
an order of battle, much less as to stand
ard-bearer. A struggle IS now going on
among Democratic politicians for and agalnst
the claims of Mr. Tilden to the captainship
of the party. The special ground OF these
claims is in the assumption that the fraud
of 1876 must bs made the great issue in
1880. Democrats universally concur IN the
belief that Mr.. Tilden was elected IN 1876,
and w1ckedly defrauded of the office to
which he was elected; but they do not
universally concur in the belief that the
fraud issue shall eclipse all other issues in
the coming presidential contest. 1t would
be illogical to go to the country en- the fraud
issue in 1880 with other candidates than
those who were wickedly defrauded in 1876
Hence the eagerness OF the special friends
of Mr.. Tilden to bring this issue to the front
and keep 1t there to the virtual exclusion of
all Others for the issue once brought Tor
ward and recognized as paramount, ID
reasonably supposed to carry with 1t the
nominations. But is there anything in the
circumstances or the consequences of the
late presidential controversy, ending in the
peaceful accession of Hayes, which logically
binds the Democratic party 10 stake the
fortunes of its ticket singuiariy upon chs
issue IN the next presidential campaign
Mr. Tilden's letter to the Iron City Tiiden
,ot1 ~ assar4inC
strued to mean as much: Holding that the
people were cheated by false count of the
electoral votes, he concludes that ltls now
their first duty 10 resent the crime and
vindicate the right of elective self-govern-
ment But does it follow that they can not
resent the crime and vindicate the right
without electing Mr.. Iilden in 1880 TO an
office out of which he was cheated in 1852
Do not all questions of this nature rlse IN
fnitely above the wrongs the claims, or the
aspirations of individuals? Ii Mr. Illden
acquired any title to the presidency, 1t is for
the term which Mr.. Hayes is serving. The
time for making good the title was when the
presidential controversy was still open be-
fore the 4th of March, 1877. But the con-
troversy was settled aud the title lapsed
when Congress deliberately awarded the
office to Mr.. Hayes, and the people, by COM
mon consent. tacitly ratified the award. Mr..
Hendricks also thinks that tremendou
wrong was done to the Democratic majority
in 1876 and great shock given to elective
government, but he does not insist that the
fraud issue shall overshadow all others in
the next presidential campaign. Nor does
he propose to accom- MEDIATE the convenience
of Mr. T1lden and his friends by taking the
second place IN ticket nominated upon
that issue. The cautious utterances of Mr.
Hendricks intimats at least, if they do mo-
distinctly mark out, the true line of cam
paign for the Democratic party in 1880. The
- -,
face to the past. 1t can afford te meet The
Republican party on all practical question!
of the hour. 1t can afford to appeal to the
people as the party of the people, the party
of right, Of justice. of wholesome progress
and carrying the election in this character
to maintain at once the victory and th,
principle of elective government at all haz
ards against whatever form of fraud or forct
may be invoked to prolong the reign Of
repudiated and effete political dynasty.