Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-07-22
A Real Danger.
New York Tribune !

Republican papers which are discuss
inc Inc action propose by General Han
cock in 1876, as II there were danger
th,f the Democratic party might now
seize the Presidency, are told by the IN.
sinuating and plausible supporters OF
tb,t gentleman that .the only party
which ever gave W the Presidency, when
All its own members and many OF the op
position thought its Candidate elec'ea'
WAS the Democratic party, when is no"
charged by its opponents Win ln'enulus
10 seize the Government, Whatever lAe
result NAV be.n This is one way OF stat
ing il. 1t leaves out Of sight TWO or thFee
essential facts however In the hrst
nJsce The only claim they ever had for
fhe Gle, tion Of Mr. Tllden was based
nnon the fact. which cannot be success
tnl1v controyerted, that In TWO or three
southern States the colored Republican
vote was suppressed by intimidation and
Violence. Had this suppression not been
foreseen by those who gave the blacks
their freedom ana the ballot, or had II
not been provided against by statute law,
the claim might be made with technical
Justice But the conspiracy was fore
seen, and the remedy provided; the en-.
toreement OF Jus. laws defeated the con
EXCEPT for III Sc lsws and their legal exc
cution. their candidate would have b sen
elected. Leaving them out, perhaps he
was elected. But there they were, and
they stood stubbornly in the way. The
Democrats gave up the Presidency be.
cause their leader knew the weakness Ot
their claim.
But the party did not IN fact, "give up
the presidenCy.n Mr. Tilden did, and il
was simply, as stated, because he knew
his claim was not sound and could not
stand. There were mischevious men
enough In the party to have undertaken
resistance and revolution, had he but con-
sented to take the lead and give the word
How much credit is due the party, or the
leaders of the party, tor their great act OF
self denial in giving up the Presidency,
is well shown by their unsparing con.
domination OF Tilden's covardice, and
their Reputation of. his claim for re
nomina ion. So much OF sei.denial ss
they showed they were driven TO by his
refusal 10 act. That refusal left them
without a ader; and how could they de-
mand the Presidency, or make a move
ment toward selzlGg 1t, without having
come one on whose behalf to make tht
demands 1t is a mistake to attribute &c
the party the peaceable surrender thai
was made, or give them credit for re
framing from violence through motives OF
patriotism or unwillingn2ss 10 disturb
The peace They were willing and cage:
to undertake the seizure OF the Pest
dencv. And the difference between the
sItustion in 1877 and the present is, por
their own showing, that whereas ther
they had a candidate who was too timiC
oil
they have one in whose favor the strong
est argument and the most constantly
dwelt upon is, that he "will take hi
seat
The fear that they will seize the Presi
deucy is far from being groundess, Tht
fact tn at they did not selze 1t IN 1877 i
not only no proof that there is no danger
now, but rather increases the danger. Fo
they now say openly that Tildeu's back
wardness and cOwardice stood in thel
way before, but that this time they have
candidate they can depend upon. VIVA
does sl this mean and what does Genera
"Baldy" Smiths talk about Hancock
willingness TO recognize Tllden In 1877
mean, If not that they are prepared to tax,
desperate measures to get possession 0
the Government? The nomination o
General Hancock, taken in connection
with the dissatisfaction atIllden's course
the arguments used with delegates II
Hancock's favor, and the outburst Of fer,
enthusiasm from the men who, like Gen
eral Preston, OF Kentucky, want a littl'
powder ana ball" will bear no other in
depreciation. These men propose to cleo
General Hancock if they can bat whethe
they elect him or not to "seat him" Tn
fear that they will seize the Presidency i
not idle or groundless.
People who ore called upon to remem
Der how they gave up the Presidency
in 1877, will remember as well the excel
lent reasons why they gave it up. AuC
as for the record of the party furnishing
any guarantee for their keeping the peace
nothing could be more absurd. They tel
us II is the only party that ever gave Vi
tue Presidency On the contrary, II i
the only one that ever refused to abide b,
the results Of an election; the only ont
that ever rebelled and appealed to arms
the only one that in the pas, forty year
has no, been Increasingly engaged elthe
in max tng war against the q vernment o
threatening it. Ii 1t has nothing but it
record to appeal to in proof of It's psciti
purposes, its assurances will have litt
weight. The people believe they are ben
on mischief. In such circumstances tn
least their candid ate can do 10 assure III
country that his position in the army vii
not be used to further their designs is, Il
resign his commission. win Gen. II an
cock resign?
How THE Missouri RIVER CHANGE