New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-02-02
POLIlIC L DISTRUST.


A thoughtful writer has observed that dis
regard of the popular will, as expressed
through the ballot-bOx. has become the main
accusation of each party against the other.
Each party is believed, by ITS opponents. to be
unwilling to submit Loyalty to the verdict of
the people, and to be ready to thwart or de-
feat that verdict bv fraud or force. In turn,
each party is tempted to resort to unfair
means, in the belief that, if it does not its
! opponents will. There is no doubt that this
distrust of political opponents is very
| general. No one can doubt that 1t is
a serious menace to free institutions.
Elections become less truly expressions of the
popular will. The feeling that their opponents
will not submit, if defeated, tends to prepare
each party for resisting a decision at the bal
lot-bOx. AS long as we tread this path we
are moving, step by step. toward Mexicaniza-
| ton.
Who is responsible for this state of things.
and how can it be changed for the better 7
The Republicans point to the fraud in Maine.
The Democrats retoIt that President was
counted in wrongfuly in 1877. Te them it is
replied that force and fraud had de6auched
elections and destroyed their virtue IN the
carpet-bag frauds had prepared the way for
resort to extreme measures. But In turn 1t Is
| said that Ku-Klux massacres and White
League resistance to cOlored suffrage produced
the dangerou legislation under which frauds
sprang up at the South. The Democrats an
swer that cOlOred suffrage was bad In Itself,
was imposed upon the people by unfair means,
and so led to resistance. But back of cOlOred
suffrage there was the dislOyal spirit which
made 1t needful, and back of that was the re-
belion-an armed and organized resistance to
the verdict of the people in the election Of
Abraham Lincoln in 1860.
The truth is that the spirit of rebellion,
which stuck the first blow when the flag was
fired upon at Fort Sumter, in 1861, has been
the fruitful parent OF ali sorts OF frauds and
revolutionary steps to this day. That spirlt
was the spirit of the Democratic party. 1t was
a determination to rule or ruin; to destroy the
Union as soon as the control of it through
forms of law and through free elections bad
passed into Democratic hands. 1t matters
not how many pretexts or excuses are given
for this first great act of resistance
to the will of the people. 1t was the
! greatest of all conceivable crimes against free
!
of its tendency to Mexicanize our Institutions,
and to undermine all respect for law and the
popular decision lawfully expressed, than be-
cause of the terrible expenditure of treasure,
of blood and of life which it Immediately
caused. Itjustined that profound belief, which
the Democratic party has never yet done any
! thing to remove. namely, that the Democratic
party as a whole was ready to resort to force
Just as far as it dared, and to fraud just as
! far as it could, in order to defeat its political
| opponents and retain or regain the power
No sooner had the war ceased than Demo-
Gratis, OVERLOOKING with professions of revived
| LOYALTY, began to tear down by massacre or
fraud the loyal governments set up in South
ern States. Southern Democrats murdered ;
Northern Democrats excused or justified them.
But this was only another form of rebellion
against law and the popular will. ColOred
men were enfranchised in order to secure
eupport for loyal governments, and Democrats
then resorted to masked leagues and systematic
transformations Then laws were framed Civ
ING to loyal governments extraordinary power
to prevent defeat of free elections by terror
ism and violence, and it was under these laws
that Republican electors were declared elected
Il
to wholesale fraud, attempted to buy electors,
and having failed, raised the cry that the
| Presidency had been seized by fraud. With
out doubt it has strongly impressed belief of
this upon many of its adherents. The result
is that they, who know that they have been
ready to see laws defied and elections defeated
! ia their own interest, really believe that Re-
pubIicans have been not less guilty, but only
more skilled and brave.
| The prevalence of this belief is a serious
peril to free institutions. 1t causes, among
the more reckless members of the Democratic
party, a disposition to resort TO any fraud
however infamous, or to any act of lawless-
ness however high-handed, in order to defeat
| q party which is thought to have gained an
election by fraud. For all the sad and serious
consequences, which have resulted or may re-
suit, those are responsible who have nursed
the spirit of revolution with persistent
| lies about the election. of 1876. Had
the truth been honestly stated, bad Demo-
Gratis been taught that a Republican
President was declared elected through
strict enforcement of laws expressly de-
signed to prevent the violence and fraud to
which Southern Democrats had resorted, ther
would have been infinitely less danger in flu
| ture for free institutions.
| There is but one remedy. II is to crush out,
at every election, and by overwhelming and
irresistible majorities. that spirit of resistance
to the law and the will of the people which
makes the Democratic party what it is. The
party Of rebellion and revolution must be not
merely beaten, but stamped out of existence,