Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-11-03
larnaster fntelhgenrer.
The Lesson Of the Battle.

The Lesson of the Battle.
The chief alarm which thoughtful cit
liens will feel at the sweeping Republi
can victory comes from the proven fact
that in times of general business pros
perity the dominant party may elect any
candidate to the presidency, no matter
what may be truthfully said against his
character. This campaign has been
made against the Republican candidate
rather than against the Republican party.
The candidate was SO justly assailed that
it was impossible to think that he would
not weaken the party that presented
him; it seemed incredible that man
whom his own party but a few years ago
had convicted Of selling his official in
fuence for money, and even of perjury,
would command the solid support
of that party to-day for the hi !h-
est Office in the republic That
it dared to offer to do SO was a mat
ter of universal astonishment, ard was
only accounted for by the admission that
it had forgotten his record when it NOM
mated him and put him upon its back.
No one will forget the dismay that fell
upon the party when the facts were real
lied, and when shortly afterwards the
Democracy nominated man of the un-
stained record of General Hancock as
patriot and a citizen Republicans seemed
to be paralyzed with apprehension.
During the campaign that has ensued
no change has taken place in the aspect
in which the two candidates first pre-
sented themselves to the people. Gen.
Hancock has come through it absolutely
unscathed under the extreme provoca-
tion of the unsparing assaults made 10y
their opponents upon the character Of
their own candidate, Republicans have
been unable to retOrt against that of
Hancock; except, indeed, in the feeble
accusation of General Grant that he was
" weak and crazy to be president. The
weakness and criminality of Garfield first
found by his political friends, has
been iteratcd and proven by his
political opponents in this battle, as
it was their right and their duty to do.
1t cannot be denied that their accu-
sations were believed by many Republi-
cans, although it is equally probable that
the mass of them were inclined by their
partisan feeling to believe that they were
but partisan ISLANDERS yet among these
there must have been many who had
such misgivings as would have caused
them, if they could have taken disl'as-
siOnate view of the matter, to fear their
truth, and to withhold their votes from a
presidential candidate thus open to sus-
picion. Certainly if they had been dealing
in their business relations with Il person
thus sorely accused, they would prompt
ly have shown him the door; and would
have thought themselves candidates for
the lunatic asylum if they could even
have contemplated for moment putting
their affairs and their treasury in his
hands.
But all these Republicans have voted
for Mr. Garfield; as we'll those who be-
lieved him guilty as those who con-
ceived him innocent; those who
doubted and those who did not doubt.
He has polled as many votes as any other
candidate would possibly even more;
for the energy displayed in uncovering
his character, with a candidate of better
record would necessarily have been be-
slowed upon the conduct of the Republic
can party, assailable in SO many points.
The Democracy in fact have been en-
barrassed by the many weapons of at
tack in their hands, and in their natural
effort to use them all, have probably
diminished the effect of each. Nothing
is better known to the experienced law
yer than that it is the part of wisdom to
eXpend his strength upon the strongest
points of his case, that the jury's atten-
tion may be fastened there, and lest
otherwise they may be bewi!dered III the
multitude of matters brought to their
attention.
1t was in this view that SO much of
Democratic effort was bestowed upon
Garfeld's personal record {; in the belief
that the people would endure least pa
tiently the idea of electing to the chief
magistracy bad man. The startling
lesson of this election is that it was a
mistaken view. For that Garfield has
been proven to have done very evil and
vile things while a representative of the
people in Congress is fact that has un-
questionably reached home to the con-
viction of many Republicans. Yet it
deprived him of very few votes. 1t has
not prevented the party from increasing
its majority. Ithas not only kept intact
the Republican vote, but has not prevent
ed it from receiving accesSiOnS from
those who voted four years ago for Til
den.
At Cincinnati the Democracy re-
fused to renominate Mr.. Tilden
because of the accusation that his
personal conduct had not been ire
proachable in that election. They chose
instead man they believed to be, and who
las since been proven to he, personally
irreproachable. How are they now re-
warded for their virtue and what rea-
son have they to congratulate themselves
upon their sagacity?
This lesson is 4 fearful thing. 1t
throws open the highest offices of the
country to men of any sort of character,
and guarantees power to any party,