Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-11-11
LETTER FROM PITTSBURG.
Special Correspondence of DEMOCRAT.
p,rreprpc Do Nov

PITTsBURG, Pa, Nov. 9, 1880.
The cause of our defeat is now being
diligently searched for. Many who fav.
ored the nomination of Mr.. Tilden are
blaming Kelley, and all who were for
the nomination of Gen. Hancock. Of
course, that is very cheap and short
way out of it but it does not satisfy or
explain things.
Generally the answer to it is, that if
Mr.. Tilden had done as much for our
nominee as Grant did for theirs, New
York would not have been lost to us.
Almost every man you meet has some
thing of new theory which he thinks
the real and regulating cause. The
main points of discussion are:
lst. The loss of Indiana
I'd. The treachery or foul dealing of
Kelley.
Sd. The indifference of Tilden and
his friends in New York.
WHAT CAUSED THE LOSS OF INDIANA?
Undoubtedly the lack of money on
our part to match the Republicans. Bar
mum and English could not agree as to
what amount the candidate for Vice
President and the National Committee
should give towards the campaign.
English could not understand the way
eastern men contribute towards a cam.
paign. He would rather give up his
party than a good round contribution TO
il. They had put him on the ticket and
he knew they could not get rid of him.
Barnum was disgusted. He had, with
Senator Randolph, of New Jersey, Aug.
ustus Scheli and Tilden, frequently Civ.
en- FIVE thousand dollars as contribu.
tions to the National Committee and he
was naturally disgusted with this ten
cent conduct of English.
This disagreement soon reached the
ears of the Republican Committee and
they were not slow in taking advantage
of il. Dorsey was Immediately sent TO
Indiana. lie reported the place as good
missionary ground, and the situation
was explained to Cameron and the Stal.
warts. They opened their pocket books
and contributed. Harry oliver, a
young henchman of the Camerons,
raised S25, ZOO among the rolling mill
owners Tor Indiana. Other large con.
tributions were made. The conference
of old man Cameron, Grant and Conk-
ling at Mentor soon followed, and our
defeat in Indiana took shape and was
clearly visible.
WHAT WAS GOING on IN NEW YORK.
The minor facts of the condition in
Indiana were known only to Tilden and
his friends, through Barnum, whom
Tilden had forced on Hancock. That
appointment was the first and fatal
weakness of Hancock. Ii never should
have been made. The idea OF handing Q
the conduct of the campaign over to
your political opponent was ridiculous.
Tilden and his friend, Gov. Robinson, },
sat still. The indifference spread all
through the state. Their state commit.
tee was not heard OF, and Barnum kept
telling Hancock that it was all right
whilst his pickets were driven in and
the Empire State was slipping away
from his support.
To bring the mistakes down to per.
sonal point, it may be said that,
Tilden made a mistake when he fore.
ed the nomination of Robinson, and
lost US the state government of New
York.
Hancock made a mistake when he
permitted Barnum to be Chairman.
English made mistake when he re.
fused TO contribute literally to his own
election.
Barnum made mistake when he did
not disregard English and carry Indiana
at all hazards.
Kelley made mistake when he did
not carry New York for Hancock by
10000 as he said he would.
In addition to this Barnum should
have kept the financial trouble between
English and himself quiet, or having
told Tilden and his friends, should also
have informed Hancock and his breth.
rem, and Kelley should have dropped
on the situation in New York, blowed
1t to the country, in order that the par.
ty might have had a chance TO pull it.
self together for fight before il was too
late. Great blunders are often made
like large ropes, of multitude of fibres.
Take the cable thread by thread, take
separate all the determining motives.
you break them one after another and
you say "that is all" but wind them
and twist them together and they be.
come an eflormity. KEYSTONE.