Litchfield enquirer., 1880-08-12
Hancock's Letter,


we should have expected from man of his
undeubted loyalty. We believe that the
Democratic party itself has no notion of re-
pudiating that portion of our fundamental
law we knew beforehand, that Gen. Han
cock would sanction no such scheme even if
his party entertained it.
A 'full VOTE free ballot, and fair count, I"
are grand watchwords, given forth in all sin
certify, we doubt not, by this distinguished
Union officer to the political army he COM
mands. Will it be accepted with the same
sincerity by the Democratic leaders of Mis-
sissippi, Louisiana, South Carolina and Ala
bama? The Chisolm and Dixon slaughters of
one of those states, and the Tissue ballots" of
another, make out very strong negative. We
admit very frankly that Democratic state ad:
ministrations in those states are preferable to
such Republican administrations as preceded
them but we look upon those Democratic adj
ministrations as founded on terror and perpet-
uated by terror or fraud! To speak of them
as the result of "a full vote, free ballot, and
fair count" is a glaring absurdty. Honestly
characterized, those governments rest upon
revolution, more of less violent in character,
though perhaps justified by the corruption and
incompetence of the so-called Republicanism
which was overthrow by that revolution.
While we do not take it upon ourselves,
however, to condemn the revolution which
practically has suppressed the negro vote and
suspended the Fifteenth Amendment in sever
al Southern States, we do not wish to see
terror and fraud in permanent control there.
Nor has there been enough of oppression and
misgovernment in all cases to justify revolu-
ton. Granting that in some parts OF the
South these causes justified the violent and
fraudulent methods that have been taken to
prevent the restoration Of corrupt and in
competent Republication to power, in other
parts of the South the ''full vote, free ballOr
and fair count" are set aside simply to make
Democracy omnipotent in national affairs.
Here is precisely the point where we break
with that party Oh the Southern question.
The methods they practiced were justifable
only when necessary to self preservation from
ruin by corrupt local governments. They
cannot be justified nor endured beyond that
point Hence the apparent determination of
the Southern Democracy not only to subordi-
nate, but to obliterate, the negro vote, makes us
believe that the check of Republican ma
tional government is needed to keep down the
growing tyranny Of the Democratic state gov.
ernments of the Solid South. Granting that
''the bayonet Is not fit instrument for collect
ing the votes of freemen," is the shotgun
better one9 We justify neither the bayonets
of Grant, nor the shot.guus of the ''brigadiers :"
and, while we fully endorse Hancock's ap
peal for good fellowship between the lately
estranged sections of the country, We do not
forget that any such reconciliation, to last,
must be based on justice.
Much and just fault has been found with
the present attitude of the Republican party
towards civil service reform. Gen. Garfield
sees, however, that securer tenure Of Of
fee, if not better modes of appointment, are
needed This. if inadequate, is at least a
step in the right direction. Gen. Hancock
seems to have no notien of the magnitude or
the Importance of this burning" question of
the times. If he is elected, months exper-
fence will teach him that electing honest pres
idents by no means insures an honest civil
service. ''To the victors belong the spoils"
is Democratic maxim of over fifty years
standing, and he will find the selection of
honest ''victors" the most hopeless task he
ever undertook. The few whom he happens
to know he may select intelligently; the many
whom he does not know, he will select under
the direction of the machine" and whether
they are honest or dishonest. capable or inca
pable, will be question the machine will
decide. 1t will be his business, in case of his
electisn, to remove nearly an hundred thou
sand Republicans, and replace them with
Democrats OF that number not one in an
hundred will be of his own selection, but
some worthy recommended by congressman,
or Senator, or State Committee, for services
rendered the party; often for services more
deserving of the penitentiary than Of posi-
ton in the civil service.
There is another serious blank in the Gen.
erals confession of political faith. He an
nounces no financial belief We see little
exception taken to this by the Republican
press which assumes for some reason, not mani
fest, that he is hard money man. Probably
| this Is 90 but, as we suggested at the time of
his nomination, what effect will his election
have upon aquestion which must be decided
| during the coming four years-whether our
currency shall be based upon the gold or the
| silver dollar? We learn that there are already
| some fifty millions more silver coined than
can be kept in circulation. 1t fills the vaults
of our sub-treasuries and costs the country
millions yearly from loss of interest. An alb.
surd statute passed over Hayes veto requires
the coinage of not less than twenty -four mil
lions of silver every year, to increase the de-
posits already encumbering our currency
If that statute remains in force, before the next
presidential term is ended there will either
be near two hundred millions of coined silver
lying useless In the public vaults, or our cur
rency will be debased ten per cent by the SUBJ
stitution of the silver dollar for the gold dol.
lar as the basis of that currency.
UnluckilY the mere election of Presiden,
will not put stop 10 the coinage of silver
President, Senate and House must unite il
repeating the statute now in force, or the del.
uge of base coin continues. Now although
a number of Western Republicans, possessed
of the Initiation devilment Joined with the
Democracy to override the sensible views Of
President Hayes, the mass of imitation senti
ment has always been found in the Democratic
ranks. With Republican Congress and
Republican President, we think there can be
no doubt that stop would be speedily put t.
the foolish business of coming hundreds o.
millions worth OF silver into ninety cent dol
lars. With Democratic Congress and 6
Il