The daily gazette., 1880-01-22
From the Philadelphia Times.
Party Tricks and Party
II00ups.


In 1874 the whole country was dis
gustel with Republican rule under
dfant Pennsylvania, Ohio ami all the
nounlfni, and some of the usually reha-
DIe Republican States, gave Democratic
mYJorfties. Among the many political
revolutions of that year Was the utter
rout Of the Republicans of Colorado,
AUD Patterson, Democrat, was chosen
Delegate to Congress by one Of the
lively small vote of the Centennial
STATE. The Republicans were democrat
ized they were weary of Grant Te. rito-
rial officials; they had little love for the
Ieahersh'p OF the party. and they exer-
ci'ed The proverbial Western habit of
letting things go to smash when they
don't pan Sut satisfactorily.
Ihe Democrats met In Congress, with
Delegate Patterson dizzy over his great
victory In the mountains, ard he
dreamed the dream of many other acci-
dents In politics, that he aId his party
we're iDvincible in Colorado. The
Democratic leaders heard the story OF
MS conquest; accepted bis assurance OF
continued DemocraIio supremacy, aud
decided tc make assurance. of Dem vcratic
success In the Elt c,oral College of 1876
dsubly snre by adding three Democratic
Electors from new State to be clothed
OIL for the admission of Colorado was
passed by Democratic House. SANE
TONED by the shrewd Republicans Re-
publ cans of the Senate, approved by a
Republican President; ard those three
electoral votes of the new Common
wealth were easily won by the Repubh-
cans. Patterson was defea'ed in a con-
Lest for re-election, and the three votes
ihus c. eated to assure Democratic ma
ElsPfnral dasfn fad
he Democratic candidate for President.
The Democratic Llick came back ~ a
fata plague.
The Republicans are now likely to be
unmlndiul of party tricks as party pla-
gues by apublic confession 10 the p, o.
pie of New York and of the country that
they can't trust the people of the EN-,
pire State to choose Presidential Elec-
tors as they are uniformly chosen in all
the other States. They avow their ina.
blity to carry tie Electors in New York
by the proposition now pending in the
Legislature, To choose the Electors by
Congressional districts. As tine Repub-
licans have gerrymandered the district
so as'to give the Democrats but little
more than third of them with an equal
popular vote, 1t is expected by the par
W trickst, ~ to secuce two-thirds of the
Electors even II the State should give q
Democratic majority. The desperate
partlssns who ttus attempt to defeat
the will of the people by an arbitrary
law, are furReiiul how such tricks return
as plaques 10 destroy their authors. They
are unmiudfui Of the moral effect OF
such confession anu sueh palpable
irlcktry, in the half doz II or more de-
batable States in the contest; and they
are entirely wanting in appreciation of
the demOralz Itlon aud contempt for Re
publican leadership it must breed
throughout the whole country.
II he Republicans shall start ont in
the battle of 1880 with palpahle trick
that pr oclaims Republican defeat in the
pivotal State at the outset, what must be
the fate of the party in such States a.
New Jersey, Connecticut, New Hamp-
shire, Indiana, Nevada. California and
Oregon? And what would be the profit
of the party trick II its logical party pla-
que shall lose half score of Congress
men and more Electoral votes in doubt
ful States than can be saved by the dis
trict system in New York? With such a
declaration of Republican defeat IN New
York in advance, there can be lii tie
doubt that several otherwise Republican
congressman, with the Electors, would
he lost in New York; and New Jersey,
Connecticut, Indiana, Oregon and Cali
foruia could be safely classed as Demo-
cratic II there shall be anything like a
hopeful Democratic struggle. In any
event the proposed party trick must
bring its party plague, aud the defeat of
The Republican candidate for President
would likely be among Its positive
fruits. Party tricks and party plaques
are sire and son in partisan strugR les land
that p rty will be wisest in directing the
contest of 1880 that leaves the patent
trickery of modern politics to its adver-