The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1880-03-23
Mr.. TILDEN.


taken Mr. Tilden under his ancient wings,
and who ID possessed with the idea that he ID
tho only man able ID lead the Democratic
hosts to victory Ia the next presidential
campaign, has discovered Just exactly seven
reasons why his favofite should DO noml.
mated. The reasons given arc too numerous
and too lengthy for reproduction or enumera-
tlon In the limits Of this article, and however
conclusive they may be to Mr.. Blair and to
those gentlemen who are busily engaged In
pulling wires In the interest of Mr.. Tllden
will be regarded ~ entirely unsatisfactory
to the Democracy u the South. and We sus-
pect Of the country at large. The sssump-
ton that Mr.. Tilden has q monopoly of AL
the brains, all the virtue and all the politi-
cal sagaoity of the Democracy IL d gratui-
tous insult to the party, and will not tend TO
win friends or votes for the sage pf
aramercy Park. Il Ia absurd to claim
that any one man IL necessary to
the existence Of a great political party,
and the sooner the abjeot dependence
ON men is superseded bya firm devotion to
principle the better II will be for the party
and for the country. We are Inclined to be-
lieve that when Mr.. Tilden failed TO seize the
opportunity which was presented when he
was elected to the Presidency ID 1876 and BY
hls supineness and timidity permitted the
office to be fllehed from him and given to
Hayes, he made an irreparnble mistake. IRE
parable because whatever else the American
people may condone In public man, they
never condone want of courage. When the
people Of the whole country waited In breath
less expectancy for some word from Mr..
1Hlden, some utterance that would have
given them to understand that he would not
quietly submit to the infamous wrong about
to be perpetrated, there was death like
stiffness In the vicinity Of Grammercy Park
that sent q sudden chill of disappointment
through the ranks of the Democracy, and
rendered the contamination OF the Radical
scheme Of stealing the Presidency compare
lively easy 81 accomplishment. The fourth
reason given by Mr.. Blair Ia as follows:
Because having been elected Ia 1879 -as the
rasy. cheated Out u his once ana lib rono.ni %
nation opposed BY this combination. the issue
2n hls 50. election will be The simple and plain
govern or will submit to be defrauded. Of their
~ n &
sured.
We fall to discern the force OF this argu-
ment, for the fraud which was committed
was not alone against Mr.. Tilden, but against
the country, and ills to the whole country that
the Radical party must answer for their
crime againet free government. Would Mr..
Blair have us believe that II Mr.. Tilden should
die before the nomination is made that the
would be doomed to defeat for
that reason7 And what assurance could the
people have that II they once more cast their
votes for Mr.. Tilden he would not second
time permit the fruits Of victory to be wrested
from them.
It has been fashionable, we know, tor the
advocates Of Mr.. Tilden to charge that he
was sold out by the Southern Representatives
IN Congress, and that II they had re-
mained firm he would have finally
been successful, but however this
may delude the Democracy Of the
North, 1t can only excite In the South the
1t deserves. The New York San,
which has been supposed to echo the santi-
ments Of Mr.. Tilden, has constantly and
most offensively reiterated this charge and
indulged In the eharpest censure Of the
Southern Democracy. and though privately
these charges, Mr.. Tilden has
made no public denial. He has permitted
this abuse to be showered upon men who
gave him their hearty and most earnest sup
port, and who stood by him manfully and In
scorn Of consequence until he himself, at the
crucial moment, faltered and turned his back
upon his friends.
To have stood longer by a man who had
himself surrendered, would have been the
heighth Of folly, and would have brought
upon the South woes unnumbered. Mr.. TIL
den cannot arouse In the Southern States
Dne spark Of enthusiasm, and while we should
not decline to support him should he be the |
choice Of tho convention, we are Of the opin- |
lon that his nomination would fail to unite |
The party throughout the country, 90 II needs