New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-28
4 NTRONG MAN.

A Kentucky Democrat, Colonel j. Stoddard
Johnston. has been talking With correspondent
Of The Herald about the behavior Of M Iidrn
after the election of 1876. The canvass IF the
votes in al The States was over. The opera
lions Of Max. Moses, Denmark, FoE, Gcbtl',
Weed. and the rest had fallen through. aud
nothing remained, as The party believed, OK
cent for Mr. Tiden to saddle Blackstone and
swear himself in. The Kentucky Dem Gratis
were all ready for q fight, aud Colonel Johnston
WIS one of n deputation who came to New ork
for the purpose of finding ont what Mr. liIoen
meant 70 do. There was a solemn conference
at No. Is Gramcrcy Park. Springer was there
and WatteIson, and Perry Smith, and Ran
dali aud, as wa have Ia ely learned from vari-
ous sources, II appeared that whole IeeimcU's
and bi1ades OF the best boys we've well
"heeed," and eager to march upon Wishing
ton. But Nh Tilden said 40. lie WAS alto
eether too wise to consent to become responsible
for civil war; even if such a desperate meas
IRE enabled him to seize the Government i
would be the everlasting ruin Of lie Democratic
party; and many of the politicians from Ken
fnci,v and elsewhere, who were disappointed at
the timo when they found that there was TO be
10 e ght, acknowledge now that Mr.. Iiden Was
hight, and that If ne lacked backbone, he had
what lis party needed much move to w.t.
brains.
1t Is curious feet that just when Democrats
are beeinniug to see that Mr.. Tilden was scnsl-
bic and patiiotic In refusing TO take by violence
an Office which many of his foiiowers-perhaps
most of them-Seieved that he WAS entitled TO-
a demand is made among Republicans for the
nomination Of a candidate on their side who
will not submit to be counted out Ia case the
Democrats attempt TO tlmper with the returns.
We must have General Grant, say advocates OF
the Third Term, because he Is not man to be
triaed with If lie is candidate, the colorcd
voters at the South will be allowed to vote for
him. and their ballots will be counted; and II
he Is elected we may depend upon It that he
will take the Office. II is not explained how the
nomination of General Grant is to "petIify the
- ferco Democratic" Gas Moses would express
III. II is not shown how he could exercise a
strictcr control over the bulldOZer and mantpu-
lator of returns when he Is only candidate
than lie could while TO held the executive Office.
The suDpression of the Republican vote at the
South occurred while he was Presidents the
Mississippi plan was invented and put IN opera
ton, massacre was applied to politics III Louis
lana and South Carolina Republican State
Governments were oyerthrown by tue rife
clubs. His friends cannot suppose that the
mere magic of his name will put stop to such
practices in 1850, when, with tho full power
of the Presidency he could not stop them in
1876. They cannot suppose that the fear Of
Grant will deter the majority in Congress from
carrying out any rascally scheme they may have
devised for miscounting the electoral votes,
What then do they mean by saying that We
need strong candidate to prevent traudu-
lent cOultf
Nobody imagnes that under any circrm
stances General Grant would assume the right
to count the votes for himself and to take pos
session of the White House without the cOnsti-
tutonal authorization. But the wild rhetoric
Of some Of his imprudent admirers is giving the
opposition an excuse to charge him with medi-
tating military usurpation. If he should be
nominated, he will have some trouble to over
come the obstacles that his foolish friends are
putting in his course by these absurd clamOrs
for a man strong enough to take" the Office,
if he thinks he ought 10 have it,