Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-02-27
Thiscs We'd Like TO See.

g. xAl- AA4ArA ASA -
dsfkcult To discover Why 1t should
he oshervIse Aside from his avail
ability and eminent fitness u instl-
iute governmental reform, 1t seems
Inezpedlent to choose any ether
u.an while the blot upon our civil
zHtlOn incident 10 the electoral In
fany. remains unefacei. There new
er has been txo opinions on tins
matter 10 our humble judgment,
and We bslieve that had there been
some plan by which the people
could have placed the seal OF con-
demnation upon the Outrage at the
time. he would have been sustained
not only by his party. but by large
proportion Of the Republican voters,
who could not, and would not, have
allowed a precedent SO inimical to
free government, to have been es-
tablished. We see where it has al
ready led scbeming politicians; how
it has demoralized public sentiment;
how it has placed the voice OF the
people, on their most vital interests,
absolutely under the control Of a
few men, hitherto supposed, owing
their high official position, to be
free from partisan bias; how it has
dragged the judicial ermiue into the
filthy pool of partyism-and eau we
view this result without the convic.
ton that the effort Of patriotic duty
should be to undo, as far as posi-
BILE, the great wrong which will 9th
crwise, be as . precedent, stand.
ing menace to republican govern
meut? The same incentive which
prompted patriotic men to abandon
party when tho Government was
.4hreatened by armed foes, should
now prompt action to avert even
greater calamity.
We maintain that were Mr.. Tilton
guilty Of all the charges the politi.
cal machine has brought against
him, that every citizen who places
the welfare of the nation above party
success. should rally to his support.
It il no time to discuss minor issues.
while the fundamental principle of
constitutional government is crushed
into the dust by tho heel OF arbi-
trary power. Bot Mr.. Tilden's re-
cord 10 untarnished. When his
memorable campaign purified the
politics Of the Empire State, thou
lands Of Republicans applsuded bis
course, and the most virulent party
journals were loud in their praise of
his administration of tho great State
which had just been wrested from
the control OF corrupt men. Not
one of the accusations brought
has shown him in any other light
than that by which he was then
judged and through which he car
ried popular sentiment by storm.
The same reasons would impel us
to favor the choice OF Gen. Grant IS
his opponent. Grant not only aided
and abetted the electoral swindle,
but for months before election al
lowed all the machinery to be put
IN force by which the grand finale
was to be contaminated. The troops
we're used to carry into effect the
campaign mapped out by the Chair
man OF the Republican Committee;
returning boards were organized by
carpet-bag agents in defiance Of all
forms Of law aud justice, and he was
more than willing to use the strong
arm OF the military to give vitality
TO the decision OF the electoral com.
mission, had an effort been made to
install the rightiully elected Presi-
dent. Besides this. his Administra-
ton Was one of ring rule. He main
tanned corrupt men in Office long
after their dishonest practices had
been proven. We doubt if anybody
.ill dispute this assertion. 1t was
the most remarkably distinctive fea-
ture OF his Administration.
The nomination Of Gen. Grant in
June and his deiea; IN November
would, however. serve q far more
desirable object than merely TO IN
-siitute . redress Of many crying evils
IL would forever settle the question:
OF third term Aspirations. s0d
aA,Il Grant - deies,sd os dice, tins
matter vii continue TO dissurb our
Gsolltlc. sEd Irut<rll tie nntss.. Tia