The Portland daily press., 1880-11-11
Boston HERALD
No Nonsense.

On the morning of election day the Herald
pointed to the probability that some of the
more reckless Democratic leaders might dis
pute the result in New York, in case the vote
of that State would elect General Hancock.
The war on Commissioner Davenport, we re-
marked. had every appearance of having been
waged not to protect legal voters in their
rights, but to make case for contestng the
election on the ground of federal interference
and fraud. Precisely the state of things an
ticipated as possible has happened. Without
the vote of New York Gen. Garfield would be
defeated by one vote. With it, Gen. Hancock
would go in by one vote--counting California
and Oregon for the Republicans and Nevada
and New Jersey for the Democrats, as they
now stand. And now, in the face of Repub-
ican majority in New York of not less than
10000, Mr.. Barnum wriggles out from under
the capacious body that sat down on him in
the election, and turns up in New York, shout
ing, with what little breath he has left: "Here
we are again! Fer-aud! Fer-aud! Hoop LAP
It won't do, Mr.. Barnum. The people are
in no mood to stand any Of your nonsense that
has mischief in it. Your candidate was beat
en- by the votes of New York city and Brook
lyn-whether by trade and dicker between the
bosses, treachery in the local leaders, or popu-
lar disgust for your campaign of treachery and
crime, is matter that the Democrats can set
tie among themselves. The people know too
much of Tammany men ard methods in cleo
tions to believe that they have been outvoted
by bribery or outcounted by fraud. The elec-
ton fsrces that have disgraced the METROPOLIS
IN the past have not been conducted under
Republican management. The Democratic
q M haa WV md tha
fulness too sharp in the control of New York's
election machinery to give the least plausibli-
ty to any SUI hlchaig ges now. 1t is too, too thin
Have II that Boss Kelly traded, if you will.
The vote for Mr. Dowd doesn't look like it, for
Mr.. Kelly is too old hand TO be caught sell
ing without making sure of his equivalent
And neither Tilden nor Tammany controls the
Democratic voters in Brooklyn, where Gen.
Garfeld's gain was still greater. The fact
plain to impartial observers is that there was,
IN the first place, deep and wide spread feel
ing among business and working men alike,
that change in the national policy would be
detrimental if not disastrous to them at this
time and they voted as they thought. In the
next place there was a spirited revolt from
John Kelly's attempt to install himself as die
tator of New York, vice Tweed, Departed
hence. This feeling was intensified by the
reckless manner in which Mr.. Kelly thrust his
church prominently forward in his plans for
appertioning the offices among his followers.
A rebellion that took 10000 or more voters out
of the Democratic ranks for the local contest
must inevitably have weakened the general
ticket. 1t is the case universally in bolts of
such magnitude. No; Gen. Hancock was fair
ly and squarely defeated in New York State
The disappointed managers may settle the re-
sponsibility to suit themselves. But they must
not undertake to open the question of the re-
suit by any of Mr.. Barnum's mule tricks
There has never been a more splendid acqui-
escence in the result of an election than that
shown by the great majority of Democratic or
gans and voters on the morning after election.
There were never so many and such controll-
ing reasons for avoiding a disputed Presiden-
cy. To the honor of Gen. Hancock and the
chief men of his party be it said that they
bowed to the verdict of the people like true
Americans. We do not fear that they will at
tempt to go back upon themselves and their
convictions of duty. But blind leaders, such
as Mr.. Barnum has shown himself to be- and
the "small creatures" sas Horace Greeley
would put it, who, for some inscrutable rea-
son, are permitted to run the State Committee
of the Democratic party in New York, are
quite equal to any imaginable piece of crimi-
nal folly. The press and the people should
give them to understand at once, in terms
that will be unmistakable even to fools that
have been brayed in a mortar, that the cleo
ton is over and the result assured. The coun-
try has had quite enough of your management,
Mr.. Barnum. The best thing you can do is to
| subside