New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-02
UIHNING TO MAINE DEMOCRATS

TnUnLow WEED READS THEM LEssoN FROM HIS
ToRY-THE OUTCOME OF FORMER ATTEMPTS TO
CHAT HE PEOPLE.
| To fhe Edtfor Of me Trib"ne
| SIR: The Democracy OF the country cannot afford
to allow the popular will to be dlsregarded III
Maine. The preparation OF the wrong contcm-
plated would not only bring rc?rOach upon their
party but certainly defeat the object 1t Is IN
tended TO accom1l,,h That Object is undenably
to secure the appointment Of Democratic frcSi-
DENTAL Electors IN Maine in $50 against the known
sentiments of the people No party can, by device
fraud or violence defeat the will Of the majority In
!. President ial election with impuniiy. such al
tcmpts in former elections have been made. but
always resulted i'll discontinue and disgrace. III
may be useful to recall prcccdrnts.
In 1911 or 1872 the Republican Legislature OF
Massachusetts enacted an apportionmcnt law
which deprived the Federal party of Representa-
tIves TO whom thew were numerically entitled. Its
provisions in forming election districts from trrri-
tory not contiguous were 50 fragrant that senti-
meat WIS awakened which constrained an amend
men. Of tho law. thus defeating its purpose.
That Ap;~riionincnt bill having been signed by
Governor Gerry, was denounced 'Gtrry-
manIcr" and To this day every attempt In that or
other states to pass an unfair App"rtloncIt bill IS
denounced n Gerry Wandering"
In 1e23 the people Of this - &c, as IIrNh"iI'hI
election approached. with remarkable unaniinlty
and carnesincss called Tor the passage Of II law
comforting upon the people the choice OF lrrsilrn-
,lal clrctors nat duly. until then. dry"lvcd upon
the LEGISLATURE. In both branches of the LNgsla-
iure there was a large democratic majority.
The result Of the Presidential elect, was
supposed to depend upon the State OF New
YORK. MI Van Barren. tAcn tic ackn"wi-
edged leader of the Democratic party. as,ur,d
. bo cI,, nnf 10 a., q
laturr and rs "A sequence the election OF = Demo
cratic Irr.dr resisted The popular Will. The bill
giving tie choice OF electors 10 the people Trough
warmly urged and rluqncntiy debated. WAS
beaten. The aGjOurn'nett Of the L"Sis-
la;uTc Nitaout pA>>lLE tie Electoral Jaw
aroused throughout the state such
storm 81 popular iniisua:ion that Governor l":cs
conyc!irl an ,Ni.. >c>-.on anl sent Mrssago re-
commenting ohcG "n," 10 Ia" popular Will. The
bill. after proitLc:cl and y .t.ng debate. passed
the Assembly, hut was Gcfra'cl III the Senate hy
a vote 90 l. TO -. Daring IT," c"niict
many Influential and lifelong lrmocratlc
members of the Lrri4lature nllrnar"d
nms. S Of D",eho--; orau lei d Gen.
csscr james Mnliei, Of Chantanqnn; Henry Wheat
on Isaac lierson. Jacob brake. Cnarcs Town James
Bcnr,licl, ClaIkson Ct"iluN. john Morse. aud
DAVID seaman. Of New-)orN; and IN the
senate, DAVID Gardiner of suffolk. William
Nelson. Of We~tchrstcr; jaime" ltnrr. 81 Orange;
Stephen THORN, al IIutchess: Jacob liaIpht. at
(;rc,.uc; Isaac Ogden. OF Delaware; Jnmrs Mallory.
of Rcunselucr Latham \: burrows, "f l'roomr; and
jess Clark. OF Seneca. When he LEGISLATURE con
yeurd IN Deccm 'C to choose IrcsldentIli Electors
Nr Van Barren and his friends were oyeiwhclmed
with astonIshncnt and modification by the defeat
of their electoral ticket. lhc large Democratic
mai lr1ty had dwindlcd into minority; twenty
five Adams. seven Crawford and one Jackson cleo
tors were chosen by clo'e vote, anil hs rorI"l-
lary John Quincy Adams was elected lI'hl""ni.
Had the Democracy, responsive to the pnhhc WI.
condcd the choice OF clert"rs to the people, thry
would have carried the State, and " iIliIm ii.
Crawford thar candidate for President, w"ud
have been elected
In 1897 parties were so nearly balanced IN Penn
svlvania rs to violent and proirdclcd con
hct III the organization OF the H. ei'ia,
| complicated. but during its pi"He-s IL"
| Wig. r-sorted to exprdients and devices whlch
turned the popular feeling nRaInst them. and
finally resulted II their dcirat In the cih"tt'ici
Presidential contest of 1876 the purchase If "A
lIidrn eecIor in the state OF OREGON against Tie
wcl-Anuwu undrLlable and ccarlv-rxpicsscd wish
| ANA cnoco of the people having beer established
and demonstrated. by proofs and Testimonials strong
~ holy writ, The pnLhc mind was prepared t. be-
Ilcye that MIR. IiIden's money Wa also used to OBJ
tam the votes Of Louisiana. FLORIDA and South
Carolina. l believed then az l believe now.
| IN Oregon had not been distinctly and uncqui>o-
| caIly proven against Mr.. I1dcn. he would III the
coniiict winch eusued have secured Que or more OF
| these doubtful Southern States and been declared
President. The moral sentiment awakened
throughout the Union by the indsputable fact hat
electoral vote il Oregon had been purchased and
| Thus It ever has been and ever will be- Neither
| party will be permitted to secure the Electoral
Vote OF a State by freudulently defeating the
pressed and known will Of tho people. The los, to
| tons ought to admonish that party Of the
| danger Of third defeat il the fraudulent design
| of stealing the vote OF Maine Is persisted In:
such o frand, # consummated. wonla suggest
tiaI electors 10 this state were chosen by
the Legislature. Then. In obedience to
pronounced public sentiment, the choice was
given to the people. Either mode Is consti,
tutioual. Whether our Republican Legislature and
Governor would follow the bad example OF Maine
remains to- be seen. The provocation would be
strong and the temptation nuon stronger. For
with tbirty-five electors from the State of New
York the Republican nominee for President in 1880
would be chosen. From this standpoint II will DO
seen that the Democracy In grAspinR shadow loses
the substance. ,
Meantime, the Repu blicans Of Maine should 30
bear themselves as to keep their adversares In the
wrong. good cause il never helped, but often
Murdered by loss Of temper. Wrong Ia never righted
by dong wrong. 1t is to he hoped that the popular
out break of the citizens OF Bangor will not be re-
peated. Redress If properly sought for. Is sure to
come. I. W.
Me- YorL Dec Al 1870