Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1881-01-13
A Parade Of Virtue.

COuuU, III UQ6+ house, Bn6 Obl6r Qay,
Representative Whitthorne, of Tennes-
see, declared that he believed Mr.. Gar
field lawfully chosen President of the
United States, and that he (Whitthorne)
for one would see to it that he was in
augurated. This is certainly very hand
some of Mr.. Whitthorne, and we do not
doubt that he was surprised and disap-
pointed that the official report of his
speech was not duly punctuated with
"applause on the Republican side of
the Chamber" Mr.. Whitthorne's mag
unanimous attitude, we are glad to say,
is that of many other prominent Demo-
Gratis. Senator Wade Hampton, it is
we'll known, has boldly proclaimed his
belief in Garheld's honest and legal
election. This declaration, coming
from a man who is usually disposed to
try the effect of rifle club before yield
ing any political point, was greeted by
the entire Democratic press with shouts
Of acclamation. Senator Hill, of GeOr-
gia, also took occasion, after much
cogitation, to express sentiments SINH
lar to those so magnanimously avowed
by the two gentlemen just named. And
the same concession has been gracious
ly made by great many leading Dem
OCrats in and out of Congress.
Whatever may be true of the rank
and file of the Democratic party, the
leaders and their newspaper organs are
inviting applause for their magnanimity
in conceding that Garfield is elected
President of the United States. We
are called on to admire and reverence
the noble disinterestedness with which
the Democracy admit an incontroverti-
BILE fact "Look at u.s. they seem to
say, "look at us and behold party
that will not steal anything out of its
reach We are expected to be filed
with admiration for the Spartan virtue
of a party that has never before had
even a semblance of morality to parade
before the world. It is as if a burglar,
finding that bank locks defed his skill,
should attitudinize as an honest fellow
who would not break into bank under
any circumstances whatever The re-
turns from the States to the President
of the United States Senate will show
that Garfield and Arthur have 2l4 Elec-
tOral votes, and Hancock and English
have 155 votes, which is a clear major
ity of SO in favor of the two Republican
candidates. And contemplating this
solemn fact, Mr.. Whitthorpe and his
political associates admit that Garfield
is elected; and then they demand that
we shall show proper gratitude for their
magnanimity, and respect for their he
roi3 virtue.
This affectation of superior political
morality is a survival from the late
fraud campaign" Having half-per-
suaded themselves that Tilden was
cheated in the Electoral count of 1876,
the Democrats have harped on that
single string for four years. 1t seems
for them to give up the old,
old cry of "fraud." and when all else
has failed they have fallen back upon
this issue as if it were real thing. Not
only so, but Democrats who are free
takers have openly said that they
would practice on the Republicans the
same trick which, as they alleged, was
played on the Democrats in Tilden's |
time. So thoroughly imbued were
they with a sense of the wrongs which |
5hey pretended had been perpetrated |
upon them that they argued in the
Maine case that Gracelon and his gang
we're justifedin counting out a Republi-
2an majority, "because the Republicans
lad done the same thing in Louisiana"
This is precisely the kind of morality
which may be expected of a political
party that thinks to extort the admira-
ion Of the world for its refusal to lay
claim to the Presidency with majority
If SO to overcome in the Electoral
College Having repeatedly threatened
% snatch the Presidency as soon as
here was the slightest chance to do it,
he Democracy makes virtue of
necessity, and looks around for APP
)lause.
The insolent assumption of fairness
eaders appeal to the country for APP
,roval is more intolerable when we CON
ider the gross frauds which have
ecured Democratic maioritles in many
# the States counted for Hancock. 1t
s very handsome in Senators from the
southern States to plume themselves on
heir magnanimity in conceding the
lection of a man whose defeat they
to compass by every species
# crime against the ballot. Leaving
mt of the case the Democratic forgery
" which Hewitt, Barnum, and their
ang Of perjurers succeeded in mislead-
ng the voters of two or three States
Which were otherwise sure for the Re-
ublicans, the record of the Democratic
arty in the canvass of 1880 is infamous
Or the frauds committed in the South
IN States in the interest of the Demo-
ratio candidates. 1t was even pro-
osed, in the first pangs of their disap-
ointment, by leading Democrats, that
he vote of the great State of New York
hould be thrown out of the Electoral
cunt, on some himsy pretext of fraud
r intimidation. This madness lasted
lr day or two, and then, with pro-
igious clamor, the baffled conspirators
araded as paragons of virtue, claiming
heers from the people for saying an
thing in such solemn way.
iecause they denied the legal election
t a Republican President four years
nce, they seem to think that they
eany ought to fly in the face Of indis-
utable facts for evermore.-M Y
tines.
nSzaTha q cotkO7, half Of tho Coutb Ia