Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1881-10-18

Presidential election of 1876. As q
matter of fact, In that election,
Mr.. Tilden had really, throwing
out the bride and perjure-stained
Returning Boards, two hundred and
three of the votes of the electoral
colleges to the one hundred and
sixty-six cast for Mr.. Rutherford
b. Hayes. Nor WAS that the worst
aspect of this politioo.constitution-
al anomaly. Throwing out the
large addition which would have
been made to the popular vote by
rightful count Of the votes OF
South Carolina, Louisiana and
Florida, Mr.. Tilden had neverthe.
less an uncontested majority Of the
popular vote, In the rest of the
United States, of two hundred and
sixty.three thousand. Notwith.
standing this impressive popular
and electoral majority counted for
less than nothing as far as Mr.. Til.
den was concerned. In no other
scheme of constitutional govern
ment known on the face of the
earth could such succession of
prostituting so-called constitution
eli fnfamies be possible.
But the whole extent of the
enormity, subversive of rightful
constitutional and representative
governm ent, has been by no
means developed thus far In our
resume. When, In 1874, the Dem
ocratIc party not only carried the
usual Democratic States, but also
elected CASTOR Governor of Massa-
chusstts; when that party, through
the excuses of the Republicans
Of tho machine guild, yield
ed . House Of Representatives
three.fourths Republican to one at
least two.thirds Democrs tic-per-
haps the most marked revolution
ever recorded in the history Of con.
stitutional government-the over.
whelming Democratic masses were
no nearer impressing their influ.
ence on the government Of the
United States then when they
were in an equally overwhelming
minority.
In this respect the scheme Of
government of the United States ID
inexpressibly inferior to that Of
England and France, and probably
the Skuptchina Of Servia. even, IL
Infinitely its superior. When the
people OF great Britain or France
rise in their might and repudiate q
government it goes down, and
there Is scarcely anything of the
dotsam and jetsam Of politics to
remind one that il has ever beer
In existence. But, as for the
premier Republic of the world
when an unclean set of buzEardi
have excited public indignation te
the boiling pitch, these same birds
OF prey control our machinery Of
administration, smother investiga.
ton and apply the whole resources
of the Treasury of the United
States to SURPRISING the populal
impulse. The money vaults OF tbs
United States Treasury are pow.
erfui factor; and, seated on this
fiscal tripod, the corrupt miscrea nts
who have excited 1t, under our de.
fective system of public admIn mis-
trstion, easily outlive the popular
Indignation.
In the interest both of govern
mental stability and abstract Jus.
tice material notifications of our
rotten system are imperatively re.
CURED. In effect, by cunning
manipulation Of electoral MAORI
ties, four millions of intriguing
citizens in the United States can
out count and rule the remaining
six millions. And yet We call our
government Republic ! In name,
and in the aspirations of the
masses, it is really such; but, In
practice, it ia mockery. The
wisdom and patriotism of the
United States, in the coming
years, will have TO be applied to
rectifying a machi merry of govern.
ment which challenges the con-
tempt rather than the admiration
of all who believe in governm emit
Of the people, by the people, for the
people.