The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1881-01-13
A Parade Of Virtue.


In the course of the debate on the
resolutions concerning the Electoral
count, in the House, the other day,
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 Gartield's honest and legal
election. This declaration, coming
from a man who is usually disposed to
try the effect of a rifle club before yield
ing any political point, was greeted by
the entire Democratic press with shouts
of reclamation. Senator Hill, of Geor-
gia, also took occasion, after much
cogitation, to express sentiments simi-
lar to those so magnanimously avowed
by the two gentlemen Just named. And
the same concession has been gracious
ly made by a 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 ut 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. 1t is as if a burglar.
finding that bank locks detied 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, MIR. Whitthorne 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
| roic virtue.
This affectation of superior political
morality is n 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
impossible 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 a 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'
time. So thoroughly imbued were
they with sense of the wrongs which
they pretended had been perpetrated
upon them that they argued in the
Maine case that Gracelon and his gang
were justifiedin counting out Republi.
can majority, "because the Republicans
had done the same thing in louisiana u
This is precisely the kind of morality
which may be expected of a political
party that thinks to extort the admira
ton of the world for its refusal to lay
claim to the Presidency with majority
of 50 to overcome in the Electora
College. Having repeatedly threatened
to snatch the Presidency as soon a.
there was the slightest chance to do it
the Democracy makes virtue o.
necessity, and looks around for ap
plause.
The insolent assumption of fairness
. with which some of the Democratic
leaders appeal to the country for ap
proval is more intolerable when we con
slider the gross frauds which hav,
secured Democratic majorities in man,
of the States counted for Hancock. l
! is very handsome in Senators from tn,
Southern States to plume themselves OIL
their magnanimity in conceding tn,
election of a man whose defeat they
endeavored to compass by every specie
of crime against the ballot. Leaving
out of the case the Democratic forger,
by which Hewitt, Barnum, and thei
gang of perjurers succeeded in mislead
ing the voters of two or three State
i which were otherwise sure for the Re
| publicans, the record of the Democratic
party in the canvass of 1880 is infamou
/ for the frauds committed in the South
, ern States in the interest of the Demo
, cratic candidates. 1t was even pro
posed. in the first pangs of their disap
3 pointment, by leading Democrats, tina
the vote of the great State of New Yorl
7 should be thrown out of the Electors
r count, on some flimsy pretext of frau
: or intimidation. This madness laste
) for day or two, and then, with pro
l digious clamor. the baffled conspirator
) cheers from the people for saying a
undisputed thing in such a solemn way
: Because they denied the legal electio
!, of Republican President four year
> since, they seem to think that the
D really ought to fly in the face of indis
t putable facts for evermore.-N. ]
: Times.