The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-30
THE OLD TICKET

the ticket defeated in 1876. So far as Re-
publicans are concerned there ought 10 be
and probably is no opposition to the scheme.
The Democratic party fought the campaign
of 1880 on the fraud issue and made al out
of it that it possibly could 1t failed then,
just as it will fail in the next campaign. 1t
matters not now whether Hayes or Tilden
was elected in 1876. The Republicans be-
lieved then, and still believe, that elections
were carried for Democracy by fraud in several
/ Southern States. 1t was made quite plain
that intimidation, ballot-box stuffing and
fraud generally changed what would have
been the popular verdict and honest senti-
ment of those States. Democrats, on the
contrary, professed to believe-and we give
them credit for sincerity-that their party
had triumphed Let it be admitted that
there was an honest difference of opinion on
this important ISSUE Recognizing this diff
ference, and fully aware of the difficulty of
arriving at a solution that would be conclu.
sive, the peoples representatives in Congress
decided to refer it to special high court
known as the Electoral Commission.
This was done in the interest of
peace and harmony, and was
acceded to by both parties thereto. The
Democratic party consented to it as unre-
servedly as did the Republicans. At that
time the superficial advantage was on the
side of the Democratic party, it having seven
| Of he ;oSio To
Davis, whose predictions were decidedly
Democratic. They confidently expected that
they would have majority of one in all
vital votes. 1t so happened, however, that
Mr.. Davis resigned afterward and was elected
| to the Senate. The vacancy thus caused was
filled with Republican, and the status of
| the two parties, as represented in the COM
mission, was reversed. There is no proba-
| bility that the Democratic party, had it
foreseen this change, would have entered
into the plan. But they did enter with ev-
cry appearance of being guided wholly by
its verdict. The commission was consented
to by both parties, presumably in the inter-
est of harmony, and as affording the best and
easiest way out ola very perplexing dilemma.
All honest and unprecedented men greeted
the electoral plan as patriotic and wise one
That its verdict should be final was con-
coded by all. Beaten by the resignation of
Davis, out of what it regarded as a certainty,
| the Democratic party was loud in its cries OF
fraud. This was kept up for four long
years. and its changes were rung on
every platform and in every party
paper. In season and out of season 'the
fraud of 76' was kept before the public.
Mr.. Tilden posed as patriotic martyr and
| MIR. Hendricks himself was not averse to ex-
pressing himself as one who had been de-
prived of his own. This howl-for it was
little else than persistent and meaningless
howl-was kept up until the time for select
ing new ticket came round. 1t was then
proposed that the old ticket should be nom-
mated in order to its yindication by the peo-
pie. 1t received so little favor, however, that
the project was abandoned, and new men
were chosen. But with the opening of
the campaign the fraud cry was
again taken up. The party asked vindica-
ton. The campaign was fought on this issue
more than any other Every feature of the
preceding campaign was reviewed from the
| day of the st. Louis convention up to the
final vote of the commission in the early days
of March, 1881. Every advantage was taken
of the eight to seven verdict-every possible
appeal was made. When the issue came to
a vote the people defeated the fraud cry by
an unmistakable and significant majority.
Mr.. Tilden nor any other man is of suf1i-
cient importance to be made an issue
in a national campaign. What he was or
was not defrauded of in 1876 is of
grievances are not to be set up against the
interests of 5O0O00O0. The representatives
of all the people settled the dispute OF 1876
in the best manner they could command
No other way seemed possible. Republicans
consented to it at time when the chances
were unfavorable to them. An accident in
politics gave them majority not prejudiced
in favor of the Democratic party, and in
stead of eight votes being recorded with
stubborn persistency against every PROPOSE
ton, whatever its merits, there were but
seven. The Democratic party took an appeal
to the people in the next national campaign,
and the verdict of the commission was I'M
| qualfiedly sustained. There is q method in
the madness of Democracy in recurring to
dead issues. The party looks upon Mr.
Tilden as one of its shrewdest men, an ener-