Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-08-27
Dead Politics.
N. Y, Tribune.

Whatever may be Mr.. Tilden's
chances for obtaining the nomination
Of his party, there can be no dispute
that he is the only person who has put
forth any claim to it. The most that
can be urged for any Of his rivals Is
that they might do to run-this man
because he has money, that other be-
cause he can talk; one because he has
no dangerous opinions, smother be-
cause he has no record, third be-.
cause he can bamboozle both protec-
tionists and freetraders, and fourth
because it can fix John Kelly. OF
Mr.. Tildsn alone does anybody say
that he ought 20 De President? 1t Is
true that his claim is preposterous;
it is true that he has been tested BY
more than one tribunal, in
GLIDING the popular vote, which is the
court of last appeal, and has been pro-
nounced invalid; nevertheless, good or
bad. it is an Ineligible claim. When
the Democratic party asks us to elect
Mr.. Tilden in 1884 on the plea that he
was elected and cheatedain 1876, it at
least sets before US q distant issue.
The suggestion Of other candidates
conveys no glimmer of principle, or
policy, or political purpose, Mr..
TildeR represents, not policy indeed,
but q great public question; and when
We are asked to support him we IN,
derstand that we are summoned to q
controversy somewhat more digni6ed
than q scramble for postof6ces.
But how strangely this state Of
Affairs. illustrates the propensity Of
the Democratic party for Sinking the
living issues of the day, and attaching
itself with enthusiasm only to causes
that are dead. Ever since it has
been in opposition it has been running
backward every four years to pick up
the relics of finished battles, and fight
engagements over again with broken
guns. As soon as the principle of
nationality had been firmly and ire
vocably established by the rebellion,
the Democracy began to run its stu
pid head against the wall, and shout
for the discredited doctrine Of ex-
IRENE State rights. When the war
was fast nearing its glorious close,
when the hopes of the Confederacy
we're gone when the triumphant armies
of the Union were pressing ire
sistibly upon the last rebel strong
holds, the Democratic National Con-
vention sOlemnly resolved that the war
was failure and pronounced against
its continuance So long as there were
thousands Of independent and Repub.
lican voteTs-as there were for a short
tims-who believed that Mr.. Hayes
was fraudulently counted in, the re-
nomination of Mr.. Tilden was the OBJ
vious dictate of common sense; and
accordingly a large section, possibly q
majority, of the Democratic party op
posed it tooth and nail. Now, when
the true history of the canvass Of 1876
had been disclosed, and the cry Of
fraud" has become a melancholy
farce, it begins to look as if the Demo.
cratic party had absolutely no other
cry with which to 60 to the polls; and
Mr.. Tilden is daily renewing his youth
! The political history Of the Demo-
cracy fer a quarter of century has
been a history Of blunders; the Til.
den episode rises to the category Of
the grotesdue. Mr.. Tilden had just
missed the Presidency, under circum
stances which made his election the
next time, by a large majority. almost
a foregone conclusion, when maligr
Influence inspired his followers first tC
quarrel with him for not Selling what
was not his, and then to investigate
the causes Of his defeat. They haC
bitterly to repent that they did not LEI
we'll enough alone. For the first re,
suit of the Investigation was to dispe
all reasonable doIbts which clOuded
President Hayes title, ard the second
was the discovery Of the cipher dis
I patches which showed that the grea
| fraud Of 1876 was that committed il
| Mr.. Tilden's own household by hi
most confidential agents, and for hi
benefit. But for the folly Of Demo
cratic leaders, this famous conspiracy
would probably never have come Il
light. And now that all the plot j
known, and the fraud issue is as deat
as slavery, it appears that the Demo
cratic party has no policy to propos
to us except that we should right
great wrong" by comforting the Presi
denoy upon an old gentleman who's
nephew just missed buying it for him
eight years ago, for a hundred an
forty thousand dollars.