The Hawaiian gazette., 1884-11-26
THE AMERICAN ELECTION
A DEMOCRATIC VICTORY.


campaign Of 1880 in which Breckenridge, Douglas
and Lincoln contested for great principles with
strong passions and desperate resolves, ending in
civil war; the feeling on both sides on this occa-
siOn being only less intense But il was in many
respects quite as remarkable. II was the closing
battle of the Constitutional war, as 1t may be
termed, which has been vaged between North and
South since the Confederaey was suppressed BY
/ force OF arms.
james G. Blaine, the Republican candidate for
President, is the representative of the Stalvart''
Republican sentiment, he having himself first used
that expression, which came latterly, however, TO
be identified with the Conkling wing Of the party
as opposed 10 the Garfield wing. His was likewise
/ the mind which conceived the Reconstruction
policy in opposition to President ohnson's scheme
Of rehabilitating the South and which, for better
or for vorse, was adopted. Blaine, therefore, has
/ done more TO make the Constitutional history of
the United States in the past quarter Of century
i than anv other public man in it, His nomination
for the Presidency by the great party which he has
so often led to victory, only Just recognition
/ of his merits and fitting acknowledgment Of his
t right to leadership. General John A. Logan, no.
minated as Vice President on the Republican tick
i ct, is prominent Western soldier and United
States Senator from Illinois who made great war
record and whose services in civil life have been
| important If not distinguished. The Republican
/ candidates were therefore strong men, admittedly
| the strongest their party could select.
| The Democratic candidates were Governor
| Cleveland Of New York State-"the Reform Cover
| nor'-and Thomas A. Hendricks Of Indiana,
formerly Governor OF that state, who held second
place on the Democratic ticket in 1876 with Samue
]. Iilden. Mr.. Hendricks therefore may be clissed
| with ''the Clnmantn Iilden, who cOntinuts to
| cherish the delusion that be cheated out uf
| the Presidential succession. Hendricks had in
/ this way personal claims upon the Democratic
party. but 1t Is probable that he owed his nOnna
tion to the fact that he alone could carry lnoiAna
| for the Democracy which he certainly did. Mr..
L Hendricks strongly opposed 10 the Union
cause during the war, but confined himself to
speech; and this was brought up against him during
this campaign with telling effect. Logan had also
been prO-slaysry man before the wa, had offered
his services TO the Confederate Government, but
kept within the line of loyalty by his wife, and
his subsequent services atOned for bis youthful er-
| r0r which was sentimental rather than Of policy.
rHE DoLTms
| Nothing could be said against Cleveland Is re-
| cord as he had always been loyal to the Union
/ and like Blaine, had served his country in the
| field by proxy. His record as Mayor Of Buffalo
| and Governor Of New York State was excellent;
but he had offended Tammany Hall, and was
| therefore opposed by II toOth-and- nail. In the
| National Convention John Kelly and his lieuten-
ants opposed Cleveland's nomination and declared
he could not carry the State, threatening TO bolt
the ticket. So also did General Butler, who want
ed the nomination himself; and the latter subse-
auently accepted the nomination BY the National
| Labor and Greenback parties. Butler bOlted the
| DemOctatic ticket, but at the last hour Tammany
| wheeled into line, and supported, although not
| unanimously, the National Democratic ticket.
Cleveland had vetoed several bills which the work
| ingmen wished passed into law, and this was used
| against him by Butler and the Republicans.
The bolt in the Republican party, consequent on
Blaine's nomination, very serious. 1t was led
| by q. W. Curtis Of HnrpsI's Weekly, Carl Schurz,
| Henry Ward Beecher, and other prominent but
peculiar Republicans, who challenged Blaines
fitness on the ground OF proved personal dishonor
in the corrupt use OF his position as Speaker OF the
| House of Representatives. Several Republican
/ newspapers in New York, Boston, Philadelphia
and other cities joined the bolters and openly
| championcd Cleveland. This detection exceed
ingly serious, but it offset by the bolt Of the
| Irish American party, who swung of from the
| Democracy and joined Blaines standard, on
| account of his assumed hostility TO the British
! Government
| Another disturbing element besides that Of But
ler and the Labor party must be noticed. General
| ST. John was nominated for the Presidency by the
| Prohibitionists. He also made active cam
paign and although his vote was not large, yet as
| Il was chiefly drawn from the Republican party, it
| suificed TO give small plurality to Cleveland in
| New York State, and 50 elect the Democratic
| ticket Buffers vote in New York was chiefly
drawn from the Democratic ticket, but the excess
| of the Prohibition vote over Buffers count may
fairly be taken to represent the plurality of Cleye
land over all.
The CAMPAIGN.
| The campaign was remarkable for the personal
canvass made by Blaine whose speeches in mum.
ber, appositeness and force have never been eI-
celled, If indeed they have ever been equalled by
| any public man. The London newspapers acknOwl-
| Is
equal TO it. The field was much broader which
Blaine covered. II was a continental area, and be
spoke to over fifty millions of freemen and women,
| appealing to their patriotism, and holding aloft
| the standard Of protection TO American labor and
/ American industries Cleveland made but few
| speeches, aud these uuimpOrtant and towards the
close Of the campaign. The two Vice Presidential
candidates made an active personal appeal for
votes.
II the campaign had rested here il would have
been we'll but the ghouls of American politics were
| abroad, and Governor Cleveland was denounced as
| a ibertine, debauchee and drunkard by the Bap-
/ tst and other Protestant elergymen OF Albany.
These vile accusations were taken up by the parti
! san press and repeated aH HnKse1H. Not TO be
/ outdone in vileness an indianapolis Democratic
paper slandered Blaine, whom it accused Of seduc-
ling his wife before marriage, and this too was
taken up and repeated by the Democratic partisan
and independent" Republican bolting newspa-
pers. Blaine at once instituted proceedings against
/ the offending newspaper, which are still pending.
But pen and pencil were vigorously employed in
blackening Baine's character for personal integ-
rity. and the deplorable spectacle was presented
to the world by leading American newspapers, of a
man worthy to wear the purple"-to rule as Pres
ident of the United States-whO had committed,
and was capable Of committing, offences which
should consign him to pententiary for life. This
practice of traducing public men is blot upon
| the reputation and fame OF American journalism.
TIE ELECTION.
|
people; wUaried out by tue din and noise Of the
preliminary skirnish, the beating of gongs, parade
of uniformed clubs burning Of blue lights, nearly
suffocated by the smell Of "viainous gunpowder, y
and hOarse with shouting, proceeded to deposit
their votes in the ballot boxes. 10 their credit be
il said that everything passed off quietly, because
American citizens are lawabiding above all things
else. There was TO rioting or violence anywhere.
As was anticipated the "solid South, cast its vote
for Cleveland and Hendricks, giving them l53 votes
| in the Electoral College, with 2Ol necessary to
make a choice. The Pacific Coast States went
/ solid for Blaine and Logan, California giving Re
publican majority of over 1900 votes, although
/ the entire election machinery in State, city and
county, was IN the hands Of the Democrats. The
Congressional delegation is solid Republican. A
Republican Legislature has been elected which
will choose n Republican Senator IN room Of Far
ley, Democrat, whose term expires on the ID OF
MaJch 1885. Senator John 7. Jones of Nevada,
will succeed himself the Republican ticket having
won. Oregon was also Republican.
WAITING FOR TIE NEWS.
| Immense crowds surrounded the newspaper bull
etin boards during the count for three days vary
ing little in numbers night or day, and the great
est excitement prevailed. Indiana was at one time
claimed by the Republicans but was subsequent
| ly conceded to the Democrats. Wisconsin was
| said to have given Democratic majority, and
| Michigan to have elected fusion ticket, which
shut out Blaine. Neither statement was true, both
States going Republican, but they created great
Democratic enthusiasm for the time.
IxCITENuST AND SUSPENSE.
When It was announced that Cleveland had car
ried New Jersey and Connecticut it was seen that
| everything depended upon New York, with its 36
| Electoral votes, and betting ran high on the re-
suit. the fluctuations at the pools being telegra-
phed all over the country the best indication of
the state Of public feeling. Meantime returns
! came in slowly from New York; and some San
| Francisco papers charged the Western Union
| Telegraph with delaying news in the interest of
| gamblers, On the fourth day the returns closed
| with reported plurality in New York for Cleve-
/ land OF between ten and twelve hundred. At once
I the CRY of fraud was raised by the Republicans,
] and Blaine demanded that accurate count be had.
| The Democratic National Committee issued an
address to the country claiming the election for
Cleveland and appealing for support to resist the
( contemplated Republican usurratiOn. The feel
| inp became intense, but the New York So, and
| others opposed 70 Cleveland reluctantly admitted
| his election. Meanwhile the official count by
counties began on the 10Th instant, and continued
I'M date when Cleveland is found to have a plur-
| ality OF 2il votes in New York, which gives him
its 50 electoral votes and Is more than is neces-
! sary to a choice in the Electoral COllegege. The
oiicial canvass Is barely completed but the result
! will not be changed.
rTTE soUTHEES STATES,
Have nearly gone frantic with Joy, and some i'll
| discreet mon huisted the old Confederate fiag on
| the State House al Atlanta, Georgia, when Cleve
| lands election was announced. lntempcrate
speeches have also been delivered, and the colored
men are said to be greatly excited. But this efer-
! vescence will soon pass away, and the South set
Tie down TO steady industry Its interests are all
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