The Indianapolis journal., 1884-08-07
1879. 1890 AND 1884,

1875, 1880 AND 1884
But once in nearly quarter OF century
have the people of this Republic shown any
disposition to put the administration in any
other than Republican hands. But once
has popular majority (f) pronounced in favor
of change, and then-1S76--Democratic
crime against popular sovereignty, both be
fore and after election, was SO palpable that
even the Democratic party confessed judg-
ment in tacitly admitting that the majority
returned was obtained only by violence and
fraud. Barely eight years have passed since
1876 Few that have reached mature years
have forgotten the almost immeasurable in
famies practiced by the Democratic managers
in that memorable campaign It was under
the management of Samuel j. Tilden that the
rape of the South was planned and almost
practically c6nsummated ed-shirted night
riders terrorized the colored Republican
voters of North and South Carolina.
Bulldozets, with whip and pistol made
free election in Louisiana an impossibility,
and in entire parishes the Republican vote
was annihilated, the needed number of bal
lots being supplied from Democratic sources.
lii Indiana, Chairman Barnum was instructed
to s'buy seven more mules Or, as was after
wards shown, to draw on headquarters for
81, 900 more with which to fix things here.
Nor did the frauds and attempted frauds cease
when election day had passed. Ia South
Carolina, in Florida and in Oregon the most
desperate and unscrupulous attempts were
made to buy the needed electoral vote to make
Mr. Tilden President and Mr.. Hendricks Vice
president Of the United States. In each in
stance the source Of these attempted crimes
was found in Gramercy square, at the door
of Mr.. Tilden's residence. The inevitable re-
vulsion of feeling followed. The evidence
adduced inculpated Mr.. Tilden so effectually
that although better man and of
unquestioned honor was named four years
later, he was easily beaten, the people not
caring to encourage Democratic practices nor
to run the risk of a Democratic administra-
tion with all that it implied.
But there were other influences at work in
1876 to the harm of the Republican party.
The grip of hard times, resultant effect of
the monetary panic Of 1873, was still felt, and
there was widespread feeling among voters
not given to close analysis of questions of
political economy, that, somehow, change of
administration might bring relief. But, not
withstanding the evident strength of this
sentiment and the innumerable plans
of legislative relief proposed by politi-
cal empires, the Republican party was
honest enough and fearless enough to
proceed to the only sound solution Of the
trouble, and unswervingly insisted on the
resumption of specie payments begin
ming with the 1st day of Janu-
airy, 1879 There were thousands
of Republicans who wavered and complained,
but the policy was adhered to, and the signal
success achieved is one Of the features Of
American financial history. In 1880, but
four years after the stealing Of the presi-
dency," as Democrats insisted on calling it, a
majority of the people Of this Nation testified
their confidence in the integrity, honesty and
ability of the Republican party, and elected
James A. Garfield President despite the most
dastardly ISLANDERS ever uttered against
honorable man, and despite the fact that the
Democratic party made. the fight on the issue
that it had been cheated in 1876, its platform
declaring that that issue "pre-
ceded and dwarfed all others.
The country, therefore, now enters
upon another national campaign, with
conditions infinitely better for the Republican
| party. Such hard times as followed the crash
-of 1873 are not present to embarrass the ad-
ministration; the fraud issue was passed on
four years ago; the Republican party has the
confidence Of the country; its nominees,
chosen by the people, are popular with the
Masses national finances are solid as granite;
every possible advantage is afforded to en-
terprise in trade and manufacture; there is a
fair outlook for steady and conservative bust
ness and manufacture in the future; the ad-
vantage Of wisely-adjusted protective tariff
is so generally understood and the hostility
Of the opposition to this policy is 50 marked,
that the laboring classes are left no choice
and must in self-defense, vote
for the Republican nominees. The
selection Of an unknown man to
head the Democratic ticket, in the hope Of
masking the purpose and character Of the