New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-06-28
CORPSES TO TIE FRONT.

| In Democratic circles there is n visible reac-
| ton against Cleveland His prospects of nom
! nation so bright a week or two ago, seem to be
waning again. The buzzng of the few So
| called Independents. which warmed Democratic
hearts with hope at first. has grown fainter.
| Cool Democratic leaders see that the detection
| from Republican ranks amounts to much less
than they had hoped. The failure of the New
York rings to secure hearty support OF the
Governor by the delegation from this State, and
the failure of the Mclean party to control the
! delegation from Ohio, have both worked to the
Disadvantage of Governor Cleveland. In add
ton, there has been some shrewd cOnspiring by
men who want to dodge the tariff question, by
men who want to secure the nomination Tor
somebody else, and by capable leaders who con-
slider that Cleveland would not be strong
candidate. The drift, at present, seems to be
once more toward |" the old man." if not the
old ticket"
Of all Democratic blunders, it is the strangest
and the biggest to suppose that the Republicans
shrink from an Overhauling OF the campaign OF
1876. The truth is that the Republicans are
ready for that entertainment at my time They
would like nothing better than 20 have occasion
TO deal with that business thoroughly. There
are men in the country who understand full
well that the true inwardness of the campaign
of 1876 never has been known to the public, and
never will be, probably unless the Democrats
themselves invite an opening of the old mine
Republicans would particularly like to consider
what frauds were committed in that campaign,
and by whom; what sums of money were
spent, and for what; what forged and false re-
turns were made, and at whose instigation ;
how many electoral votes the Democratic party |
really secured, which had behind them votes OF
the people; what votes were stolen, and what |
attempts to steal votes were made by cipher |
dispatches, secret agents, and otherwise; what |
infamous corruption of electors was attempted,
and why it failed. Whenever that investiga-
ton is opened again, if ever, it will brand with
unutterabe and ineffaceable disgrace the fore
heads of some men who do not now dream that
they are in danger.
1t would be lively campaign, If Mr.. Tilden
should be nominated; there is no doubt about
it, Tie American people would be kept on the
broad grin for four months, ut least, and would
never be able to think of the campaign OF
1854, III after years, without an explosion OF
laughter On the part of Mr.. Baine's friends,
at all events, it would be an aggressive CAM
paign-dute aggressive enough To satisfy any
body The unspeakably pure persons, who are
not able to think of Mr.. Blaine without a shud-
der, would have a fine opportunity to imagine
excuses for Mr.. Tilden's long years of aptitude
in corrupt methods, his theft of votes in 1868,
his still hunts" and what they meant, his |
wrecking of railroads and accumulation Of |
millions by that species of honest toll his loud |
professions of Reform and his careful Austen |
ton from any punishment of Democratic |
rogues in canal matters, his evasion of taxes |
for many years, and the scrupulous integrity of
his sworn reports to United States officials |
When they get well into q campaign, as the fol- |
lowers and defenders of great refOrmer of the |
sham Democratic sort, they will understand
better than they do now why the people are
prone to sneer at pretences of exalted and I'M
apprOachable virtue.
The fact is that the Democratic party would |
not dare to name Mr.. Tilden as its candidate, |
except as a last resort. If convinced that its
defeat with any other candidate is quite certain,
it may fall back in a sort of despair upon the |
frauds of 1876" as the only hope of escaping |
the tariff issue. But even there they would |
blunder as everywhere else. The record of Mr.. |
Tilden as a free trade leader and contributor to |
free trade funds has not yet been used. His |
opinions are not easily hidden. The Republi- |
cans allowed the tariff question to be thrust into
the background in 1876 by the charges of cor
ruption which then filed the public mind. But |
Mr. Tilden, if candidate in 1884, would not |
be able to get away from the Tilden of 1864
1876.
The people have right to vote for or against |
a real man, and not an empty mask. Mr..
Tilden's name, as mere cloak for some less
known candidate for Vice-P President who might |
be expected to become the President at an early
date, would not kindle enthusiasm. Most peo-
pie, indeed, would think it very like an insult to
put up such candidate. But even If he were
as physically vigorous and capable as he notori-
ously is tOtterng paralytc, Mr.. Tilden is
about the deadest man in America politically
The party that finds itself driven to nominate a
political corpse may as well die itself, and be
buried as soon as possible in mercy to sensitive
noses.
TIE VOTE OF NEW- YORK
The Rppnblicans of this State confdpntIv av !