Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-11-11
niscred,t,ng Themselves.


Discrediting Themselves.
The Republicans last week outgencralled
themselves. Their scheme was so strategic
that they were themselves the victims OF
their own exceeding great cunning.
ZAcu. CHAxDLER IN 1915 claimed In his
famous or infamous kilograms Of election.
day exactly electoral votes enough 10 elect
HAYES no more, no less-iust 1856; and
the claim was made good by the aid OF
General GIANT and the United States army,
or perhaps we ought TO phrase II. the fear
OF the United States army, for though SOL
dicrs were said to have been ordered some
10 Washington and q larger number into
the neighborbood, there was, we think, no
sexual show CT military force in or near the
Cspitol.
General GRANT was then President OF the
United States; and, though great soldier,
or perhaps because he was great soldier,
knew but little concerning constitutions or
laws, aud cared still less. constitutional
limitations were nothing to him. He
thought 1t right and proper TO allow Gene
raj DE TRoBRIASD TO oversee the organiza-
ton Of the Louisiana Legislature, and TO
oyerawe the members Of that body by the
display Of the military power Of the United
states Government. The same may be said
M to his treatment OF the south Carolina
Legislature. The war had been over. 1t Is
true. for twelve years, but the man whom
the northern people recognized ~ the hero
OF that war was still holding the White
House as against any Democrat elected In
time Of peace--as against anybody who
might consider it worth his while TO be
governed by the opinions Of the fathers or
other constitutional lawyers as TO the
powers Of the Federal Government.
Therefore, In saying that ZACH. CHANDLER
claimed o, more votes than were absolutely
necessary TO the election Of HAYES, and that
that claim was eventually made good, we do
not by any means admit that IL is possible |
TO repeat the great crime OF 1877. On the |
contrary. 1t is, we might say, impossible. |
One Of the objects had In view by the voters |
m choosing CLEVELAND was that the wrong
OF eight years ago might be righted, and |
free institutions vindicated-in a word, TO
show to the world that the people are capa-
bic Of governing themselves.
Even, however, u there had been any
possibility Of repeating the crime Of 1877,
JcNEs and ELEISs are not the men who
ought to have been entrusted with the
dangerous task. They did not set up
claim for New York only, whose vote was
all they really needed In addition to those
OF the States supposed to be securely Re-
publican, but they declared on last Tues
day, Wednesday, Thursday, and even FRI
dsy. when they either knew better or else
knew nothing on the subject, that BLAINE
had probably cariied Virginia, West Viz
GINA. Indiana. and Florida-four Demo-
cratic States. This was blunder that
cannot be recalled. discredits to-day
their claim that they carried New York. 1t
enables the public TO see through their
schemes, and assures the people that
CLEVELAND and HgNDRIeKs are TO be the
next President and Vice-President Of the
United States.
How! Why. isn't 1t evident that the
assumption thnt the Blaineites had given up
New York and were throwing all their
money into New Jersey, Connecticut. and
Indiana, had alarmed JOINS and ELxINs,
and determined them TO try to elect BLAINE
without the vote Of New York; Look at
the figures as they stand. CLEVELAND has
90 electoral votes and BLAINB 1872. Nine
teen more votes would have elected BLAINE.
Virginia and West Virginia give eighteen
not quite enough. Indiana and West vir-
g,uia give wenty-one-enough and more.
Indiana and Florida give nineteen--iust
enough. Here were chances not TO be de-
spised; and JONES and ELKINs took them
all. But, alas, in all the States named-in
Indiana, In Virginia, in West Virginia, in
Florida--the Democratic majorities were
too large to be reversed, and there was not |
even Danville riot" to afford an excuse
for counting for BLAINE votes that had been
cast for CLEVELAND.
What iollowedi Look over the returns
ouu sec NcW tofe unu uNtucu uci pOp-
ular votes so equally that II afforded JONES
and ELKNs plausible excuse for
claiming that 1t would require the |
Official returns to settle the question |
whether BLAINE or CLEVELAND had |
received the vote Of the State. OF
course the couspirators then fell back upon
New York, aud ceased claiming to have
carried Virginia, West Virginia, Indiana,
aud Florida. But too late. They had dis.
credited themselves by claiming-not mere
" on wednesday, when there might have
been some excuse for setting up such
claim-but two days afterwards, that there
was doubt as to how those States had voted.
Virginia gives CLEVELAND a majority |
which is equivalent to a majority of
twenty thousand In New York State,
aud yet JONES and ELKrNs up
to last Friday claimed that the result
Ia Virginia was doubtful. Is II any won.
der that such men now claim New York
State. where..the majority Is SO very smalls
No, indeed. The people know exactly
why the claim was set up, and Just what It
Is worth.
We repeat, In the iavorite phrase OF Sem
aior THURMAN, ".he nohlest Roman OF them |
ALL" "lt won't do, gentlemen" for
I'VE i've IN free Columbia. where the people cant |
And we've played EN- up iuue called tn. sober