Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-03-04
A CHANGE.

Alter the lapse OF quarter VI &c"
tury. since James Buchsnans term ex-
pired we have, once more, a Democratic
president of the United States. Had there
been a free ballot, in all the common
wealths of the country, James g. Blaine
would have been inaugurated at Washing
ton today March 4th) and it must be ad-
mitted by Democrats, even, that, with all
the advantage of Solid South, made so
by intimidation and terrorism, Mr.. Cleve-
land only won New York BY scratch, or
an accident, if indeed he won it at all,
honestly and squarely. And now let it be
understood by men of all parties that, if it
is to be asserted that Rutherford b. Hayes
had clouded or questionable title to
the presidency, the same is quite as true OF
Grover Cleveland, in this year Of grace,
1855. So let us hear no more about Til
denis title to Hayes's placel
We have no disposition to whine or to
squeal. We accept the result, because it
could not be avoided without public tu-
multi that would have unsettled to a dIsas-
trous extent the business of the country.
The Republicans of the United States
were more patriots than partisans, and
they. therefore, suffered wrong rather than
| to resent and try to punish it. Hundreds
of thousands of citizens in the Southern
States feared to go to the polls and vote
for the men of their choice, and, hence
there was really no election, or
at least, no fair and full express
sion of the will of the people, as TO who
should be president, in at least half
dozen Southern States Yet the Republi-
cans of the country have raised no word
OF protest On the contrary, they wish
the new administration well, and if Grover
Cleveland, elected by scratch, as Demo
| Gratis claim that Rutherford B. Hayes was,
| will follow the wise, impartial, bipartisan
example of Mr.. Hayes the Republicans
will continue to bear their defeat with for
titude and even complacency. What they
wish is not Republican administration
but a fair, patriotic, honest, impartial gov
ernment, administered in the interests OF
the people. We have no doubt that the
larger portion of the people of all parties
would prefer that President Cleveland
should take so wise, conservative
and wholesome a course as to commend
himself to the masses of American citizens,
and if his administration should prove so
strong in these respects that the popular
voice should demand his reelection, we
feel sure that there would be as few Re
publican as Democratic mouruers. And
We may say, in connection with this, that
Republicans do not expect that men of
their party are to be retained in Federal
Offices. They can hardly ask this. But
they do expect that the offices shall be
filled with men, or women, of intelligence,
honesty and capacity.
One thing, however, will be asked and
demanded of this administration; namely
that the right and privilege of free bal
lot shall be afforded to every male citizen,
over twenty-one years of age of any color,
in any county of any State of this Union,
henceforth and forever This will be the
voice of the future platforms OF the Re
publicans. as it has been in the past
A Free Ballot, honestly Counted, and
Returned, is plank to which the Repub-
icans OF this country will adhere, and for
which they will fight, SO long as their or
ganization exists! Let President Cleve-
land paste this IN his hat!