The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-11-23
MR. TILDENs ENEMIES.
What Became of the Senators Who
Counted Elm Out.
From the Nep York Star.


From the NeU York Star
II Is said that retrospect is not always
pleasant, but that it is always profitable in
an intellectual sense. If this be true. then
it is well to look back to an event in the
history of this nation that will always be
tringed with black lines. The result of the
recent elections provokes me into recalling
IL, and telling the story that a reverie
brings up. Henry B. PAYNE, the present
democratic senator from Ohio, who will
next year give way for another democrat.
as the result of the recent political cyclone.
was one of the electoral commission which
made Rutherford B. Hayes President of
tho United States In speaking Of that
work Mr.. Payne once said: Give hundred
thousand men stood ready on March 4,
1887. TO do battle to the death, and the seat
ing Of Mr.. Hayes saved US from an armed
conflict Of the most deplorable character"
As Mr. Payne was the chairman Of the COM
mittee that framed the electoral commits
mission BILL and was on the inside of the
events then agitating the whole country, it
is supposed that he knows what he is talk
ing about His position as a man Of the high
est character makes his word acc opted with
out question. How wonderfully, then, have
we travelled since those days. 1t is only twelve
years ago, and yet we are more than a
generation, in results, away from that
dangerous condition outlined by Mr.. PAYNE.
which was the outgrowth of the armed
conflict between the sections After the
first spasm of anger which the seating of
Mr.. Hayes aroused the country started
toward a new and better life. That event
laid the cornerstone of a new democratic
temple, which was so well built that, eight
years later on, it overshadowed the repub-
lican barn, well stocked with years of ex-
perience and control. Again the demo
cratic party has triumphed, and its powers
for the future are SO well defined by it that
am led to revive an old story, yet one that
should always be kept new.
These reflections bring up some very
appropriate thoughts of the conflict OF
1876 and 1877. They were recalled to me
to-day in q very forcible way. Some
malicious man, mot having the fear of the
Lord before his eyes. but being possessed OF
the devil, as the lawyers say in their in
dictments, has seen fit to preserve in endur-
ing form on broad piece of parchment
the signatures of the legislative, executive
and judicial officers of the government in
1S76-'77 1t is perhaps well that it has been
done, for it will for all time call atten-
ton to an event in the history of the nation
that will forever stand to rebuke those who
may in the future, for similar purpose.
feel like testing the temper of the people,
ana OF again stretching the powers of the
government almost to a breaking point.
1t seems as though the republican party
began to decline from the moment it lent
itself to chicanery for the purpose of keep
ing itself at the head of affairs by elevating
a weak and undeserving man to the highest
Office in the gift Of the people, to which no
was never elected. Naturally, his admins
tration sowed the seed of discord that
ripened with the election of Garfield into
an open revolt that has never yet been
quelled, even with the accident of Harrison's
election
What wonderful changes have taken
place in the legislative branches of the gov
eminent since those DAYS. The chart upon
which l am looking. bearing the signatures
of each and every member of both houses
Of congress, tells a most remarkable story,
and one that men both in public aud
private life may read with profit The
complexion of the Senate has been radically
changed since those days, aud the devasta-
ton in the House has been even more
marked when we come to take into consid-
Grafton the number of its members. 1t
is astonishing to note them to-day, after
the recent terrible defeat of the Republican
party where it should have won. Perhaps
the Senate is the best place to begin TO
illustrate the ravages time ard political
revenges have made among prominent men.
Some "reminiscences of the persons who
were in the focus Of the mighty contests of