The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-11-12
PURCHASING THE PRESIDENCY.

PCRCHASING THE PRESIDENCY.
Mr.. Cleveland affected to believe before
the election shat he was in danger of losing
it through bribery. Mr.. Cleveland was
supported for election by the solid South
and by the Tammany Halls of ali the great
cities OF the North. Mr.. Cleveland GER
tainly did not believe that the Republican
party would succeed in buying up the
solid South, and he certainly is not stupid
enough TO suppose that the Republican
party had any machinery of fraud or
sinews OF corrupt warfare that could COM
pare In versatility and opulence with the
ramifcations of Tammany Hall methods
In the great Democratic cities of the land.
The New York Evening Post that supported
Cleveland within recent years catalogued
the leaders Of this organization as tried
and convicted murders, indicted bribers,
professional gamblers. gambling house
and dive" keepers, pugilists, toughs and
members of Tweed's gang.
Mr.. William NJ. WINS, while city cham
be-lain of New York, published the
amount and the sources from which Tam
many Hall draws its corruption fund.
He showed that ii is an easy matter for it
to raise sum reaching from 100000 to
81 .000. 900. and how hundreds OF employees
are carried on the city rolls in order that
they may act a. Democratic district lead
ers.
And yet Mr.. Cleveland in the face of the
record of bis party; with this corrupt Or
ganizatlon of Tammany Hall behind him,
pretended 10 be afraid that he might lose
the election through bribery. Mr. Cleve-
land ough. to read the history of the
Democratic party from the days of Aaron
Burr. in 800. to those of Samuel J. Til
den. in 1876. and he will feel treasured as
to the ability of his party leaders to be at
the front " hen there is any chance to turn
the scale by bribery.
In 1900 Aaron Burr. by placing his
roughs around the polling places in New
York city, prevented hundreds of legal
voters from casting their ballots, and thus
stole part of the electoral vote of New York
for himself In 1874 Henry Clay was de-
feated for the presidency by the fraudulent
Democratic vote cast below Canal street,
New York. and James K. Polk was elected.
The Democratic party in 1876. through
Smith Weed and Pelton, the nephew and
private secretary Of Tilden. tried to pur-
chase the presidency for the ''Sage of
Cipher Alley" The small plurality of
Cleveland IN 1884 was doubtless secured by
the casting and counting of several times
as many fraudulent ballots as Cleveland
had rluraiffv in the w oia fafa
And We. Cleveland supported by the
South made solid by fraud and bulldozing;
supported by the corrupt political ma
chine of Tammsny Hall was afraid that
he might lose the election by the capacity
OF the opposition to purchase 1t.
A more impudent falsehood was never ut
tered. for nobody knows better than Cleve-
land against which party the guilt Of
stealing elections by blood and fraud
chiefly lies. The purchasable vote in
many parts of the country is doubtless
considerable, but no candid man will be.
ievs that Tammany Hall ever lost an
election through unwillingness to buy
votes, or lack Of money 10 use as a corrup-
ton fund; nor Will anybody Of candor be-
leve that, with full control of the lega.
machinery of election in New York city
through the law which makes two Demo-
Gratis rule the board OF inspectors. Tam
many Hall ever neglected its opportunity
to poll every Illegal vote it had placed
upon the registry.
The apprehension affected by Cleveland
was an act Of vulgar hypocrisy; there
were 8 number OF reasons why he ought
to have failed of an election, but there was
absolutely no ground for his pretended be-
lief that he was in danger OF losing the
presidency by the purchase OF Democratic
votes with Republican money, for in will
ingness 10 buy votes and in the easy COM
mani OF the sinews OF corrupt political war
fare Tamnany Hall has held the field
against all Corners. It is without q
rival or a peer in the successful practice Of
political prostitution. To utter this impu-
dent falsehood that his only danger of the
loss Of the election lay in the purpose and
power Of the Republican leaders 20 corrupt
the ranks OF she Democracy, was a very
clumsy compliment TO the quality Of his
party, but Cleveland parted with his best
manhood when he surrendered 10 Tam
many Hall 10 secure his election. Hill and
Tammany made him president and after
such a surrender a falsehood more or less
is OF small account 10 n man who has lost his
honor. IL II IS true. "a Cleveland says it is,
that so large part Of the Democratic party
Is purchasable, that for this reason. and
for this reason only. lac Was doubtful OF
success, then surely the nation Is in bad
way, for il is 10 be ruled by the representa-
tives of this corrupt party for the next four
ysarA