The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1893-02-10
HIS TITLE WAS CLEAR.

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GRITTY on their part to sheer at the
late Rutherford B. Hayes, because he
accepted the certificate of election to
the presidency in 1877. when it should
have gone. as they declare, to Samu-
ell J. Tilden. They frequently assert
that he stole that office, but this as
sertion only shows their desire to
make remarks without either knowl-
edge or care as to the actual facts.
In several of the Southern states the
vote was questioned. The Democrats
claimed majoritieS in many districts,
and the face of the returns showed
such to be the case, byt the canvass
ing boards which were Republican
declared that there had not been a
! fair and free election in these dis
tricts because of intimidations, VIC
| lence and other irregularities, and
threw them out and SO gave the ma
iority to the Republicans. AS re-
suit there were two sets Of certificates
from these states. '"There was" says
Hdrper's Weekly. 'senough Of doubt in
the case to authorize difference of
opinion" When the matter came be-
| fore congress, what was to be done!
Which set of certificates should the
Vice President count? The Demo-
Gratis insisted upon their set. The
Republicans upon those made by the
canvassing board. Excitement ran
high and on all sides there were
threats of civil war. In the midst
of this the threatened danger was
averted by an eXpedient agreed upon
and advocated by members of both
parties to create the electoral COM
mission. No doubt when the Demo-
Gratis agreed to this they confidently
expected that the decision would be
in their favor. But the result was
not in their favor as viewed purely
from a partisan standpoint, hence
the soreness exhibited. But. says
Hdrpel's Weekly, in an able article re-
viewing that periious time, The re-
suit was submitted to by the defeated
party-to it's lasting honor be it said
without the slightest hesitation,
Every good American was governed
by a correct instinct as to what was
the principal thing to be accomplish
ed. 1t was not that the decision
should satisfy everybody of it's moral
justice, but THAI it should secure to
the country a government the legal
character and authority of which
would not he seriously questioned.
Thus this settlement was signal tri-
umph of the political genius of the
American people. Nothing could be
more absurd, therefore, than the as
sertiQn that Mr., Hayes should, under
such circumstances, have declined TO
accept the presidency. 1t was not
only his right. but evidently his duty
as patriot to uphold the settlement
that had with sch difficulty been eff
fected. Assuming that he had been
not entitled to majority of the cleo
toral votes, what would the conse-
ouence of his refusal have been? The
presidency would not have gone to
Mr.. Tilden. but according to the con-
stitution. to the Vice-President, Mr..
Wheeler, and Mr.. Hayes defamation
would simply have served to discredit
Mr.. Wheelers title"
Those who criticised Mr.. Hayes for
accepting the office, coming in the
way it did, overlooked the fact that
had it gone to Mr.. Tilden, the title
would have come through the same
channel, and would have been just as
much open to criticism. There was
doubt as to which man was elected,
and both parties agreed to leave the
matter to the tribunal which was Gre
ated for that purpose. And after
that body had acted thereon and con-
gress accepted the result the legal
status of Mr.. Hayes, as DHarper's.. Week
la says, twas clear and unassailable,
and every American citizen was as
much bound to respect it as if no con-
test concerning it had ever taken
place." And the same would have
been true had Mr.. Tilden been sue
cesSful.
Allen G. Thurman, whom Demo
Gratis love to refer to as the modest
Roman of them ALL says that Mr.
Hayes could not have done otherwise
than accept the office under the cir
cumstances.
His administration was withal a
most beneficial one to the country,
and many who were then his bitter
opponents, today acknowledge that
the cpolicy me pursued was far more
beneficial to the country, and did
more to heal the wounds left by the
civil war, than would have been the
case had Mr.. Tilden occupied the
presidential chair. And in this par,
ticular, history will accord his admin
iStratiOn a most prominent place