The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1893-01-25
Hayes ana Tnden.


The extent TO which partisan nalignity
can 60 has seldom been 50 strikingIy illus
trsied as IN the comments Of certain Demo
cratic newspapers upon the death Of eE-
President Eayes, whoes mortal remains we're
yesterday laid az rest besides thase OF his be-
loved wife al Fremont, Ohio. The Pres is
glad, however, % note that the number OF
Democ,tie organs that alow their political
or personal spite TO overcome their sense Of
deoency in the presence ofthe grave appeaE
70 be limited For the honor Of the nations
c9mmsrcial metropolis, we wish it could be
said t.iat not even one such instance has
been fJana inihe city Of New York. s. far
as the assaults upon the memory OF the nine
teenlh President Of the United States con-
sist in snes-s end depreciation Of his ability
or public zervices, no answer Is needed.
Facts known 70 every intelligent Ameri-
can, facts that al fair minded men of what
ever party long ago recognized, speak for
themselves and bespeak for him q high place
upon the roll Of distinguished statesmen.
His career in war and peace was q notable
one for more than third or a century. No
genuine American history can ever be writ
ten that viii not contain pages luminous
with the record Of his public life. To say
thar Rutherford B. Hayes viii be remember
ed when bis sneering detractors are for
gotten Is to state the case far too mildly.
In one respect only Is there any reason for
answering ,he ex-PresideRt's traducers. Il
is said in q few quarters that be was guilty
OF personal wTongdoing wien be accepted
the Presidency, tha. he took what be knew
did not belong &c him that, therefore. his
character as an honorable man, 8 Christiaa
gentleman, is inpaached. Tie Pres has
already pointed cut that bis ,iile to the
Presidency vas as well established By law
as tha. Of any incumbent OF The great Office
from Washington down; that the Electoral
Commission which decided the questions in
dispute was agreed upon by both parties and
that both parties pledged themselves in al
vance to abide by the decision Of that tri-
busal.
It was not only Genera Hayes lawful
right to take the Presidential Office. but his
moral right. i was not only his legal and
moral right, bat his Imperative duty as a
loyal citizen. Having accepted his party s
nomination; having been Indicated by the
votes of the people Of the country, in the
manner prescribed BY Law, as their choice,
he could not holorably reireat. The matter
had gone beyond his control His word was
pledged. No matter how Iauch he might
have shrunk from the perils aud burdens OF
the Office. under the circumstances it would
have been treason 20 duty had he refused il.
This would be true even in the case of IN
oriiuary Presidential election. The reason
Is plain enough. After the nomination has
been accepted and the election held and vic
tory won it is no longer al individuals viii
or Willingness that is 20 BE- considered, but
a sacred trnst belonging to the successful
party aud the entire country. In the peca-
Tar instance in question this obligation was
increased = hundred fold. Ordinarily, should
the unprecedented case occur Of a President
elect refusing the office before the electoral
votes had been counted, Il woald only moan
confusion, disappointment, jast indignation
against recrsaat leader. A new party con-
ventiOn might be held, II time permitted, or
the electors chosen by The victorious parry
might agree upon another candidate of the
same party. Bot If General Hayes had re-
fused, after the commission awarded the
place to him, it would have meant chaos
universal cons;ernatiJn, not improba5iy
dTil var L is an egregious error to i'm
asine tha, he could, had be wished, have
turned the prize over TO samuel J. Tildeu.
Tiiden MAS not elected. according 10 the
judgment Of the only tribunal that had aa-
thoriiy 10 decide the question. Hayes could
no more have given theofiice to Tilden than
he could have given it to any other citizen
of .h- United States.