Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-03-20

ton. yet If strong State tickets wer,
placed in nomination by the democratic,
It would serve greatly to Increase tn,
democratic representation in the love
House of Congress and would ten
greatly to strengthen the democratic
organization generally throughout the
country. For Samuel j. Tilden. who
really managed this campaign, was
working first of all for the restoration
Of the Democratic party to perfect
health and to such vigor as woulG
serve to make 1t compact, thorough
ly disciplined organization well prepared
for the national election Of 1872
GOV. BLAIR'S VEHEMENT CAMPAIGN
The campaign as a whole was based
at first by the democracy more upon
the platform than upon the candidate
There was reson to suspect tht Gov
Seymour aid not agree with those
democrats who favored the greenbach
policy To Tilde1 himself the policy
was abhorrent. Nor did Gov Seymour
or Mr. Tilden regard with favor the
democratic plank which declared tina
the Reconstruction acts of Congress,
were usurpations, unconstitutional anc
gard these acts as expedient and IN
just.
shortly before the Democratic con.
vention met Gen. Francis Blair of 81.
Louis published a letter in which he
denounced in fcrocious language tbsI
reconstruction measures adoptel bv
Congress. He declared that the firsi|
duty of the country was to set all
! 1grr; Tel, to-.
necessary. to use the Army in order &c
restore to the white people Of the|
southern states the power to recon.
struct and reorganize their State Gov.|
ernments without outside interference
Gen. Blair had gained a National rep
utation even before the Civil War Val
was of the family which furnished
President Lincoln with his first Post
master General, Montgomery Blair
His father was a veteran and vigorous
democratic politician. Gen. Blair him.
self was a man of vehement tempera i
ment In speech he was often violent
Yet when he entered the service in the
Union Army and was given a com !
mani under Gen. Grant he was found
to be thoroughly loyal to Grant. thor
| oughly in earnest never insubordinate.
never critical or resentful and Grant
spoke of him afterward as an officer
who deserved the highest commenda-
ton.
| SEYMOUR TAKES THE STUMP
In all probability Cen Blair did not
the slightest damage by his campaign
| ing or his letter. However. 1t was evi =
dent by the time of the October State
! elections in Indiana, PENNSYLVANIA and
other States that the sweep of the po-
| litical current was iresistihlv 70 carry
Gen. Grant TO the White House. Even
Indiana refused the most popular citi
zen of the State, Thomas Hendricks
Immedia tely after the October State
elections Mr. Tilden was convinced that
1t was of vital Importance that the
plan of campaign which hal been car
ried on chiefly in support of the Green
back plank of the platform and by
Gen. Blair against the reconstruction
measures. was dismal failure. Tilden
therefore decided that it was essential
II the discipline and strength of his
party were not to be greatly impaired
that there be a change of front and
that the candidate himself personify
the hopes and purposes of the demo
cratic party He therefore strongly
urged Gov. Seymour to go himself up
on the stump in Pennsylvania, Ohio
Illinois and New York.
Governor Seymour was persuaded II
go upon the stump. He determined to
ignore as far as possible the platform
and to present new issues to the peo-
pie. such as the great increase of tax
alton. There were many hints in his ad-
dresses of a matter which in recent
| years has become familiar to the pub
lic-namely, the high cost of living. he
pleaded with the people in behalf of the
Democratic party upon the ground that
democratic triumph would tend to re-
duce taxation, restore good business ac-
tivity and bring order out of chaotic
financial and business conditions. His ex-
perience wis similar to that of stephen y,
Douglas. and afterward of Horace Greeley
James G. Blaine and William J. Bryan.
all OF whom went upon the stump in the
support o, tickets at the head OF whict
stood their names. and failed of election
TILDEN's OBJECT ACCOMPLISHED
But the vigor with which the demo
crazy carried on the campaign after thu
October elections. which clearly fore
Swallowed the election of Gen Grant. was
solely due TO the purpose of Mr.. Tllden
and tho other leaders who were manag-
ing to make it serve TO restore the Demo
cratic party to health and so inviCorate
Il that it would be able to enter the mex,
presidential campaign with reasonable
hope of success.
However, The queer hysteria which
caused the liberal Republican party Of
1872 to be organized and which led tho
Democratic party to give perfunctory
support TO the liberal republicans. delayed
the contamination of The work undertaken
by Mr.. Tilden and his associates in 1865
Two years later. however. or in 1874 tbs
first result Of this democratic politics OF
1868 was secured. The democracy for tn'
first time in many wears elected a major
ity of members of the lower house OF
Congress. Two years later Mr., Tilder
himself received a majority of the pop
ular vote for president and lost the
, presidency itself by only one vote in IN,
electoral college
But perhaps a greater achievement Of
the democratic presidential campaign OF
1868 was the acknowledged and master
full leadership of the party by Samuel ]
Tilden, a leadership that was not ended
until he voluntarily laid It aside in tn,
early spring Of 1880.
+, j. Edwards in the Boston Globe.
|
HIS LETTER TO MAMMA,
(From the Kansas City starr