Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-06
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

The files of The Star for the week
beginning February %. 1877. are re
Democrats Praised esting matter,
fo. pa+r;o+;su pertaining TO the
AoA "'A Az 'A'A' electoral contest
eliminating on the night of the Isl
Of March with the final acceptance oi
the count of the electoral commission
which gave Hayes and Wheeler 49,
votes and Tilden and Hendricks 1874
This action did not occur until early
in the morning Of Friday. the I'd.
It was a little after AIS m. when
the Legislative day." which had lasted
for % days and Is hours. was brought
to close, and the flag over the Senate
chamber, which had been floating con-
tinuously for that period. was lowered
The Star in it's issue of March 2
1877. thus summarizes the situation
The long agony Is over and Gov
Hayes is to be peacefully inaugurated
President of the United States for four
years from March 4th. This result, II
must be conceded, has been attained
virtually through the good faith and
patriotic spirit of the Democratic
party in carrying out the terms Of a
compact. under great temptation to
magnanimity and concession in behalf
of the public peace. by a great party
having the supremacy in the popular
vote. we may safely dismiss all fears
OF the country falling into anarchy and
revolution through the contests of self
ish men and selfish factions for su-
premacy.
1T would require a long list of
names to enumerate those who. In the
Democratic ranks, have thus risen
above party spirit in behalf of the Ma
ton. but prominent in the array of
those who will deserve the gratitude
of their country are Abram Hewitt,
Samuel J. Randall. Fernando Wood,
Henry Watterson. l.. Q. c. Lamar
Ben Hill, John Young Brown and Sena-
tors Bayard and Thurman.
Speaker Randall. while giving the
obstructionists their full psrliamen-
tary rights. put his foot down
upon palpable dilatory tactics
with a promptness and resolu-
ton that admitted no dispute.
Fernando Wood, conspicuous In
any crowd by his erect Clay-like
figure. lowered In the lead of the con-
sentative Democrats. his white head
indicating, like the white plume of
Henry of Navarro, where the fight was
the hottest. Abram Hewitt. infrm of
body hut rising by force of will and
the inspiration of lofty patriotic
spirit above physical weakness, was a
leading power in securing peaceful
solution of a danger that seriously
threatened the wreck of good govern
ment In this country. Henry Waiter
son. perhaps the most interesting fig
ure In the present House through his
brilliant talents both as speaker and
writer, his frank. manly spirit and
his sunny ma gnetism that wins all
hearts, was the center of the gallant
band of Southern Democrats that re-
fused to be counted with any faction
that preferred party to country. The
eloquent Lamar, sturdy Ben Hill,
forceful John Young Brown, they, too,
were conspicuous in the same patriotic
ranks.
I'm the other branch, Senator Bay
ard exhibited a breadth Of statesman
ship on this occasion that created a
delightful surprise on the part of some
who had misConstrued the man and
set him down as likely to be influenced
by sectional views and intense party
spirit. Scarcely yet IN the full prime
of life, he seems destined to take a
leading place in public affairs In the
near future. Mr.. Thurman's high
standing as a statesman and jurist
gave the public assurance that he
would be found acting In good faith
in sustaining the decision of the COM
and that confidence has not
been disa ppointed Indeed the Demo
cratic Senators may be said as a body
to have stood solidly I'm behalf of carry
Ing out the compact, however much
party disappointment was involved
iy,1- hA To. -. t.,
Congress and the Democratic party
as a whole will lose nothing by the
national course they have taken in this
great emergency. Certainly they can
never hereafter he Justly charged with
want of patriotism"