Year: 1877

was even hopeful. But they all agreed
that there had been fraud and cor
ruptiop in the Presidential election, and
that Hayes was only de Jdct6 while
Tiden was the de jure President 1t was upon
this assumption that the high discourse began,
and they seemed as averse to "goIng back" OF
it as the Electoral Commission was TO going
"behnd the returns"


And this being granted, there's no denying
that it was wat fervid exhorters call ian
"uncommon good meetin'." Everybody was
impressed with the gravity of the case, the
dangers to our liberties. the Importance
of rebuking fraud, and the need OF keeping
near the salad and being prompt with
a glass whenever fresh bottle was opened.
Tn all this they seemed animated by common
nurnose. and there is no doubt they did sue
ceed in rousing themselves up, in one way and
another to a very high degree OF enthusiasm.
But there seems to be an impression abroad
that the startng-pOint of all the discourse
was trile too near the conclusion, so I'd
speak. There was, in the first place, some
thing a little bewildering to the ordinary COM
prehensiop in the appearance of some OF these
persons as representatives of political purity and
denouncers of fraud, and this bewilderment
was increased by Mr.. Tilden's alluson to the
fate of his former political associates by way
of warning; but the public might have got
along with that if it had been made to appear
that there had actually been any such fraudu-
lent goings-on rs were charged. Everybody
started with the assumption that there had
been; that nobody denied the fact; and that
there was no need of going behind it; so they
all fumed and fretted about it, and said ev-
erything would go to the bOwwows if some
thing was not done about it.


It's a pity to have so many proceedings and
so much eloquence and whole evenings per-
f0rmance rest upon single assumption Ill
that way. For if some person OF an IN
ouiring turn of mind had happened to drop
down from another planet, or even an Old
Line Wing had come up from North Carolina
and sought out the facts in the case,
he would have found that while the
present occupant of the Presidential office
never turned his hand to gain the nomination
or secure the election, his opponent was ac-
lively and aggressvely engaged in the canvass
for both; that Mr. Hayes took the Office with
ont ever having fallen under suspicion OF an
intrigue, while the only attempt at fDaud that
came to light was Traced I'D lnt nome anu
family of his opponent; and that SO far from
his title being defective it not only
had the support of all the legislative
authorities required by the Constitution,
but had been conferred 10y higher tribunal
than had ever before passed Judgment upon
the question. These are the facts that would
appear to any candid and impartial mind
searching for some basis for the Manhattan
Club assumption Of fraud, and some prctexS or
cause for the turgid oratory of that oc-
casion. 1t was veil enough for these
persons to assemble themselves together and
make night OF it Gcn0unclng fraud. We
hope they will always Fee o. and will enforce
their views right here il, y WORK. But they
made mistake in denouncing s"eei.c fraud
which never existed except i'll their OWN i'm
agnaiions.


Doubtless the Manhattan Club chef follows
Mrs. Glass's directions for cooking hare, and
first catches the hare. The club would do bet
ter if the next time it makes Il night of 1t
denouncing fraud it first catches It's fraud.