Year: 1876




at the same time one of the most exciting
that has ever sat- The attitude of the two
parties is one Of suspicion and exaspera-
ton each side is watching the other with
distrust; men of opposing politics are be-
coming alenated from each other; and in
such times the rash, the unscrupulous, the
adventurers who have nothing to lose and
hope to gain something from tumult, to-
gether with the illogical, the ignorant and
the fanatical, make up formidable force,
all, whether with good or bad intentions,
likely to contribute to the general confusion
and to increase it to pitch which may
easily become dangerous to the public
peace.


We hope, therefore, that the wisest and
most prudent and conservative men will
take command in both houses and in both
parties, and that they will silence and keep
in the background the noisy and injudi-
cious. This is not good time for blather-
skte politicians to come forward. The dis
cussions which Gill inevitably arise on the
circumstances of the disputed election will
in any event be more than sufficiently ex-
citing The country wants peace, and it
cares very little which of the two candidates
becomes President; it sees now all its inter-
ests injured, all its industries PROSTATE,
through dispute Of the politicians in the
result of which it has no interest, except
that this result shall be fairly come to and
shall not be liable to suspicious of fraud or
wrong Of any kind. Whatever is said or
done in Congress, if it is said and done by
both sides III wise, kind and concilatory
spirit, will powerfully help to re-establsh
public confidence and to start business
again which has been so generally sus-
pended. Whatever is said or done in
merely partisan, vindictive and uncompro-
missing spirit will with equal power increase
the public uneasiness and lead to a
tinued and more oppressive stoppage OF
business. We beg Congressman to bear this
in mind. A few rash words uttered in the
Capitol can infiict n loss Of many millions
of dollars on the people.


What is wanted and demanded by the
people from Congress is statesmanship.
Any demagogue or silly blunderhead can
bring matters to deadlock. No one need
expect to get credit or praise for that The
men who will be remembered with gratitude
by the people when this difficulty is past
are they who shall now display wisdom
enough to bring about good understand
ing and who, uniting their efforts and
counsels from both sides, shall make
speedy and satisfactory settlement of the
dispute. That this can be done by a mutual
understanding by frank and unreserved
deliberations between leading men of both
parties, by determination on each side to
seek no selfish advantage but to look only
to the public welfare, is absolutely certain
The people are equally ready to accept
either Mr.. Tilden or Mr.. Hayes as President.
They will approve whatever verdict is given,
provided only it is not tainted with fraud or
wrong. The country will go on as we'll, as
happily and prosperously under Mr.. Tiiden
as under Mr. Hayes no sensible man any
longer disputes this. The interests which
prevent a satisfactory settlement are all
personal not one is national. The dispute
is one which involves not the industry, the
commerce. the honor or prosperity of the
country, but the personal ambition of hun
dred or two leading politicians on each
side who wish to retain power or to get into
power; who look for Senatorships, Cabinet
places, Ambassadorships, &C., and who are
to-day sacrificing all the real interests of the
nation by their quarrels. All that the couh-
try demands is fair and honest settlement
which shall satisfy all reasonable men of both
sides.


Under these circumstances we warn the
excitement mongers against making their
voices heard in the halls of Congress. The
country has not yet either forgotten or for
given Mr.. Blaine and Mr.. Hill for the strife
they deliberately stirred up in the last
session. When Congress met last December
we seemed to have arrived at an era of good
feeling. The Centennial was near !; the peo-
pie of the North and South were uniting in
the preliminary celebrations the public
temper CT the nation was kindly; the
wounds of the war were healed over the
Southern question" so long prominent,
had so entirely disappeared from politics
that the good men of both sections thought
and hoped its revival impossible. But Mr..
Blaine, the ablest debater, tne shrewdest
politician of the republican side, suddenly
flung firebrand into Congress which
kindled anew all the slumbering fires of
sectional suspicion and hatred. That Mr..
Blaine did this deliberately and with the
purpose to bring himself fconspicuously before
the public as Presidential candidate every
body believed at the time and believes now.
That he counted on the help he would
receive from such rash and quick-tempered
Southern men as Mr.. Ben Hill is also prob
able. 1t was the trick of demagogue play
ing adroitly upon the passions of the people
for his own selfish advantage, and while it