Year: 1876

Our institutions are about to undergo the
severest strain ever put upon them. The
ship is in the surging waters, which dash
and roar around the borders of the mael-
strom, even if it be not already within the
edge of the circling current, which may
whirl it round and round with ever increas-
ing force and velocity until it is swallowed
mp in the fatal vortex. For the first time in
our history the Presidential election has
been so close that, at the distance
of month after it's occurrence, 1t
is doubtful who is entitled TO the
Office. A contest which began SIX
months ago by appeals to public opinion
has passed into disgraceful competition OF
rival craft and cunning Each party has
come SO near to victory, and there is SO
much real ground for doubt, that unscru-
ready to resort to any species OF Chi
canery, to any dodge or juggle,
by which there is the slightest chance
of foiling their opponents Nothing is so
demoralizing MS struggle for power be-
tween contestants each of whom seems to
have victory almost within his grasp. All
history attests that this kind of tempta-
ton is too powerful to be with
stood by men of average virtue. In
this country it operates upon men who had
no public virtue 10 lose; men whose con-
sciences were long ago blunted and scared
by participation in unscrupulous politics;
men Of the debased type, who regard any
g.. c1 fo;D kkasv
ends


Only consider what campaign of quib-
bling sharp practice has succeeded the reg
ular canvass which closed in November
What took place in Oregon on Wednesday
is a natural sequel to the cavilling subter-
fuges which have been the order of the day
for the last three weeks in South Carolina,
in Louisiana in Florida Who believes
that the sharp Oregon manGuvre would
have been resorted to if the success Of the
democratic candidate had not seemed to be
suspended on single vote? Who believes
that the Southern returning boards would
have thrown out the Tilden votes if the cleo
ton of Hayes had not been staked on those
three States? State rights, State laws and
federal laws have been alike warped and
twisted in the desperate struggle of miscre-
ant politicians for success. A trick in Yer
mont on one side, bolder and more astute
trick in Oregon on the other side;
uncertainty as to the real state
of the vote in Louisiana, Florida
and South Carolina; disputes as to the
twenty-second joint rule; disputes as to the
power of one or both houses to 60 behind
the certificates Of the Electoral Colleges;
propositions for electing a new Presi-
dent pro tempore of the Senate, to
inherit the Office of President if there
should be no choice; claims that the
House of Representatives have the sole
power of deciding whether an exigency has
arisen which requires it to elect President.
These are among the distractlng features of
the situation which make " confusion worse
confounded" and foreshadow q pandemo-
mum of angry strife in the closing month
Of President Grants administration
1t resembles the scene in Macbeth
where the assembled witches, plotting mis-
chief in the disposal of a crown, flung their
monstrous ingredients into the horrible hell
broth they were brewing, and all joined in
the chorus after the contribution of each
internal hag-


Double, double, toll and trouble.


Fire burn and caldron bubble


The fable of the witches was the poets
striking mode of representing the seditious
and hell-born passions which agitate ambi-
tious human minds and spur them on in
mad pursuit of power We have as many
ingredients of trouble and mischief
in our seething political caldron
MS those odious midnight hags threw
into theirs. Our politicians may be
led on, step by step, as Macbeth was, to
horrors not contemplated in the beginning.
There is no passion so domineering and re-
morseless as ambition infamed by hope,
and this passion, like the demons in sacred
writ, may take possession of our poll
ticians and "lead them whithersoever it
will" Nobody can foresee how far
he may be hurried when he is once
may intend only one or two giddy whirls
around it's outer border, but the force Of the
revolving current may narrow the circles
until passion and impetuosity sweep him,
against his WILL into the engulfing vortex.
A maelstrom is not thing to be played with,
and this country, with its precious freight of
popular institutions, is already on the peril
GUS borders of mighty political maelstrom.
The waters above the Niagara rapids are
smooth enough in appearance, but the fated
boat which trusts their seeming smoothness
is certain to be swept down the cataract.
Let nobody be deceived by the peaceful
professions and intentions of our political
parties The country was never before in
such peril as it is at present.


"But you forget the great crisis Of 1861"
Not at ALL But even then peace was not
lo.oo;~o1 or until tbo 6r;pu on Sumtor