Year: 1876

to the discussion of the disputed lTesluehcS'
we believe every aspect of the case has been
presented, and nearly every possible contn-
gency covered. The subject has pretty n'ich
engrossed public attention during that ulhe;
il has been the prevailing theme IN the press
and the almost constantine topic Of conversation
It has evolved passion and heat on both sides
in greater or less degree, has been treateu
from both the legal and moral point OF view,
in the light of precedent and usage ana con-
stitutional law, sometimes with partisanshlp
and sometimes with philosophic caimness and
n wise delberation that approached statesman
shin. Out of it all we have reached, If not
conclusive settlement at least one practical
result which takes strong hold of the popular
Judgment and goes far toward bringing us TO
a satisfactory ending of the business. The
practical effect of the long agitation is that we
have attained in one way and another as
nearly correct an estimate OF puDhc
oninion upon the essential point in the
whole discussion as could be had without
n formal polling of votes. The essential
question the one upon the settlementof when
our prosperity and peace have been felt to de-
mend. was whether when all the forms of law
have been complied with, and the result de-
clared, the unsuccessful party would abide by
il. or would undertake by revolutionary action
to Overturn it, That there has been consider
able anxiety upon this subject ever since the
closcncss of the vote by which the Republican
candidates were elected appeared, cannot he
denied. When one considers the mischief
wrought by the Democratic party in the des-
peration of its defeat in 1860; the lawlessness
and turbulence by which its opposition to the
constituted authorities was characterized in
many places during the war, notably by the
New York draft riots and the Indiana Sons OF
Liberty conspiracy it is not strange that there
should have been so great solicitudc when tins
same party, stronger now than then, but har-
ing the same spirit, the same purpose, and the
same constituent elements, found the cup torn
from its lips in what it believed TO be the mo-
ment of It's triumph AS to that danger, we
may now safely say it has passed. That Is the
practical result of the discussion thus far.
There may be wrangling in Congress; there
will be-for how could it live without 1t =
angry debate III the partisan press, with charge
and cOunterchargc, menace and threat but
we shall have no violence or disoElcr. and no
resistance to the peaceablc Inauguration of the
President formally declared 10 be duly and le-
galy elected


For this we are in part indebted TO the good
sense and prudence of Gov. Tildcn, who, rs We
are willing to believe, has from the first OPP
posed everything looking to a resort to violent
or revolutionary measures and set himself
firmly against the insane plans of some of his
hot-hcaded supporters. We are glad to be
able to give him credit for pursuing so wise
and prudent course. But we are more largely
indebted to the good sense of the Southern
Democrats in Congress, whose conservative
action has had an effect where Gov. 1idcn's
own advice and counsel might have been
p0werless. They at least have exhibited in
the present crisis degree of moderation,
patience, and self-restraint which, whether it
was begOtten by experience and born of pru-
dence, or was the dictate of unaloyed patriot
Ism, is worthy of all praise Whatever may
be said of the rawlings Of Randall and Wood
and other Northern Democrats who are so
fierce to have the country sustain their
view as to who has been legally elected PreSi
dent, the Democrats from the Southern States
have for the most part behaved admirably.
Their action must have dispelled in a great
measure whatever distrust remained in the





desire for real reconciliation and substantial
peace. Had they been dcsirous to show to the
North their capacity and fitness for admins
tering the affairs of their own States, and to
demonstrate the injustice of Federal nterfer-
ence with them, they could not have chosen q
wiser course than that which they have pur-
sued in this matter. They see and know now
what they did not see and know in 1860-that
the voice of Northern Democratic leaders is
not by any means the voice of the North, or
of a majority of the North, or even of q ma
jorty of the Democratic party. They are not
going to be misled by it again They give no
encouragement to the bluster no cOuntenance
to the threats of their noisy associates. They
are not so blind as not to see that the cOndi-
tiOn of distress and misgOvernment under
which they labor is the result of their having
engaged in precisely what some of their
Northern associates are urging nOw-resistance
to the constituted authorities. They have tried
the experiment once, and are not anxious to
taste again its glories or its hazards. What
they want is peace. They have learned to
accept defeat with philosophy, and even to en-
durc what they consider injustice with pa
tience, rather than renew desperate struggle
with the inevitable. In other words, they
have learned to regard the will of the major
ity, and that is the highest wisdom in politics


Gov. Hayes cannot do better than meet this
conservative Southern sentiment with hearty
appreciation and frank cordiality. For the
past eight years the South has repelled every
advance of the party in power toward mutual
understanding, and the Administration has
almost invariably helped widen the breach
whenever occasion offered. The new Admins