Year: 1876

by no satisfactory evidence on either.
There will be no reason for surprise, let


the election 60 as it may 1t is possible,


in so close canvass, that some slight


circumstance, some sudden rumor or Roor-


back started Mt the last moment some


unexpected and ingenious election trick in


an important locality, even that some public


meeting or striking speech on one side or
the other, may tip the trembling balance. Ii


any speech turns the scale in this nicely
| poised state of parties it is as likely to be


that Of Mr. Evarts as any other. His great
| gifts, his eminence and the indepen-


dent course he has SO often pursued


enable him to command public attention
| in this final and critical stage of doubtful


canvass as no other speaker can expect to
| do; and there is so much persuasiveness
and real cogency in his way OF putting tho


republican side Of the argument that he may


have much influence on citizens (if there


be any) who have not yet rnade up their


minds. We do not for a moment suppose


that any former democrat was deliberating
whether he would vote for Hayes, but


many former republicans may have stood


hating and perplcxed as to whether
they would not vote for Tilden- Mr.. Evarts'
speech is well fitted to retain such doubters
in the republican ranks Its whole practical
effect will be on this class of hesitating re-
publicans, and its potency will depend on
their numbers. Whether they be few or
many Mr.. Evarts will put an end to their
wavering SO far as they read his speech. In
so close contest there may be enough of
them in this State to turn the scale
in New York, on which the national canvass
|. is supposed to hinge. Assuming, for the
nonce, that there is a possibility of Governor
Hayes election by the final refusal of
wavering republicans to desert their party,


let us inquire what the new republican ad-
mnistration ought to do to justify conf
dence.


If the republican party is saved by argu-
ments like those presented in the clever
speech Of Mr.. Evarts the administra-
ton will be required to fulfil the
expectations which lie at the basis Of
Mr.. Evarts reasoning. If Governor Hayes,
is elected his administration will be subject
to keen and constant scrutiny and held to
strict accountability for the fulflment Of its
promises. The republican party asks for
space to complete certain measures of which
nobody can deny it the merit of having be-
gun. 1t has commenced the refunding of
the fve-twenty bonds at lower rate
of interest, and, having made consider
able progress in that important meas
ure of finance, it asks to be in
trusted with its continuonce--a not un-
reasonable request if it can guarantee an
early completion. The republican party has
taken the first decided steps toward the
restoration Of sound currency in passing
the act requiring the resumption OF specie
payments in 1879, and it asks to be intrusted
with the execution Of this act Of which il is
the author This is also reasonable
request provided the party intends
what it processes The democratic
party denounces the law requiring re-
sumption in 1879, and declares its purpose
to repeal it if it comes into power. Citizens
who believe in that law and want it enforced
will naturally vote for Hayes if they have
any confidence in the sincerity of the repub-
lican party. Nobody expects its enforce
ment by the party which threatens to repeal
it, and nobody can explain the proposed
repeal on any other hypothesis than deter
mination by the democratic party that re-
sumption shall be postponed for con-
siderable period beyond the time fixed
by the act Of 1875. The Resumption
act is a child which many people
will think had better be tended by its own
mother than put out to nurse in hands that
will strangle it at the first opportunity.


The republican party has, moreover, been
reducing the national taxes for the last two
or three years, and asks the country to be-
lieve that it will continue the same work
with prudence, without crippling any
branch of the public service, without starv-
ing our diplomatic and consular agents or
reducing the army to such point as
to make it worthless for precautionary
purposes Now, if the majority of citizens
accede to these requests as reasonable the
republican party will be bound to make
good the substantial part of its promises.
We will not inquire too curiously whether
the alarm Of the republicans at the possi-
bility of Governor Tilden's election is real
or simulated but it is no credit to their
party that, after oil the time elapsed since
the close of the war, even an election
eering scare can be got up on
such point. There ought not, at this
late day, to be even pretcxt for this
kind of alarm. If the finances of the coun-
try had already been placed on solid basis
by the republican party there could be no
reason for serious apprehension in view Of
the possible result of an election. If our
successive republican administrations had
taken time by the forelock and the whole
volume of six per cent bonds were already