Year: 1876


offices and of representative instruc-
tions-they who think the accident of
the ballot in making rulers is less
dangerous than the accident of BIRTH
will be puzzled, or edited, or Distress
ed, as their temperament may be, by
what they see passing in this the great
republic in its centennial year. They
have been taught to believe, and do
believe, the political parties are neces-
sary to representative governments.
and that in such system an opposi-
tion party is necessary. if for no other
reason, simply because it is an opposi-
tion, and 1t is ready to take the gov
ernment when the party in power for
feits the public confidence Such an
opposition need not have a policy OF
administration. 1t is enough that it
is made up of men who think alike,
either about the party in power or cer-
tain general theories of government,
such as Free Trade and the true rela-
tion of the several States to the ma
tional power. The Liberal party in
England cannot be said at this mo-
ment to have well-defined policy ,on
which all its members agree, respect
ing any question at issue in Parlia-
ment, and yet no one denies that it is
a useful party and fit to take power if
the government of Lord Beaconfield
shall break down. They in Europe
who think such condition and relaS
tion of parties essential to free govern.
ment were much puzzled to see that in
1875. when the people returned mem>
bers to Congress hostile by great
majority tothe Executive Government
the Executive did not retire as in Enga
land, That is not our constitutional
system. And these Europeans were
told that in 1876, at the Presidential
election, the Republicans would as.
sumo the defense of the administration
of their party under Grant, and
the country would vote thereon,
and on that vote the party would re-
main or retire. What must be the
surprise of these Europeans TO see that
the party denies in 1876 its responsi,
bility, and asserts it Is not to be tried
therefor, since 1t has not renominated
Grant. But, asks an intellinent
foreigner, "Has your Republican
party condemned his administration ?"
"Oh, no." is the reply, "but the Re
publican party will try hereafter to
do better" Intelligent foreigners will
assuredly think and say that this is
very odd.


But they will not think it so odd as
the way we carry on canvass. Ins
stead of seriously and calmly discus,
sing the faults of the two Republican
administrations from 1869 to 1877, and
honestly endeavoring to ascertain if
that party has been really responsible
and can do better in the future, the
party in power utterly fails to make a
defense, but assails the party out of
power for the character of its opposi,
tion from 1861 to 1866. and denounces
Governor Tilden respecting the pri.
vate subscriptions he did or did not
make to certain New York volunteer
regiments in 1861, and for the state
ments OF his income return in 1868.
This is all the party in power offers in
justification Of its doings from 1869 to
1870, and it is nothing at all. When
charged with mismanagemept of the
Government during these seven years,
the party in power stands mute as to
it, or only charges in reply that the
party out OF power blundered sirteen
years ago when under other lead.
ers; that Governor Tilden didn't sub
scribe to Tammany regiment fifteen
years ago and didn't return his full in
icome thirteen years ago!


But this is not all our curious Euro.
peaps will discover, for they will see
that the Government in Washington,
representing the party in power, so
soon as the party out of power pre-
sented its candidate, directed its pub-
lie prosecutor in New York, where
Governor Tilden resides, to begin a
suit against him in the name of the
United States for false income return
in 1869, he being now Governor of
the State of New York. The Federal
law of that peroid required each citi-
zen to pay tax on his gross income for
each year, after making certain EMU
merated deductions and to swear to
the amount on which he believed
himself legally assessable. The party
in power having waited for thirteen
years, pretends suddenly in Washing
ton that Governor Tilden not only
under stated his taxable income for
1862, but understated it falsely. frau
dulently, and with intent to cheat the
the nation of what he knew legally
and honestly belonged to it, How or
why the asserted fraud was not dis.
covered till 1876, or why he alone is
singled out by the party in power as
the subject of q lawsuit, is not explain.
ed. Nor is there any evidence that the
income return of Governor Hayes 10
sent to the Federal prosecutor In Ohio
for examination. And such intelligent
Europeans will also see that the friends
of the party in power advise that this
suit be not tried till after the election.
Then why begun, it will be asked, if
not solely and entirely for prejudice
and passion in the election?


Englishmen would no doubt think
it strange if, in the next general elecs
tion for Parliament; the Tory govern
ment were to cause public suits of
prosecutions, on some pretense or 9TH
er, to be begun against each one of
the candidates of the Liberals charging
possibly that he had swindled the rates
or done something or other that was
abominable or infamous. Such suits.
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