Year: 1876

the intrusion into the canvass. last fall,
of another issue, Of which the Radicals
have eagerly and successfully availed
themselves. And their effort is to bold
on to that issue, and make the Presi-
Dental election turn on the question ol
resumption, upon which they have won,
instead Of upon the question of reform,
upon which they have lost the day II
they succeed in this, the result will. in
variably be unfortunate for US. Our
friends having been beaten on this
issue, last fall in the States where an
ti-resumption was strongest, our vote in
New York. even (without which success
for us would be hopeless having been
largely affected by the attitude of our
friends in those States, no rational mind
can fail to see that such an issue would
defeat us.


1t is plain, from this brief statement
Of the situation, that our success de-
peuds upon our ability to reinstate the
issue Of reform as the issue Of the can
vass and it is equally plain that this
is not to be done by resolution, but by
such action as will not only proclaim it,
but will Of itself verify it as the issue to
all men


The nomination of Tilden will, of it.
self, force this issue, and make the
election turn upon it, The friends of
other candidates object to the nomina-
fion of citizen of New York and claim
the nomination for the West. But
jackson was not selected because be
was a citizen of Tennessee. or Jefferson
because he was citizen of Virginia. or
Grant because he was for short time
in Illinois. Selection on such ground
has no political significance, and ignores
altogether the only consideration upon
which candidate ought to he selected,
viz, as the representative Of the idea
sought to be advanced. Ny preference
for Tilden is only because his nomina-
ton would Of itself force on the issue of
reform, which is our sure card in the
pending canvass do not doubt that
the other gentlemen spoken of would
prove vigorous reformers, and I have
no personal preference for Tilden over
any one of them f; but neither of them
is so identified with reform" in the
public mind as Tilden. They have
either not had the opportunity, or have
not availed themselves Of it, to manifest
the resolute purpose be has shown to
purge the State Of fraud and jobbing.
They have not joined hands with politi-
cal adversaries to overthrow aud arraign
and convict as criminals the master
spirits Of their own party whilst they
seemed to be impregnably intrencbed in
the control of its organization, and have
not been lifted into power by the sup
port of large bodies of political oppo-
nents. even against republican whose
integrity was not questioned, but who
was not manifested the same zeal in the
cause of reform. Nor have they. after
reaching power. SO signalized their ad-
ministration by unspariug war on job
berry.


By this course Tilden has made him
self, more than any other man of our
day, the representative man of the
idea to which the Democratic party SO
emphatically pledged itself in 1S72,and
his nomination would be accepted. not
only by the Liberal Republicans, who
then acted with us, but by thousands
who then held back. as sure guaran-
tee that the pledge would be faithfully
redeemed and bis war record and his
financial views would effectually prevent
diversion by false issues.


The active enmity which Tilden has
provoked, in his own party, serves only
to attest his fitness for the occasion
No man ever drove more men out of the
Democratic party than Jackson but
no man ever recruited it so rapidly from
the true men in the ranks of his oppo-
nents at the same time. And this vital
izing process must be renewed. The
curse Of the Democratic party has been
its Twseds The strength of its oppo-
nents, who use the Government for
class aggrandizement, is derived from
vast expenditure, by corrupting the peo-
pie in one form or another with their
own money. and by misleading them
with false issues. But Old Bullion
never said anything more true than
that "The democratic party, to be
strong, must be clean"


Tilden is the type of the men who
honored the party in the days Of its
strength /; and his nomination being
sure bond for return to their policy.
will insure its return to power.


Yours truly,


MONTGOMERY BLAIR.