the course of events. If the
solid South was to constitute the chief pillar of Democratic strength,
it would exercise a dominant influence in Democratic councils, and
the North might naturally regard the possible consequences of its
ascendency with misgiving and alarm. So strong did this feeling grow,
that Mr. Tilden was compelled, before the close of the campaign, to
put forth a letter pledging himself, in the event of his election, to
enforce the Constitutional Amendments and resist Southern claims. But
every one understood at the same time that the vote of the recent slave
States entered into Mr. Tilden's calculations as necessary to his
election. The solid South, New York, Indiana, Connecticut, and New
Jersey, and possibly Oregon, was the political power embraced in his
calculations.

The October States, Ohio and Indiana (Pennsylvania having ceased to
vote in that month), did not indicate a decisive result. Ohio went
Republican by 9,000; Indiana went Democratic by 5,000 majority.
Benjamin Harrison led the Republican forces in the latter State, and
but for some troubles which preceded his nomination, and with which he
was in no way connected, would probably have carried the State. Both
parties therefore came to the Presidential election in November without
confidence as to the result. The reports during the night after the
polls had closed led to the general belief that Mr. Tilden had been
chosen. He had carried New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Indiana,
exactly according to his calculations. Had he secured a solid vote in
the South? It was widely feared that he had; but very late in the
night, or rather very early the next morning, Mr. Chandler, Chairman of
the Republican National Committee, received information which
convinced him that the Republicans had triumphed in South Carolina,
Louisiana, and Florida, and with great confidence he sent over the
wires of the Associated Press, too late for many of the morning papers,
a telegram which became historic: "Rutherford B. Hayes has received
one hundred and eighty-five electoral votes, and is elected."

The Democratic party, and especially its chief, Mr. Tilden, had
calculated so confidently upon a solid South that the possible loss
of three States was not to be calmly tolerated; yet the States in
doubt were those in which Republican victory was from the first
possible if not probable. In South Carolina and Louisiana, not only
was there a considerable