New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-04-28
THE PENNsYLyANIA RING.

THE PENNSYLVANIA RING.
Why Senator Mcclure Goes to Cincin.
.nad-The Administration Record In
the State.
To the EDITOR of the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin
thank y0u for the frankness with which
you criticised my assent to the Cincinnati
in your editorial Of yesterday. If
our premises are correct, your censure Is
but just, and could do NO less than resign
the Senatorial trust contided to me, by the
united efforts of the independent Repub-
lican press and voters of Philadelphia. Let
me renew the assurance to you and your
readers, whose good opinions hope ever to
merit, that whenever can not maintain my
plighted faith to my constituents, or meet
their just expectations on any question
their interests or their wishes, /
shall feel bound by every consideration of
honor and duty to surrender the position l
have accepted at their hands.
l declared in January last, as you state,
that mo folly Of any one can make me
falthless to my plain, positive pledge to
obey the well-knOwn sentiments Of the Re-
publicans of the district on the Presidency"
Taken in connection with what preceded
and succeeded the statement in my speech.
it is not without qualification, but do not
plead it. Upon one point was so specific
that misunderstanding was impossible.
proclaimed on all occasions that l would
sustain the Republican organization, IN or
out of the State, excepting when 1t con,
frOnted municipal or general REFORM and
then would obey no caucus nor cOnven-
ton. meant all of that then; mean all
of that now. Had been returned elected,
as confessedly was elected in January
last, and the question of Grants renOmiqa-
ton had been presented for the cOnsidefa-
ton of Republican Senators, would have
subordinated my individual preferences
and given effect to what was then undOubt-
edly the choice of the Republicans of
the district. l could have parioned
the Presidents personal, official and
movement in that contest, on the ground
that bad men had deceived him by their ap-
peals for party organization and l might
have excused it, also, on the ground that
Senator had no right to do a wrong to his
constituents because the President saw fit
to degrade his office by interfering in a local
contest. But, after an exhausting struggle
with organized plunderers, in which the
Bulletin rendered eminent service, the peO-
pie were denied true return OF the honest
vote, and q fraudulent return given to the
defeated candidate. With one voice the
press of Philadelphia, Of all shades Of Opin-
ion, demanded investigation of the frauds.
The issue had been tried, and the true ver-
dict was well understood by every iptelli.
gent citizen. The question had then ceased
to be political in any sense consistent with
justice. 1t became q mere question of test
ing the common honesty of those who were
called upon to act, or who assumed to act in
the matter and the administration of Pres
ident Grant was the head and front, the
bulwark and shield, Of the men who strug-
gled in desperation to commit a double
fraud upon the people of Philadelphia by
the dominion OF the rings,
FOUNDERS and repeaters In our municipal
affairs
While few of US were laboring day and
night after the election, to prepare the evil
dence of fraud in form for the consideration
of the Senate, the command came from the
President that there must be no investiga-
ton, and there was not plunderer about
the State House dens who did not plume
himself because the edict of power had gone
forth to sustain the fraudulent return
awarded against the people. The Republic
can Senators rushed into caucus, under the
lash Of the administration and personally
and driven by officials direct
from the throne, to devise how not to allow
inquiry into what they knew to be deliber-
ielphia. A few Republican Senators meant
to do right, but they were unwilling to inclr
the wrath Of power until there was no hope
Of investigation by obedience to caucus.
For two weeks the appliances of the admin
istration were successful. and only
when three brave men declared with
the Democrats, that they would at once
vote to select committee, under the cOnsti-
tutional powers of the Senate, without re-
gard to law, was an act allowed to pass au-
committee. But for the manly
action Of Messrs. Colonel Davis, Strang and
the repeating, ballOt-stutfing,
false-cOunting, perjury and riOting Of the
fourth district would have been strengthen
ed tor fresh triumphs over the people of
by the positive protection
given them by the President of the United
States. The Bulletin appreciated the state
of the case, pending the struggle with
power at Harrisburg, when it gave the bold
and able leader, notifying the President
preserve the confidence of the Republicans
If this city. l beg you to reperuse that
faithful admOnition.
Nor did the desperation OF administration
power end when an investigation was or
iered. The evidence appalled, the commu-
nifty. 1t was proven from day to day how
the customhouse, the postotfice, the navy
yard, the arsenal and the revenue offices
had vOmited forth their repeaters, their per-
of FOUNDERS, their scienced ,ballOt-bOx
suffers, and their expert forgers of re-
turns. One by one, by name and official
position, they were pointed out by sworn
testimony that no effort was made to i'm
peach, and circumstantially convicted of
their crimes. The daily journals published |
and commented on the startling evil |
ience, and no one of ordinary intelligence
ian plead ignorance of these fearful wrongs
Or wrong doors. Notwithstanding Presi- |
lent Grants prOfuse professions and public |
in favor of civil service re-
form, not one of these well-known criminals
has been removed, excepting two or three
who have been promoted in their respective
If you doubt that these men,
1nder the protecting power of the Presi-
lent, have absolute control over the Repub-
lean organizations in Philadelphia, and
mainly throughout the State, scan the men
who are to represent you, and 10000 Re-
,ublicans of our city, in the National Con-
'ention. They will, in that great body, as
uming to reflect the wishes of the Republi- |
cations they lowe to the admins
ration for maintaining them in
,lace and power at the sacrifice of
public decency. oppose the denomination
If President Grant because he is the foe of
very principle of reform; because am
ully convinced that twO-thirds or more Of
he Reform Republicans of Philadelphia |
sincerely desire another candidate, and be- |
cause he can not and should not be elected |
against any other candidate with loyal |
,ecord. Assured by the character Of the |
delegates chosen to the Philadelphia con- |
ventlon, so far as | can personally judge, |
that they will merely do the bidding of |
power regardless of the convictions or pre-
Ierences of the party, l shall consult with |
other independent Republicans at Clncin-
natl, and act as my duty to Republican 4
principles, to Republican constituency,
and to the country shall dictate. If bv |