, 1874-04-18
THE CHAMPAGNE CONSPIRACY.

Inc NC" 1ork i72onhe glVe8 pr0mlnouce to
statement Of faot which would bo in
credible had not tue doings Of tho Jayne
sanborn gang convinced the country tlat
nothing with money In 1t ia too mean
for the Treasury b1ackmnilers to stoop to. 1t
aeems that the champagne sent to this country
from Trance ia manufactured expressly for this
market. It meets with no salo anywhore elao.
Honce it has boon very difficult to fix it's value
at tho place Of expectation, as our laws require.
basis Of valuation was agroed upon by the i'm
porters and Government. II was putin writing
and placedon filoin tho New York Custom-House.
Soon after, tho plot waa hatched. Lettora wore
written at the Special Treasury Agency Ut Paris,
aud maiod to the French grape-growera from
Liverpool aud other foreign citieR. They pur-
ported to come from porsons who wished to in
troduce tho champagnoB made for tho American
market into Moxico and South America. For
some time tho producers declined to fill any
such orders. Finally they named price at
which they would sell the small quantities re-
quired. The exceptional circumstances and tho
smallncB8 Of tho transactions naturally made the
rates somewhat h1ghor than the average. 4 tow
baskets OF wine we're bought iu this way from
all the prominent housea in the trade. Bills aud
inyoiceB were got from each firm. Tho plot
was now ripe. These papers were sent to Amer
lea as proofs Of differentiation. With no warm
ing to Importers, on given day eyory bottle
of champagne, In bond Or in 8 CUSTOM House,
on tho Atlantic aud Paciho coasts, was seized.
It WAS just at the beginning Of tho annual
d atand-stil. Some OF the importers woro ruined
Some Of their agents went mad under the
shock. The harpies OF the Treasury swoopcd
down upon the implicated parties, offering
them the alternative OF compromise e. b1ack-
maiD or ruin. Most Of them compromised forth
On tho first case, after a long and costly trial,
the jury disagreed. Then everybody cbnpro-
miaed, This scanda1oua case iB, tho Tribune SAYS,
being repeated now. Decay letters arc being
writton, clerks are being bribed, merchants are
being nnarod. This is but too probable Why
should not the process Of b1acknail that has
paid 80 we'll at homo aud abroad go on Moth
ing but honor aud honesty demands it's stoppage.
UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE COMPULSORY Ed
UCATI0N.
A government Ia known by itH ro8ults. It may
bo Theoretically perfect and practically wrong.
Looke's Fundamental Constitutions for South
Carolina were thought to embody m ideal sya-
tom. It proved too ideal for sinful humanity.
In few years 1t WAS thrown aaide as utterly
worthless. Koasuth's Constitution Of the Ro-
public OF Hungary waB an admirably framed sys-
Of government. In theory, 1t WIS excellent. In
effect, 1t was worthless. Tho present Govern
principle Of right can justify its cling
lug to power. Yet It Is doiug
much for tho country. It is, porhapa
standing betweon 1t and anarchy. It's debates
aro slowly forging Constitution that may
endure. Hitherto. Franco has adopted eloquent,
symmetrical Constitutions, which have 1asted
about as many days Ms were required to franc
them. II tho National Assembly finally gives
the country safc, strong System Of government,
It'll obstinate defiance OF tue popular will and its
persistent retention Of power will have been
blessing. Tho object Of government Ia tho
greatest happiness of the greatest number. AZ
means to this ond, government Is bound to
maintain peace, to manage ita revenues
with honesty and economy, and to carry
tho sober aooond-thought OF the psople
into execution. II system Of rule
does this, It IL good system. II not, not. AZ
tho years 60 BY the queation forces itaolf moro
and more upon thinking men, whether universal
suffrage can otfeot tho onda Of government with
out universal intelligence. Wo, alono among
nations, have tried the tremendous experiment.
Has Intelligence kept paco with suffrage? Is
our Legislature wise, our Executive vigorous,
our Judiciary untalntod2 Arc our yevenuos
honaAtly collected, honestly apsnt2 Do no
eftenast sArty Into sasst ths tnAtutaa ullhes e{