The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-01-04
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MONDAY ............JAS1UAsii.. T. T. $ 1870. !
Radical Presidential Schemes.

Radical Presidential Schemes.
The corrupt Radicals are SO reluctant 70
give up power, that they will exhaust alike
their ingenuity and their means in ORDER
to retain it. Afraid of the Democrats In TIE
House Of Representatives, they desire 70 so
amend the Constitution as to take the presi'
dental election entirely out Of their control.
In 1858, for the first time, the Congress,
with its great Republican majority, assumed
the right to scrutinize the votes of the elec'
toral colleges, and to rule out States for
csusos that might suit their ruthless naJor-
ity. The Congress resolved that no votes
should be counted for President that were
not approved by both Houses.
II cannot be supposed By the Radicals that
the Democrats will not avail themselves OF
this rule Of the Radicals themselves as the
best means of protection against the scoun'
dreliy Radical returning boards which may
control the votes OF some States. This the
Radicals foresee. The Administration organ
argues that the constitutional amendment
proposed by MORTON is necessary to prevent
the state of things that might follow the re-
lection of votes by the two houses: each
trying to get the advantage by rejecting
States under some pretext or other, and
bringing about condition Of things danger
Gus to the country. "@t
Who taught the bloody instructions? And
is not the proposed amendment by MORTON
the chief worker Of Radical deviltry-de-
signed TO leave the election of President to
the mercy of the returning boards? "If,"
says the New York Tribune:
ga returning board 10 Louisiana may
canvass the votes for Legislature and State
officers, and work their owa sweet will With
the returns, throwing out such az they
please, and counting such IS suit their pur-
pose. Why may they not do it in other
States? II they may declare a Legislature
elected which 10 not and is hardly pretended
to oe the choice Of the people, why may they
not exercise the same power In counting the
votes for presidential electors, and so elect
the President and Vice-President by return
ing boards instead of by the peope?"
Exactly. And herein lies the gst of the
Radical scheme moved by MORTON. The 13S
votes Of the South the Radicals consider
theirs by right, and If they can by any sort Of
fraud secure them for their candidate for the
presidency they are sure of his election.
These votes have already been looked into,
aud the official organ expresses its great con-
Germ lest they be captured by the Democrats
by the very means that the Radicals mean TO
employ to take them for themselves-viz. :
for n
phase"
The New York Tribune is right Nor.
TONS scheme means the election Of President
by "the returning boards" Will the peo-
pie agree to il!
Reinforcing the Republican, the Chronicle,
OF Washington, says:
"Tbe wholesale intimidation of voters in
the southern States has attracted attention to
the necessity for some legislation relative to
the counting Of the next electoral vote. II
is well understood that every means will be
invoked TO deprive colored men Of their
privileges with the object Of carrying these
States for the Democratic candidates, and the
question arises whether some safeguards
should not be established TO prevent the en-.
tire overthrow of unirammeled suffrage"
Here is the cry of "Stop thief" The
thieves have cried out. They can't give up
what they have obtained by fraud and bru.
talty, and they wish to divert the attention
OF the people from themselves by accusing
others.
But there is In the above paragraph the
exposure Of the scheme to elect President
~ the negroes. They elected GRANT, and
the Radicals hope TO elect another President
with their votes. Are the people Of the
United States willing to give up the election
of their. President to the negroes? Are
Africans the sole fl electors for man to
rule this country? We shall see.
The Returning Boards have served the
purposes Of Radicalisn. MORTON wants to
turn over the election of President to them.
Will The nation agree TO that? Can the Re.
publican party force amendments Of the
Constitution any longer! Is the country
free, or are we bound as obedient slaves to
the worst party that ever cursed this IA.
ton?
We call the public attention to the fact of
the great concern now shown by the Radi.
Cal party. They diSplaya wonderful want Of
faith in the peaceful working of our SYSTEM
and affect desire to prevent violence and
outrage. Is that party which never showed
any respect for the Constitution or the pre-:
cedents Of the country to be trusted? Ger
ta!nly not. 1t is the hypocrisy of the fox
The affected horror Of blood-lettlDg of the
beast Of prey. -....
No, there never was any trouble about
electing a President before the terrible era
of Radicalism. The vicious Radical party
took upon itself the authority to rule out
sovereign States in the counting of votes for
President. They dread their own example
because there is now power which may
turn that example against them.
We do not think their atrocious plots can
succeed. We think the proper retribution
Is about to overtake them, and none of their
tricks can save them.
=
Looking Over the Plantations.
The Federal Government has no more
L.