The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-12-18

Is There Brake for the Conspiracy :?
For ourselves, though the prospects are
gloomy, we have not given up the hope
that there will be brake strong enough to
stop the conspiracy. We do not wish to
excite hopes in high degree which, pro-
badly, may be blasted. The public mind
has been awfully tried by inconsidered fab
bergast, and it is time that we should cut
loose from sensation and look at things
calmly and as wisely as we can.
The conspiracy, as we understand, con-
templated the Reputation OF Constitution,
custom, and law-the throwing down Of
civil liberty and the installation of military
force in its place. GRANT and his parasites
are for doing this out and out; but the
legislative and legal community deemed it
necessary to argue the case. Their main
reliance was upon the alleged example set
by Senator MASON, OF Virginia, when pre-
sident of the Senate, during the count Of
the votes for President in 1857.
From another article in this days Dis
patch it will be seen that the example set
by Mr.. MASON is precisely opposite to what
the Republicans represented it to be. What
now will they do?
Their leaders are all committed to the
necessity OF counting the presidential vote
in the joint convention Of the two Houses,
and nearly all to the right Of those bodies
thus convened to judge Of the legality Of
the returns.
7 ocfvx.i fnr fI,n npfn
TONS bill. For that bill the leading Repub-
lican senators voted. Read what the second
section OF that bill said
"The second section provides that il
more than one return shall be received by
the president Of the Senate from State pur--
porting tC be the certificates of electoral
votes tiyen at the last preceding election for
President and Vice President in such State
all sucb returns shall be opened by him IN
the presence of the two Houses when as
semblcd TO count the votes; and that returns
from such State shall be counted which the
two houses, acting separately, shall decide
to be the trHc and valid return"
This would omigc the president OF the
Senate to report to the joint convention OF
the two houses OF Congress all returns
semitic his address, and would give the Sem
ate and House, acting separately, the right
to decide which one Of any two returns re-
ceived from any one State shall be valid.
Now, can any Of the grave senators repu-
date the duties and rights recognized II
this section?
We cannot see how lnen can eat their own
words, nor can we see how statesmen an6
LAWYERS can come to the determination t
dethronc civil liberty and inaugurate force
with leap right out OF the republic.
That they have tried to argue themselves
to this point shows that they are not quite
ready to do this.
We see, moreover, that Mr.. EDMuNDs i
ready to 90 into joint committee with thu
House Of Representatives to make reguia
tons for the joint session to count tn
presidential votes. Mr.. EDMUSDs said tina
he wanted no unnecessary delay in the &C
ton upon the subject. s.. -
We repeat that we do not believe that tn
leading congressman on the Republican SID
are ready to discard all law and all usage
and 10 substitute force for them. Nor ca
we believe it possible that they will den
the authority Of Congress to investigate tn
returns with regard to their legality or lille
gality.
II they avoid doing this the country |
safe, and GRANT will not get an opportu
nifty to thrust his sword in to settle III
question.
-------------
HAMPTON made mistake in telegraphin
to MosBY an to 8 sort OF intercessor wit
the powers at Washington. he would hay
as we'll telegraphed to ZACH. CRANpLEI
MosBY stopped little to get through th
gate, and now ne has gone SO far as to be
long way in advance of nv intercessor.
man who hopes to reach GRANT throug
MossY mus first get somebody 60 inferred
with mossY; and when done, even II su
cessini, the compensation is not by an
means q reward for the labor, lg