The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-12-10
Prsud Backed BY the Army.

Fraud Backed BY the Army.
The attempt now IL to hold tho Govern
went by fraud against the reaction which,
ny . great popular majority. has pro-
nsauced against the party in power.
This is Mexican politics. The questionb,
ssss one party play at Mexican politics.
snd yet count on the opposing party not |
IA DO the same1 The Republicans think |
ne thing can be done. They think they |
can burn their neighbours house, and not |
ut their own on fire. |
For our own part we do not think the |
p,aa will work. 1t 10 the evident inten- |
tieu of the senate to count in Gov. HAYES,
and II 10 tho purpose Of GRANT to inaugu-
rate him by the military power. IL is the
ps,sey of fraud supported by violence and
revolution. IL 10 the last great crime
against free government. IL wrenches
the whole framework of our system
from its fnstenings. 1t enthroncs trans
parent crime. IL IL IA blow directly
~ the face OF decercy and honor. II
L. spectacle from which every honest
man must avert his face with shame and
contempt. Patriotism Of every sort and
degree will burn with Indignation at the
sou. Yet we hear II said by those engaged
Ia perpetrating and defending the crime,
nat II will be submitted to.
Bow, this il q Government OF coHrdi-
ua4e powers. Until IL is overtbrown by
military force il consists Of three parts.
all Of which must cooperate in order TO
make its laws and otherwise legally ad-
pstHister It. Until the House is dispersed
by the army il can operate as check
spsu the illegal action of the Senate aud the
President. Members of the Cabinet as wit
pess the interview of Mr.. DONALD CAMERON,
ne Secretary of War, with Mr.. ADRIAN z.
HEWITT, the other day, are already sug-
gssripg openly 10 members of the House of
Representatives that its opposition TO the
Senate and the ri esident may be consid-
cred reasonable. Treason means arrest
and confinement and trial and execution.
The Senate aud the President, by the aid
az the army, IL is intimated, may become
Tho executioners Of the House. Such il
the suggestion of the Cabinet officer who
10 in immediate control of the army.
SHERIDAN, we may suppose. isto be called
In to treat another case Of "banditti.'
But until this state OF things arises, and
we are all forcibly put under military
government, the House Of Representatives
has certain undoubted and unequivocal
powers. II holds the purse strings Of the
nation. 1t may refuse Its cooperation with
D bogus Executive. II may insist that It
Will not 20 on with President who holds
No place through transparent fraud, and
" nut i'm HE place, and held in his place
" the bayonets of the Executive arm.
II may insist that President, made Presi-
asnt by forgery and lies and dishonor
Shall take himself out of the way, and
make room for a man chosen by the people
and IL may decline association with and
recognition OF the Executive branch until
he does so. The House may hold this posi-
tasn, and appeal 10 their constituents on
he Issue. II the bogus President should re-
hst, and throw the affairs of the Govern
msnt into confusion, we might have to
await another Congressional election be-
fore the obstruction could be removed
But n fraudulent Executive could hardly
resist through more than one Congress
the express condemnation of the people.
We contend. therefore, that until the
House il dispersed by military power, as is
slready suggested by the secretary OF War,
Inlt Uouy mas luC lHtTt
are only two powers that can control this
Government. one is the people at large,
aud tho other s the army. The voice of
the people 10 through the House OF Repre-
sentatvos. Nationally, this body il its
only expression in any sudden and vital
emergency. The Senate IL the aristocratic,
ss the House Is the popular body. IL takes
xix years To reach the former, while the
latter can be totally revolutioniZed in
two. But the men in power now think
that the Senate and the army are more
than n match for the people. We
do not believe IL. We hold rather "a
the sentiment expressed by old JOHN
PYM, when Parliament was threatened
as our House is now threatened. Par
iiament," said he has been many times
beset by the hostility of power, but
have not known any who have fallen
against il who have not themselves been
broken
We commend the Lesson to the Senate
aud the commanders Of our troops. In at
tempting to coerce the Commons by
fraud and violence, they may lind them.
selves broken. Even the formidable pros.
pectivo aliiance.of tho two SnEHMASs, st
adroitly planned. may prove in the end in
adequate to successful contest with the
House OF Representatives with the people
OF their back.