, 1877-04-21
a GuiIfr Conscience


A few weeks ago a prominent law
yer. who was known to be partlcu-
lar friend of Mr.. TiIden, appeared IN
Washington and Immediately the
fraudulent person and bis friends were
thrown into a state Of great anxiety
and CONSERVATION The arrival OF Mr.
TiIdeu's friend was interpreted by
them to mean that the rightful Presl-
dent. elected by . majority OF nearly
300 900 of the popular vote and by
nineteen more votes than were neceS-
sarv in the electoral college, bad de-
termined 10 assert his rights TO the Of
fee of President and to attempt the
dispossession of HAYES by a means oi
a writ Of quo ,caTraato, under pre-
vision of the commission bill. Al
though Mr.. Tilden has never coniem
plated any movement OF this kind'
and there was noi the slightest cause
for the alarm of Hayes and his hight
fingered friends, the very fact that
they are so easily startled and scared
proyes that within their own hearts
,hey are themselves conscious OF the
GREAT crime that was committed III
the stealing Of the presidential office.
Il proves that Hayes and his people
know that the present occupant o. the
White House EaS 10 claim TO thai
position and no right within It's doors
II proves that he and his friends are
as well aware as anybody else that he
| is an unlawful ruler and Is exercising
functions that do not of right belong
10 him to exercise, and that they do
not consider that he Is secure from
dispossession even at this late day.
Else, why should they have mani
tested SO much agitation and alarm,
because of the visit TO Washington OF
a friend of Mr.. Tilden'S, who happen
ed to be a prominent lawyer a
guilty conscience is its own accuser,
aud il seems that the mind OF The
fraudulent persons Is never at rest
At all hours of the day and night be
breads and anticipates an assertion by
Mr.. Tilden through the courts OF his
right 10 the place to which the people
elected him. In his dreams the re-
turning board official sees his stolen
place and tie honors lie fi!ched from
| their proper owner, slipping away
from him, and his sleep IL restless
and broken thereby. In plain words,
the thief is in terror all the time
lest the strong arm of the law may
be summoned to compel him TO re-
store the stolen goods and punish him
for the theft.
Would a president, rightfully occu-
pying the position, have any such feel,
inus or dread alarms as these? Had
Grant any fear that Mr.. Seymour
would get after him with VII, d
quO 1cayrGntO, or had Mr.. Lincoln
reason to think that NJ. Douglas oil
Mr.. breckenridge or Gen. Mcclellan
would try 10 dispossess MIN? No
Because both Lincoln and Grant were
lawfully chosen under the constltu
ton and nobody disputed their right
to the place. But, with Hayes, It Ii
entirely different. He was beaten al
the polls and in the electoral college
both, and only holds his position by
virture OF the perjury and rascailty oi
a sat of scoundrelS. None Of the par
ty opposed 10 him believe that he was
elected at all and but very few OF the
party that vcled for him. The dem
ocrats look upon him as a thief and
the tool OF thieves, ana his own party
consider him but little better. They
do not themselves believe that he ha:
any right TO the office which Le occu
pies.
Is it any wonder that man II
Hayes situation should get scared al
The sight of lawyer, and particular
! ly when he heppens 10 be friend o
/ Mr.. Tilden? His own conscience sting:
him with sharpness that pains HIN
aud twits him with The crImlnallly
and dishonor Of the part tAat he l:
now essaying to play. Poor creature
of returning boards aud high cOmmis
sion periury-his path will continue
10 be one OF alarms ana terrorS and
uncertainties to the end, whatever that
may be.