New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-02-24
THE DEMOCRATIC PLOT.

The Democratic scheme for preventing the
completion Of the electoral count can only he
defined as a conspiracy 1t is conceived by the
most desperate and violent men OF the party
il is pushed forward by q gross abuse alike OF
parliamentary forms and of party precedcntS
and rules. Bad faith disgraccs its origin, DIS
astcr must follow its success. There Is hardly
any language too strong to denounce its DIS
honest and dangerous character. The men
who are pushing it on clamOred and threat
ened until they forced the Republicans III
Washington to give up their rights Tor the sake
of peace, and 10 join them i'll creating
commission OF aTbitrat0rs to when inc
question of the Presidency, answered onco
at the polls might be submitted for
second decision. The plan OF commission
was a strictly Democratic plan, the only OBJ
icct of which WIS to give the Democrats en-
Z" other chance to which they were not III
any way entitled. Surely if either party more
than the other Is tightly bound i'll honor 10
stand by the Judgment OF the judges, 1t IL the
party which insisted upon the arbitration, not
the party which reluctantly accepted 1t. But
ipsansible TO dcccncy and reason, about fifty Of
the Democrats, row that they find the decision
going against them, propose to break up The
court, repudlate their agreements, and demand
a new election. And the country Is naturally
alarmed by the discovery that if these fifty
men perseyere in their plan they can do what
they propose in spite of the adverse votes OF
their more honorable party associates.
TO unsettle public affairs again at this time'
to shake the confidence i'll our political future
lust beginning to dawn, to expose the country
to tie Worry, disorder, and expense OF another
campaign, to plunge the South into fresh
trials TO postpone for at least another year
the long-defcrred revival of business, will be
regarded everywhere as crime against the
nation, and will call down the Indignation and
resentment OF every true American. Inc
politicians who have engaged III the scheme
will be crushed by the consequences, and tho
whole of the party to which they belong Will share
in their disgrace. But although the plan is
desperate and its effects must he ruincus to
the very faction by which it is promoted it is
nevertheless a plan which can be carried out
with comparative ease. handful OF revolt
tionists in the House of Representatives. with
out character. without conscience, without
future, without "a sense OF responsibility,
hurried on by unIeasOning anger, can DEFY all
the rest of the Congress and people of the
United States, OvcItum the laborS of the Com
mission, and defeat the wishes of the country
as expressed mt the polls.
The best way of bringing these men to reason
would be by the quick ard decided action
OF their own political brethren. \ very posi-
tive expression of opinion by sensible and
patriotic Democrats would probably have an
effect. Why have the organs of the party no
word of Iebuke for them2 Why does Speaker
Randall throw over them the mantle of his
| official hospitality and protection! If the
Democrats wish ever again 10 elect - President
of the United States, they must put stop to
this conspiracy without al hours delay.