Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-02-16
The

anything more -,neads-I-
win-tails-yOu-lOse, -nsy adrOitly rep
resented that it was s>measure '.in the in
terests of peaoe!' and bless their patriotic
hearts, the thing took, and Republicans
recognizing the purity of the motive, swal-
lowed the bait; grave Senators accepted it
with will, and with indecent haste oiled
up the machinery Of legislation, and quick
ened its motion to drive it through in due
time The Attorney General advised the
constitutionality of the bill that was to
usher the nondescript bantling into the
world. The usually thoughtful and wary
head of the government reiterated the as
suranee of its eonstitutionality, and sign-
ed it Sin the interests of peaceI' and SEEM
ed to enjoy the happiness of giving force
and character to the measure by making
it the subject of pointed message to Con-
gress. The thing was working to admira-
ton. The whole machinery of the gov
enment was in operation and its several
departments-executive, judicial and leg
islative-were assigned a share in this
glorious scheme-''in the interests of
peace!" An exception may, perhaps, be
made in the case of Justice Davis, who was
sharp enough to give the trick the go-by,
even in the face Of the special efforts of
the arch reformer to take hand in. There
were grave Judges of the highest tribunal
of the land-five. There were grave and
reverent Senators, whose ''heads were sill
vered DER with age, and long experience
had made them ssge"-fve. Then there
were five more from the House-embracing
three-fifths of the prime eonspirators, and
but one of the whole saw through the
scheme, and had the manliness and ster-
ling patriotism, to boldly denounce and
oppose with all his power Of eloquence, the
splendid plot. The efforts of one man,
however, could avail nothing, and proba-
bly, never disturbed the eomposure of the
Gramercy Park originator and instigator
of this crowning effort of the campaign.
Can any one avoid a smile in contemplate
ing the serene composure and eomplacency
of this head of the conspiracy, over the
successful working of his craft? Why,
those cold and statue-like features that
never enjoyed the pleasure Of relaxation
except over the success of some scheme for
self-aggrandisement or plunder, must have
been wreathed in rays of light and happi-
ness, to see with what readiness all the
functions of first class government paus-
ed, accepted and enthusiastically sin
the interests of peace" All is lovely, all
is hopeful. The count begins and runs on
in alphabetical progression, until the first
test is reached; now, alas! the plot is un-
toward. The Gramercy Park reformer
discovers that his pet scheme has taken an
uncertain direction. The four votes of the
first questioned State-Florida-ar de-
clared blythe grave committee, for Hayes
the man who has meyer lifted voice or fin
er, or purse for making sure the place to
which his eountrymen had designated him.
Here, then, is failure of the great scheme
Its weakness becomes apparent. Its
character is revealed. Had it worked
smoothly and in the interests of reform,
'the interests of peace" would have been
subserved, and all would have been lovely.
Now we see counterpart to the cheerful
submission TO the patriotic measure sin
the interests of peacep Senators seek for
the coordinate action of the House, but
the scheme has suddenly become distasteful
to them, and those grave Senators wha
had sought the kind offices, and the geHer-
Gus cooperation of the lower house, are
given to understand that the programme
has changed, and they must awHI .1e
pleasure of their interiors. Reces sand
delays are the order of the day; nel posi-
bilities and bearings must be hpGaisd up
for meeting an unlocked for emergency.
and those Senators who had shown them
selves so willing and amiable, may wait
upon the pleasure of those who play the
game, and they may use their amiability in
pocketing the insult, and the disregard and
violation of the provisions of that law
which was to be so potent Sin the interests
of peace" Here was hitch for couple
of days, but, better than was feared, the
to Monday by the House
gave time for debate, and to record dissent
with regard to Florida.
At the assembling the count proceeds,
and the seven States preceding Louisiana
are disposed of. Objections are here made
and referred to the commission.