Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1877-07-18
CONSPIRACY
Jupor BLACKS VIEW OF rnE CASE.

As the wcyard women promised, and fear
Thou play DIST mos. foully FORT"
Since the first formation of wha
Washington called "our happy system
of government" no event not accom-
panied with violence or war has excite
a feeling so intense as the act of acount
ing in Hayes" But the public men 9
tho country, and the people generally
are far from being agreed about II
character or its probable effect in tn
future.
Democrats, who knew Mr.. Tilden /
be elected by an overwhelming major
ity, both of the popular vote and th
electors duly yappointcd, were transport
cd with passionate Indignation whel
they saw his defeated competitor lifte'
over his head by series of maneuvre
which they thought alike incompatible
with honesty and law. In every par
Of the country, by the press, from tn
rostrum and IN the halls of Congress
the charge Of base and unmitigatet
fraud was laundering into the ear o
the world Some, who indulged In n,
vehcmence Of abjurgation or reproach
were bowed down with shame at th,
thought that their proud right Al
American citizens OF electing u rule
for themselves, had been taken out o
their hands by a trick, and transferred
to set of low eonspirators, whom they
could not help but hold in utter dctest
alton. Allthat once ennobled the natior
seemed to be buried in this deep grave
dug by the returning board and fillet
up by the electoral commission.
But the voice of lamentation proves
nothing neither does the wrath which
"clcaves the general ear with horriC
speech (" for both are the natural utter
ances OF defeated party, especially
when the defeat comes unexpectedly
after victory was assured, and in ways
not ioreseen. There is another side L
the case.
The men who did this deed will moi
admit il to have been wrong, or lot
judgment or condemnation go by de
fault. Some misgivings there may hav,
been here and there; but all Jealous
Republicans saw it with unreservet
appreciation. Not only the herd of low
politicians, who oalwaysramp and swear
and bluster on the winning side, but
high-placed gentlemen of good charac
ter heard the announcement with
pleasure, that what we call the Louisi
ana swindle was too sacred a thing tC
be questioned. The decision was bailcC
by Christian statesmen with loud ben
edictions. On Sunday, the 4th Of
March, pious Republicans assembled
themselves together in prayer-meet
iigs, and simultaneously sent up tC
heaven the most fervent petitions that
God would bless the returning boards
and the electoral commission, sanotiiy
the work of their hands, and prosper
the pseudo President whom they hac
placed in power. Elsewhere the party
demonstrated its pleasure by firing Of
large number of great guns. In
some places the admiring people gath
cred in gay and festive crowds, anc
drank deep potations to the defeat o.
Tilden's big majority, while Bradley
and Kellogg, Chandler and Packard
Wells, Anderson, and the two mulat
toes, were "in their flowing cups fresh
ly remembered" In both houses o
Congress the representatives Of th'
party to whom Hayes belonged, stood
square and solid in defiance of hi
title. They heard the imputation o
dishonesty upon themselves and theil
fellow. partisans with no sign Of shame
or fear. On the contrary, hope elc
waited and joy frightened their crests,
as they saw the imposturc progress
step by step to its consummation. 1--WE
members iron Massachusetts wer'
troubled with scruples, and one from
Florida denounced the fraud which
elected himself as well as Hayes bu
this could scarcely be said TO break th'
unanimity Of the party. Since th'
close of the session they have seemct
to enjoy their triumph nightly ant
the applause OF their beloved constitu
ents has not been wanting TO increas'
their selfsatisfaction.
1t is very manifest from all this tina
the party calling itself Republican dill
fcrs toto carlo from the Democratic view
OF the subject. Republicans bcliev,
either that no fraud has been commit
ted, or else that fraud by which they
profited was fit and proper thing fo
them to do. Whatsoever Of thes'
positions they take, n question is raiset
which demands fair, full, and free dis
cussion, so that truth may prevail ant
Justice be done. If the organs and rep
resentatives of tho Democracy hav,
merely raised false and malicious
clamor against their opponents, they
deserve the severest apprehension tina
the censure of the world can visit upoI
them they should be deprived of al
political influence, and no share in pub
lie business, local or national, shoult
ever again be trusted TO their control
On the other hand, If il be true tina
we have an administration Of tho gen
eral government whichis not the result
OF an honest election, but the mer'
spawn Of a corrupt conspiracy, thcI
popular liberty has been deeply, per
haps fatally, injured, and all who aide,
in the CRIME, all who gave comfort e
the criminals, and all who knowingly
partook of the iniquty by receiving
its wages, ought to be, and in the full
ness of time they undoubtedly will be
classcd among the worst malcfactorI
of tho age.
The prominent and well-lnown facts
of the case, set forth in tho plain style
Of simple narration, will show whether
the count was honest, and ifnot honest
whether any excuse can be found fol
its falscness. But to make this more
ineligible, IL is necessary to remind
the reader of certain points in oui
political history which have within the
last twenty years divided the two par
ties and defined their antagonism.
Tho powers Of the federal govern
ment, the rights of the States, and the
liberties ofthc peoplc-these constitute
the essential parts of the system tc
which our fathers sot the seal Of theiI
wisdom and virtue. This trinity Of
political forces, so harmoniously adjust
cd that each gave strength to the
others, did indeed seem TO make a gov
crnment as nearly perfect as possible
Each was a pital part the "lye OF the
nation" depended upon the preserva
tion of one as much as the other; the
government (using the word in its true
American seDse) would ns certainly be
destroyed by the overthrow of popular
liberty, or the subjugation of the States