New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-02-24

~ . 0OuDlo ioAQ6u 60lgOElhl IN the Cnloag0
Tribune of February 81:
In spite of the fact that the Democratic
caucus of last Saturday adopted resOlu-
ton pledgiDg the party to proceed promptly
with the count of the electoral votes, and
not to resort to any dilatory procedure in
the treatment of the Electoral Commissions
decisions, it has become exceedingly doubt
full whether the country may safely rely
upon this promise. In fact, there are sig
nihcant indications that enough of the con-
sentative Democrats may be whipped in by
the extremists to prevent completion of
the count before Saturday, March 8. It
seems certain that desperate effort is to
be made to bring this about. The action of
the caucus, in pledging the Democrats to
keep faith, has been denounced by the Cop
perhead newspapers throughout the eoun.
try, and the extremists have gained new
energy to urge their .villainy forward.
Threats of violent resistance are more
numerous and outspoken than ever. Resort
to assassination is publicly suggested. Moth
ing has been, and nothing will be, left I'M
| done to incite the disappointed greed and
to arouse the partisan passions to defeat the
| outcome of the solemn agreement which
was received with universal Joy by the
| people as assuring a peaceful solution of
the controversy.
1t is time for the Republicans to take of
fetal cognizance of the proposed perfdy
and threatened resistance, and prepare for
protecting the government in case it shall
| become necessary. There are but two
things which the desperate class of Demo-
crsts, in their madness, can attempt One
| plan suggested in MONDAYS Democratic
caucus was that the House should declare
there has been q failure to elect a Presi-
dent, and should proceed to choose Tilden
| successor to President Grant. Logically
| followed out, this course would necessitate
an attempt at the Inauguration of Tilden
without any warrant of law or semblanCe
of constitutional claim. This would be
revolutionary, and would call for the same
stern and aggressive treatment as was
meted out to the rebels of the Southern
States fifteen years ago. The other course
| which The bulldozing Democrats may adopt
| is to use their present party majority in the
House to delay and procrastinate the count
of the electoral vote by objections and
separate consideration, so that it may not
| be concluded before the fourth of March
only week from next Sunday-in which
event there will be vacancy ia the offices
of President and Vice President, requiring
q new election. In case this latter course
be adopted, 1t will be with view of renew
ing in the following autumn, when the new
election must be held, the same policy of
fraud and intimidation, only on a larger
scale, as that which characterized the last
campaign, and meanwhile organize reign
of terrorism by systematic bulldozing, and
Gripping the power of the government by
refusing adequate appropriations.
The government must be prepared to
meet either of these emergencies. 1t case
the bulldozers of the Democratic House
shall succeed in preventing completion of
the count before the fourth of March, the
President of the Senate will become the
acting President of the United States, and
hold the Office until the vacancy shall be
filled in the following November by gen
eral election. Senator Ferry is now Presi
dent of the Senate, but his term as Senator
expires the third of March. It is true thai
he has been reelected, but his new tern
does not begin till the fifth of March tSun
day intervening), and he would then have
to be sworn in and chosen again on tina
day. But it is highly necessary that there
shall be on the morning of the fourth o
March President of the Senate whose it'll
can not be questioned, and whose succession
under the law to the temporary occupancy
of the Office of President of the URite(
States shall be secured by his undoubteC
possession of and qualification for the offic,
of President of the Senate. Under thes
circumstances, it is clearly the duty of Sen
atOr Ferry to retire from the position o
presiding officer, in order to enable tn
Senate to choose one of its own, member
whose present term does not expire on tn
third of March, and who will be fully quail
fed on the fourth of March to enter upo
the duties of President of the Unite
States. We have no doubt Mr.. Ferry vii
readily consent to this change; but, if
SHOULD not, the Senate is at liberty t
choose new presiding officer at any tim
3 1t may see proper,
i The man of all others for the Senate t
select to act as President of the Unite
: [ States for nearly year, in case Democrat
q | peTfdy shall necessitate it, is Oliver
Morton, of Indiana
The emergency will be one demanding a
the energy, promptitude and fearlessnes
' which Mr.. Morton possesses in SO eminer
: a degree. Whether there shall be an a
+ tempt to inaugurate Tilden, or to make
> | nine months campaign of bulldozing in
!, repeated effort to elect him, Oliver z, Mo
o ton may be trusted to keep the peace an
a enforce the laws. He has been tried in a
4 most as serious an emergency. AS Go
l. eEnOr of Indiana during the war of the +
= belliOn, when the COpperheads of his Sta
.. sought to accomplish in the rear what Il
:, rebels failed to accomplish in the front, M
y Morton was quick to grapple with the
and powerful enough to crush theI
!. With a Copperhead Legislature organize
to oppose him; with assa5ains lying
n | wait FOR him; with more insidiOus Fl
/. than Grant encountered on the field
a battle, Governor MortCa, without
|. single sign of fear or an indication of fl
a | tering, cru5hed out the new sedition al
:. saved the Union from these who Tires
h ened it at the North. None who know hi
doubt that what he did before he can al
will do again, if it shall become necessar
1t will not be easy to deseive him; it W
be impossible to Tighten. him. With DIV
p. Morton as President, the goyernme
will be safe during the interregnuRl, if
D Democrats force it upoR the country. The
L will be little danger of any attempt to
u augNrate Tilden achieving success; and
y this madHess be abandoned, peace will
preserved and a free election insur
. throughout the entire country.
y Me-. Morton should be elected Preside
u of the Senate at once. If the better col
3 sells of the Democratic party succeed, q
= the House aeQuiesee in the decisions of
=" Arbitration Tribunal, no harm will hs
=! been done. If otherwise, the Republics
II will have done their duty in preparing
~ an emergency which is certainly not
"a likely to arise, and which may bring ue
IN BILE consequences if no preparation
- made.
Readers of the Tribune will bear us
in the assertion that we have not bt
among the extremists of the Republic
party, but have favored all honorable Q
oessions and compromises. But if sole
compact, into which the Democrats entel
eagerly and the Republicans reluctantly
to be broken by the men who had mos
hope from its adoption, then there is
lainy in the land that requires the strong
hand, the stoutest heart, and the most
We lentless treatment TO deal with 1t. 81
nt' villainy will deserve no sympathy, no 81
ter, no resting place, but should be hun
ill down into the same abjeot infamy
Il ~. Ia -,