New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-11

MR.. VATTERSON'S HUNDRED THOUSAND.
Mr.. WattersOn assured the mass meeting at
the national capital on Monday that one
hundred thousand (unarmed Democrats would
repair to Washington on the 18th OF February
to exercise in person the right OF petition to
Congress guaranteed them by the COnstitu-
ton. The meeting at Columbus passed a
resolution in favor of Q "National Democratic
Convention" at Washington about the same
time. Mr. Voorhees, at Indianapolis presented
q resolution, which the meeting adopted with
great applause, for the appointment ot Com
mittce of Public Safety to consider, among
other things, whether "the right Of petition"
should be exercised in writing or in person.
There is no doubt that the Democrats medi-
tate grand demonstration at the doors of
the Capitol on the day appointed for the
counting of the votes and although most of
them would probably deny with Indignation
any purpose to ntimidate Congress, they evil
IDENTITY rely a great deal upon the moral effect
of their presence in overwhelming numbers.
The Constitution declares that Congress shall
make no law ablidging the right of the peO-
ple peaceaby to assemble and petition the
Government for redress of grievances. Any
interference either by Congress or the EXecu-
tive with the fullest right of petition would be
contrary to the spirit of our institutions. Mani
testify, however, an attempt to overawe or
otherwise unduly influence Congress in the
performance of one of its quas-judicial func-
tons is not an exercise of the right OF peti-
tion: and if an assemblage while pretending to
present petition becomes dangerous to the
public peace or interferes with the free action
of Congress, the Executive may properly dis
perse it. We do not think any contingency is
likely to arise that will call for such action !;
but Gen. Grant is no doubt prepared to act
promptly in case of need
The practice of petitioning the Government
in person is always dangerous when political
excitement runs high 1t was in this ill-iudgcd
exercise of a constitutional right that the Cor
don riots in London began in 1850. On that
occasion one hundred thousand persons assem-
bled to petition Parliament against the bill for
the relief of the Roman Catholics, and they did
not dispense till London had been for six days
in the possession of brutal mob, and four or
five hundred persons had lost their lives.
During the agitation of the Parliamentary Re-
form bill in 1881 a body of sixty thousand per
SONS marched to St. James's Palace to present n
personal petition to the King; and although
they readily obtained what they demanded, the
sequel of their demonstration was disgIaceful
riot, in which the windows Of the Duke of
Wellingt0n's mansion were demolished, the
Duke of Cumberland was dragged from his
horse and with difficulty rescued by the po-
lice, and several other obnoxious persons were
brutally assaulted. The tendency of all such
gatherings is to degenerate into mobs The
utmost moderation and good sense on the part
of the leaders cannot prevent the excuses of
the hot-caded and evil-disposed who minglc
with all popular movements and often get the
mastery over them.
Democratic politicians will probably feel. on
reflection, that they cannot afford to risk a
tumnlt or even to expose themselves to the mis-
conceptions and misrepresentation which the
appearance of Mr.. WattersOn's hundred thou
sand at the doors of Congress would certainly
occasion. They cannot afford to purchase the