The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-11
THE CoNsPIRACYM OvTNG FORWARD
UNBROKEN.

wAsHINoroN Jan. 10.-Whle tho people
| are sending memorials to Congress and holding
great meetings, asking for an honest count OF
the votes cast at the Presidential election. and
| protesting vigorously against the frauds perpe-
trated by the Republican Returning Boards. the
conspirators at Washington pursue their plot as
n they deDed all opposition. and are maturing
their plans In every detail for its contamination.
They take no heed OF circumstances. They
believe there will he no resistance to the con-
8 tracy. They mean to hold on to power at any
cost and with the machinery " the Government
In their hands. the army aud navy, the Treasury,
and a thoroughly organized movement extend
Ing over everv part OF the Union. they believe
success to be certain. There are a few conserva-
tive Republicans who dcplore and condemn the
plot. but who have not thus far had the courage
to declare their convictions or to stand in tae
way Of the advancing train.
They remember the fate OF Sumner. schurz,
Trumbul Palmer. and other eminent Repub-
llcaDs who were prescribed aud denounced
merely because they opposed usurpations Of
power, refused to whltewash elarina frauds, and
insisted that the professed principles Of the
party should be carried out In good faith.
Hence they hesitate to take position now, and,
like the Girondius Of France, may be swept
away by tho coming revolution.
Meantime. the conspirators arc united. suda-
cious, aggressive. and, what Ia more important
still, are In possession Of the Government, which
they regard as political estate. and tho revo.
nues therefrom as the rightf1 income Of the
managers and oflceholders OF the Republican
party alone. without a color Of Justification,
troops have been brought two thousand miles
from the frontier posts, and are daily drilled In
sight OF the House OF Representatives. The
Arsenal and the War Department and the White
House have recently been connected by tele-
graph. Supplies and munitions Of war are col
lected. and other significant preparations are
openly made.
The intention OF this military concentration
at the capital, In advance OF the time for count
ing the votes and declaring the President, is not
disguised. II Is meant to he a menace TO the
House OF Representatives; and Don Cameron,
who IL one Of the most active and reckless OF the
conspirators, has threatened, iu presence Of the
President and others, that some OF the men who
are pursuing peaceable and constitutional means
to defend their rights may DO treated az
"traitorsr This threat was made deliberately,
and 1t reflects the spirit OF tho cons piracy.
81,
sist that their instrument, the temporary Presi-
dent of the Senate, shall count the votes and be
an absolute Returning Board, like Wells Ander-
sou, and their two muatto confederates, but
that the Senate shall assume controlling author
ity in the proceedings OF the joint meeting and
assume ~ itsalf a superior position. For exam
pie. the practice has been uniform since Mr..
Jerersons second election that tho Senate
should 20 to the House OF Representatives, for
the ceremony of the Presidential count on
the second Wednesday Of February. The
original reason for selecting the House was,
perhaps, that the hall was larger than that
OF the Senate. aud. therefore, better adapted for
the occasion, which would DO sure to attract a
seventy years ago, II Is a much better one now.
At all events, the custom has been consecrated
by time. and has become one OF the honored
traditions, with the moral force OF law.
1t is now proposed to reverse this old practice
without any good cause, and to require the
House OF Representatives to go to tho Senate
Chamber on the l4th OF February, where the
space Is limited and insufficient. One object Is
TO convey to the public mind an idea that the
Senate has a function above the House In do
termininG the result OF the election, and that tho
House is Only Invited to attend as a witness.
Another object Is strategic, and the offspring OF
Don Cameron's conspiring brain, who designs 10 a
certain contingency TO do what Grants Kitchen
organ has declared by authority Will be done.
namely, to arrest the Speaker and the majority
OF the House.
Heretofore the places OF meeting to count the
electoral votes have always been determined by
Joint resolution Of the two Houses. They met
In the Senate Chamber at the nrst and second
elections Of Gen. Washington. They met in the
John Adams. They met in the Sen ,te Oh amber
at the first and second elections OF Tho mas JEFF
ferson in 1901 and 1906. Since then they have
Invariably met in the House of Representatives
or, In other words, four elections have been de-
clared In the Senate Chamber aud seventeen IN
tho House OF Representatives, and sixteen OF
these meetings have been In an uninterrupted
series.
Republicans Audacious- Slow
Republicans Believing Lies " ell stuck to-
The Plot Pretty sure TO he Contaminated.
WAsHINGToN, Jan. eff, after refico-
tion, / were asked to use two words character
izing the two parties In their struggle for the
Presidency. would sly; Bolduess and slow
ness. IL there Is anything that surpasses the
holiness OF the Republican confederates. under
tho lead Of Morton. 1t Is the slowness OF the
Democrats, under the lead Orwell, that Is rath-
er difficult to say. II dignity involves a certain
degree OF Incidence or reserve, the Demo CT. Is
IN W asbngton are certainly entitled To be con-
sidered very dgniled. The House has now been
In session for nearly six weeks. IL met under
critical circumstances. Public interests dema nd