The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-26
the DEBfrE on THE nnEcroR.L BILL.
How Morton. sherman. and the Other Con-
spiratOrs were Defeated.


spirators were Defeated.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 2i-If anything was
wanting to expose tho weakness OF the opposi-
ton TO the Electoral G .mmssion on the Rcpub-
lican side, the speeches Of Nj. Morton aud Mr..
Sherman have furnished it. Every argument
advanced by either against the principle Of tho
bill SO far as tho power TO count IL affected. was
an arralgnment Of his own record. Mr.. Shcr-
man voted for the twcnty-sccond Joint rule UNI
der which either House could object to the vote
Of State, and it required the concurrence OF
both to admit the vote after objection.
Mr.. Sherman was the teller on the part Of the
Senate in 1873, and assisted in counting they votes
for Gen Grant; Mr.. Morton took an active part
in the rejection Of the States Of Arkansas and
Louisiana on that OCCASION and his BILL which
passed the Senate Mt the last session. provides.
when several returns Of electoral votes shall be
received from a Statc. that the only return to be
counted shall be the one which the two Houses.
acting separately. shall decide TO be the true and
valid return"
No suggestion tha, the President Of tho Senate
had any power 10 count. direct or implied. WINS
ever made by either Of these leaders, until it be-
came apparent that such an assumption was tho
only mode by which Mr. Hayes, with tho aid Of
the Returning Boards could lbs declared Presi-
dent. II was a device invented 20 attain that OBJ
jcct, and became the corner stone OF the conspir-
acy by which this mOnstrOus fraud was ~ be
consummated.
The first signal was givcn tho day after the
election by Zach Chandler. when he and his con-
fcdorates we'll knew their can didatc had been
defeated. and the country accepted the election
Of Mr.. Tiden as an accomplished fact. From
that hour forward plans were laid to carry
through the conspiracy by force. and but FOR the
Il
who would not sacrifice their gool name 10y fa-
voring an iniqutous plot. il would have sue
cccdcd. Their support alone was wanting ~ It's
completion.
The speeches of Mr.. E1munds AMI Mr.. Conk
ling have not only utterly demolished the false
pretenccs upon which tho conspiracy rested, but
they have ed over IL o calcium light in
which the selfish motives. personal promptings.
and ignoblc features Of that reasonable scheme
are revealed in all their naked deformity. Tho
plot is crushed out and ts chief promoters are
condemned to tho pillory OF public scorn. Mr.
Morton and Mr.. Sherman. IA the master spirits
OF this vile combination 10 steal the Presidency
must go down 10 rise no moro
The sense Of relief from an impending peril
does not come 50 much from the mere remedy
which the Electoral Commission furnishes in
itself. rs it does from n general conviction that
/
passed away. As an original or permanent
proposition removed from the present exigency.
it would no, be wei ,onied with the JOY now OK
hibiied. Almost any fair plan bearing the
charmed name Of compromise and conciliatiOn
would have been hailed with equal pleasure.
The eXtrcme faction. who have directed the
policy Of the Republican party and brought II
10 shame and disa-tcr. have no resource left
but 10 throw obstacles in the way OF the final
passage of the bill. and 20 stab Il In the dark with
the daggcrs Of their malice. made kecner by the
Consciousness Of hopeless resistance. All their
schemes Tor tricky amendments, for inducing
some OF tho Judges not TO accept, and for
adding the Presidents mind with constitution
al scruples will fail before the rushing tide Of
public opinion. The dead loss OF more than n
million Of dollars every day. from stagnant
trade md depressed industry speaks with a
voice - make President and Congress tremble.
No ehams or chcatA cun stand up before the
| tornado Of popular Indignation. which will soon
! crush them and their authors IN "a common
ruin.
In party point 81 view exclusively. the DEM
| ocrats could wish for nothing better than the
| defeat Of this measure by the publican ma
! jority of the senate and it, passage by the DEM
ocratic majority Of tho House, They would
! sweep the country mt the next elections with n
tidal wave T. which that Of 1874 might be COM
/ pared a. a = nte ripple on the surface But the
/ chosen leaders have exhibited patriotic spirit
higher and noblor than party. which was well
| condensed in an episode hetweon Mr.. sherman
! and his colleague. Mr. Thurman, when the for
mcrwas crticisins the blll AMI said Of the CONF
mtiee:
! Mr. Sherman. Butthcyhavc notagseei u1on tie
/ meaning of fhr bin
/ Mr. rhurman-Why 80 YOU saw THAR
Mr. ~, ruau-Hccau~ suy OH have referred 70 this
! Tribunal the whole 4uD stun.
/ III rhunniu-Th,n tic meaning NJ tho hin is clear
Mr. Shfuuan-ttu ynu tell ue how they will issiiri
/ MI Thuuan-No, v o4i sAaaf ~ ,tss pr The "a
It seems like poetic justice while the chief
con,pirators at Washington ara thus beaten.
that their CONDUCTORS like Boutwell, and Logan
should be cast aside and sent back to obseurity
by their own political friends. In another year
Morton and sherman will Join this exllc.