The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-02-21
WHAT IF THE CONSPIRACY Is CON.
SVMMATED?

The republican party had neld power for
fteen years. Every department of the
government, except the executive for
short time. had been under its absolute con-
troll. A servile legislature had recorded the
edicts of despotic executive, and a con-
venient judiciary had thrown around these
edicts its sanction. There was no RESPONSE
bility of the executive department, for its
coordinate branches approved whatever it
chose to do. A soldier was at the head of this
department, and he brought to the discharge
of his official duties the same principles and
used the same appliances that governed his
actions in the field. He knew nothing of
constitutional government and cared less.
He called about him lot of venal men and
admitted them to his counsels Devo-
ton to his person was the sine qua
non required of his advisers. Experience
in public affairs and knowledge of the
principles upon which constitutional gov
eminent rests, were not considered in his
appointments to Office, but ability to sevre
the party and DEVOTION to the personal for
tunes OF the president were the only dualifi-
CdllOuS uCCcocdI1 W OAhSAoA io'NAs
Such policy would necessarily fill the off,
ces of the country with bad and wicked men.
Belknap and Babcock were its natural re-
suits. When the source is muddy the
streams can not be clear.
The grand campaign of 1876 opened under
the most discoursgng circumstances for the
people. An army of one hundred thousand
offlceholders were in the field, fully armed
and equipped. They were entrenched be-
hind the bulwarks of many thousand off,
ces and were loaded down with the sinews
of war. To dislodge them seemed impossible,
for they not only occupied the
vantage ground on the field, but
held all the approaches to it. To attack
them in their strongholds was like the as
sault of David with his sling and pebbles on
Goliath, armed with a weaver's beam. But
the people had faith in their cause, and
moved upon the works of officeholders and
carried them They took the field and won
the day. They reioiced exceedingly, for
they believed that q corrupt dynasty had
been destroyed; that personal government
in America was ended, and the dawn OF a
brighter day for the country was approach
ing. But in the midst of their rejoiclngs
came the mutterings of the defeated office
holders that, though beaten, they would not
abide the result of the battle. What they
to do with bayonets. The leaders entered
into a grand conspiracy to steal from the
victors the fruits of their victory. They de-
termined to reverse the result of the battle
in the states of South Carolina. Louisiana,
Florida and North Carolina. When they
found that they had won in Wisconsin. and
had no further use for North Carolina, they
magnanimously let her go. But had the
democracy carried Wisconsin, as the radicals
feared it would, North Carolina would have
been 50 manipulated that its vote would
have been counted for Hayes.
Through fraud and perjury. and the ma
nipulation OF returning board rascals backed
up and sustained by federal bayonets
Florida and Louisiana were throttled and
their votes certified TO the electoral college
rs having been cast for Hayes and Wheeler
This infamy 80 shocked the people that for q
time they were appalled, and stood still Bui
when it became known that the conspiraton
intended TO consummate their yillainy b,
having the president of the senate coun
these fraudulent votes for Hayes, they stood
still no longer. but met together by thousand
and tens of thousands, and protested agains
the usurpation. Their voice was heard a
Washington and struck terror to the heart
of the conspirators The more prudent among
them saw that the carrying out of the con
templated plan would bring strife and prob
ably bIoodshed TO the country, and sban
doned it. They went TO work TO invent one
which by its apparent fairness would enable
the conspiracy 10 succeed without shocking