The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-03-30
A New Movement by Montgomery Blair,
On the 18th instant Hon. Montgomery
Blair introduced the following joint resoln-
ton in the Maryland House OF DELEGATES.


On the 18th instant Hon Montgomery
Blair introduced the following joint resolu-
ton IN the Maryland House Of Delegates:
Rgsoirei by dc Gcacrui AsseHFly Or NarsRaad. Tina,
the Attorney General Of the State bo and hereby I.
instructed % exhibit bill in the supreme Court OF
the United states ON behalf Of the State Maryland
with proper parties thereto setting forth the fact
that due effect was not given 10 the electoral vote
Sst uy tiis state on the 9th day of December 1876
by OF the fraudulent returns made from other
states and allowed % be counted Professionally by
ule Electoral Commission, but subject % judicial re
Vision aud praying said Court make the revision
contemplated by the act establishing said Commits
sion, and upon such revision declare that the re-
turns from the state OF Louisiana and Florida which
/ were counted for Rutherford b. Hayes and VIM \
Wheeler fraudulent and void. the electoral
votes Of said States were In fact cast for samuel
| IIlden as President and Thomas A. Hendricks a.
Vice President and that BY virtue OF said votes and
Of the Isl votes cast by other States of which eight
were cast by the State Of Maryland the said Tilden
ana hendrieks were duly elected, and praying that
| the Court shalt decree accordingly.
On motion it was referred to the Committee
/ on the Judiciary
A despatch to the Baltimore Sun, dated
Annapolis, March %, says "A quorum was
not present in the democratic caucus this af-
ternoon on Mr.. Blair's resolution for judicial
proceedings to unseat President Hayes. The
sentiment of the caucus was against the step,
and efforts were made to dissuade Mr.. Blair
from pressing the matter. 1t was finally left
with him to use his own judgment before the
! House, and il is understood he will urge the
resolution.
Mr.. Blair said there was an understanding
among leading men in the country, and there
could be no objection to proceeding in the
way he pointed out in accord with our friends
| in Congress. He knew that developments
soon to be made would startle the country to
an unheard Of extent. He knew also that
| arpfo1 ifEa Nan Vol orl
Baltimore, were opposed to this democratic
measure, but they were not the places to look
for sympathy. he read letters from Scipio
and Ithaca, n. Y, and resolutions of public
meetings in Pennsylvania and Indiana, in
dorsing his course, and said he never was yet
mistaken in the sentiments of the people of
the country at large. If the people will sit
down and aequesce in the great presidential
fraud they should hold their peace.
Mr.. Blair argued that the country and bu-
siness were being ruined, and Tilden was the
only remedy. He had been laughed at for
saying that monopolies had possession of the
country, but 1t was true, and he spoke earn
estly on national affairs and the drift of things
generally. The government, he said, has no
head, which suits the demagogues, because
they could arrange and carry out their
schemes securely. Instead of twelve thou
sand tramps in the country we will soon have
two millions unless things were changed, and
we will have not a sectional but class war
He said he was not carried away, but his head
was level, and he saw things as they are.
From the temper of the press he did not think
his memorial would be received any other
way than it was, and he had expected ridi-
Guile, but he believed the Supreme Court was
the place to adjudicate this question.
Mr.. Dennis asked how the matter was to be
brought about when the court was against the
democrats?
Mr.. Blair explained that a bill was expect
ed to be passed by Congress which would
provide the machinery. He thought it would
pass the Senate as well as the House of Rep
resentatives, and he believed the Supreme
Court would jump at a chance of relieving
itself OF the odium of placing Hayes in office.
Conkling's paper is out against Hayes and
invites this thing, and Blaine loses no oppor-
tunity to denounce Hayes. Mr.. Blair said
distinctly that Conkling and Blaine want the
democratic President.
Mr.. McLane said he sympathized with Mr..
Blair, but appealed to him to let this matter
alone. He did not believe in the mode of re-
dress, though he thought all democrats be-
lieved in the rightful election of Tilden
The course prescribed would only embarrass
and humiliate the democratic party. He
would not counsel the democratic party of
Maryland to ask the Senator from New York
for advice or depend upon Judge Bradley
and Mr.. Conkling for relief or redress. The
Judiciary committee had reported the resolu
tons favorably, and it is good advice, he
thought, to let the record stand as il is, and
say no more about 1t.
Mr.. Dennis said the resolutions could not
pass without striking our friends, and that he
would rather sit under the leadership Of Hayes
than of Conkling and Blaine. He believed
too that Hayes had done more for the coun-
try than Tilden could have attempted.
The meeting then broke up, leaving the
matter where il was before.