Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-06-14
The Proposed Revolution.

THE scope and result of a movement
like that which has been begun in the
investigation are to be sought in the
purpose of those who are in earnest,
not among those who merely follow
and acquiesce and apologize and So
phisticate. The leaders of revolution
are always few, but they mean it. The
followers are drawn along by timidity,
or party spirit, or incapacity to under
stand the situation and the necessary
drift of their own action. There is a
class of persons in the country, which
is not large, but which has always in
tended that the President shall be un-
seated, peaceably or forcibly. Their
persistence has now brought the matter
to a point from which it logically and
directly proceeds to that attempt, which
is revolution. The amiable people who
smile at any apprehension of such a
movement, and are very anxious that
fraud should be exposed, have not suf-
ficiently observed that the action of the
leaders of the proposed revolution for
bids the theory that their object is the
discovery of frauds merely. They per-
sistently refused to undertake general
inquiry into the election, which is indis-
pensable if their sole purpose be, as al
legged by some credulous newspapers, to
ascertain how frauds were committed,
in order to devise methods of obviating
them. If such were the object, the
facts of the alleged frauds in Louisiana
and Florida are already on record, and
the necessary legislation could be pro-
vided without the trouble and expense
of such new investigation. 1t is not
thu investigation of fraud with view to
legislation for the future which the
revolutionary leaders have in mind, but
for the purpose of unseating the Presi-
dent. Nor is it, as some others sup
pose, the manufacture of party capital
and thunder for the campaign that in
stigates the investigation. 1t may be
the hope of some easy-gOing politicians
that such will be the only result. They
have, however, but to ask themselves
whether a report of the committee de-
claring that the President was not
elected would be accepted and laid upon
the table for campaign use merely, or
whether the committee would be likely
to report that although the President
was not elected, yet that nothing need
be done. The question is really too inn
portant to be treated in the happy-gO-
lucky method. The movement pro-
poses a revolution, which it is hoped
may be peaceful, but which, even if
peaceful, will be none the less revo-
luton, and sensible, men instead of say
ing that fraud ought to be exposed,
will ask themselves whether the Gov
ernment ought to be Mexicanized.
1t is not difficult to foresee the proba-
BILE course of proceedings. There can
be little doubt that the committee of
investigation will report that the Presi-
dent was not elected. Any other report
would be, under the circumstances,
fatal to their party, which has no issue
but fraud" Thereport will be made
after party spirit has been thoroughly
infamed, and the total powerlessness
of Democrats in Congress under party
pressure has just been shown in the
passage of the investigation resolution
itself. Is it probable, if the Democrats
elect the House after an appeal to the
country upon this issue, that the party
would split on resolution not to recog-
nize the President whom its own COM
mittee have declared upon inquiry not
to have been elected? 1t may be, of
course-for all things are possible
that it would. 1t may be that the Dem
ocrats who hold that the lawful title is
now perfect, whatever frauds may have
taken place at the elections, may be
willing to break with their associates
upon that point But upon that frail
chance hangs revolution. The power
of the Government lies in the two houses
of Congress united. They control the
purse and the sword. The next Senate
will certainly be Democratic. There is
fair chance that the House may be
so, unless the present movement should,
as we hope, alarm the country and pre-
vent it. If both houses of Congress
should be Democratic, and should re-
fuse to recognize President Hayes, and
acknowledge Mr.. Tilden or anybody
else as President, what nextP The
army would be instantly divided, and
would naturally lean toward Congress,
not only as the rightfully-elected
guardian of the Treasury. from which
alone the army can be paid, but as
really representing the people. An ap-
peal by the President to the States would
ma an OVerpOWerlnR array OF DEM
ocratic Governors who would not re-
spond, while the feeling that there had
probably been fraud, and that in con-
test lawfully-elected Congress must
be held to be the Government against
an Executive with title derived from
compromise, would undoubtedly affect
popular opinion. Under such circum-
stances a revolution, totally subverting
the Government, utterly overthrowing
the Constitution, and justifying the an
cient sneer that constitutional republics
are impossible, would be accomplished,
and perhaps for a time peaceably. The
American Constitutional Republic would
have disappeared, as the Roman Repub-
lie vanished under the imperial hand.
The action, even if successfully taken,
would be without the least pretense of
warrant in the Constitution. 1t would
be the result exclusively of party disci-
plne and spirit; but are party discipline
and spirit less formidable in the Amer
lean than in other republicsP
That the catastrophe is not impossi-