New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-07-27
THE CONSPIRACY OF THE FILIBUSTER.


Mr.. Potter's Committee has found out so
many things it did not want to know that
few more unwelcome disclosures will perhaps
make no great difference to it. But the testi-
mony of Major Burke, it seems TO us, ought to
cover the Democratic members OF the commit
tee with confusion. That lively person, who
was the agent Of the Nichols Government IN
Washington at the time of the electoral
count, presented to the subcommittee in
New-Orleans pretty full history OF the
filibustering operations by which the election
was so near being defeated; and Mr.. Ellis, OF
Louisiana, who was Major Burke's colleague
in the affair, confirmed the story in all i'm
portant particulars. Perhaps there is not
much in the narrative except what was under
stood before but this frank statement by two
of the most prominent actors in the affair Is
at least highly interesting and suggestive.
1t appears, then, that in the last days OF
General Grants Administration the Louisiana
Democrats became satisfied that Grant was
ready to withdraw the troops and let the Re-
publican State Government stand alone If 1t
could or fall if it must. They were satisfied
also that Mr.. Hayes meant, if inaugurated,
TO carry out conciliatory policy toward the
South. They did not want any guarantees or
promises, therefore, from him. But they were
not satisfied that the leaders of the Republic
can party wOuld assent to the policy OF con-
cihatioD, and in order to force them to an un-
derstanding they proceeded TO delay the COM
pletion of the count by iilibustering This OPP
Grafton had nothing TO do with the question
who was elected to the Presidency. IL was
not undertaken in the interest OF Mr.. Tilden
or of the National Democratic party. IL did
not spring from the motives that were publicly
given TO justify it, Nay. it was not even ex-
pected or intended 10 defeat the inau-
guIatlon Of AIR. Hayes, for this riot
Gus faction was quite willing that Mr..
HAYES should be President, did not care
indeed who was President, so that its own
ambitions were gratifed. 1.-THE Democratic
"caucus had agreed that the count should go
"on to a peaceful determination" and Mr..
Hewitt told Major Burke that the Demoeratic
party "could not take the responsibility Of
"pungiDg the country INTO anarchy and
"strife, and upsetting values and disturbing
'trade.n TO which the gallant Major replied
by saying that he did not see what Louisiana
was going TO get, and that she was quite
ready for anarchy and disturbance, and that
till she had been "seen" The racket would go
on Like the owner of n cracked and diabOl-
zeal barrel-Organ, who stations himself under
a sick mans window and refuses to bulge
until ne has extOrted money from the agonized
household, Louisiana resolved to stand in the
way shrielIing and menacng until somebody
bribed her to be quiet.
This is one of the most dsgraceful revela-
tons OF Democratic rascality that the investi-
gation-sO prolific IN unexpected disclosures
has brought to light The fiibustering scheme
was so villanous that n large majority of the
Democrats refused their consent to it. Under
no circumstances could il lead to the in
Sailing of Mr. Tilden. 1t could only defeat
the popular election altogether and leave the
country without any executive head, a cOndi-
ton of things which, in the existing popular
excitement and irritation, must almost GER
tainly result IN civil war. But these Louisiana
agents, adventurers, or whatever they are TO
be called, were ready to take the awful
risk, to force the country to the verge of the
precipIce, in order to extOrt from the fears or
the patriotism OF better men some sort of an
unexplained concession to their wretched
local faction. They pretended 10 oppose the
Inauguration of Mr.. Hayes on the plea that it
was not legal That pretence was an impu-
dent fraud; they opposed it because they
wanted to be paid; and now they have the
assurance 10 get up and explain the whole
shameful transaction.