The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-01-17
me GREAT CRIME or LAST WINTER.



To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-!Sr: Your
exposition Of the circumstances Of the refusal
Of ninc Senators of the United States to 90 with
the hasor elements OF tho Republican party in
sustaining Fcrrys sham less assumption Of
the right practically. to create President Of
the United States. Is undoubtedly correct.
and important. II a people so far retro
coded from the point of moral and politi-
cal rcctitude as ours is will ever learn to
get right again. What would like to be per-
mittcd to say IL. however. this: That the nine.
consisting OF Conkling. Edmunds & Co.. fell
considerably short. after all. Of deserving any
high praise. Why did they refuse 10 sustain
Fcrry's false assumptions Undoubtedly be-
cause they knew that in 30 doing their rcputa-
tons as lawyers and statesmen would be
smutchcd forever. This they could not afford.
for the sake even OF n great party triumph.
Therefore the speech Of Conkling. to which you
refer with the speeches of Edmunds. Frcling-
huyscn. and others.
In thus coming forth they acted for their own
sakcs but they did not do even thus much until.
as you Justly say. "thc panic had done its
work" If they could not permit the occasion
to pass ever without protesting against heresy
SO gross as that professed by Ferry, they took
good care so to time it that their party would DO
to endorse Ferry's assumption for the presiding
officer Of the Senate of the power to declare who
should be President they were equally anxious
that the right which constitutionally resided in
the House of Representatives should be denied
II. Therefore they schcmed and voted to trans
fer Ferry - power over TO "a commission which
should unite in itself the prerOgative Of the
House, and mt the same time secure the Presi-
dency for their own chosen usurper That was
the game. whereby they killed two birds with
one stone.
1t is plain. then. Conking & Co. are not en-
titled to any merit higher than the very mode
rate one Of taking care Of their own future
regulations. They arc still. and forever will
be. open to the imputation of giving aid and
countenance TO Grants wicked array Of mill
tary force to ovcri,wc and coercc the national
Legislature. They gave support and coun-
tenance To- Fcrry's nagtious assumption long
enough to make it effective and to defeat and
dcfraud the people Of the United States of their
right and power to elect their Chief Magistrate.
For this they deserve very little applause from
honest mon.
| Before the closing hour Of the day of election
| the Republicans We're. perhaps. according to
the accepted code Of partisan dealings, entitled
| 10 use every device to defeat their opponents.
But this hour passed their privilege ceased.
They had no right. in any respect. manner. or
| degree. 10 evade. misreprcsent. corrupt. or
| falsify the popular verdict. In so doing they
became politically. socially, morally. and legally
guilty and n the event has proven. they were
aud are guilty in all these respects and
| Conking & Co. as guilty as the rest nay. con-
fidering their eminence in their party and the
| confidence rcposed in them. perhaps much
more guilty and responsible in n higher degree
But what shall we say Of the Democrats who