New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-05-22

The more respectable Democratic newspapers
are trying to persuade themselves and the pub
lie that the Potter investigation does not mean
ANYTHING, after ALL According to some it is to
be made solely in the interests OF historic
truth, with no idea that its results can have
any present influence upon practical politics.
According TO others 1t is designed merely to
cnlightcn the Democratic party as 60 ways
that arc dark and tricks that are VAN, so that
it may provide by appropriate legislation
against a repetition of them. Fraud being
game which the Democrats do not understand,
how can they be- expected to guard against II
unless the country gives them an opportunity
TO discover by the and of an investigating
committee the method OF playing 1t! Neither
of these explanations Of the Potter resolution
is entirely consistent with the conduct of the
party during the progress of the debate. II
the Democrats were curious to know whether
the last Presidential election had been fairly
conducted, why did they so stoutly refuse to
inquire into the transactions in any of the
States except Florida and louisiana II they
wished TO learn all about frauds so that they
might be careful not to commit any, pray why
did they decline to look at the extraordinary
proceedings in OregOnl
But even if it were true that the instigatOrs
of this attack upon the Presidents title had no
other purpose in view than the wholly INSULT
cieut one EXPIRE ,scd in their speeches and
resolutions, what guarantee can they give the
country that the Democratic party will be
equally cautious and moderated They pack a
partisan committee to find evidence in sup
port of a charge to which they have committed
themselves in advance that Mr.. Hayes holds
his Office by virtue of frauds perpctrated IN
Florida and Louisiana and they tell us that
when they have proved this accusation they
mean TO stop short and let the matter go no
further. How do they know that their fol-
lowers will let them stopi The Democratic
reyolutiOnists have been trying to upset the
Government ever since it became plain that
Mr. Hayes would be President. They refused
to abide by the action of their own Electoral
Commission. They tried to prevent the declar-
alton of its verdict by parliamentary trick and
anarchcal violence. They repudiated its de-
csion by u resolution of the House of Represen-
tativcs, which, after they had joined in creating
it and promising to stand by it, was an act of
outrageous bad faith. They have never for
given Mr.. Tilden because he was not such a
fool as to attempt to seize the Presidency by
force. Does any man in his senses imagine
that they are now going to drop the whole
matter as soon as they have embodied all the
scandals of the Louisiana and Florida canvass
in Public Document, which will be discussed
for a little while in the newspapers and then
forgotten 2 Not a bit of it. Secretary Shcr-
man spoke the plain truth the other day when
he said that this movement means war.
The attack upon the Army is a part of the
same scheme of disorder No doubt Banning
and his tribe wish to dIsband our soldiers to
please the Communists and imcendiaries. But
there are other Democrats in league with Ban
ming who do not wish to please the COmmun-
lists and incendiaries aud who know that we
have pressing need not only of every man now
in the ranks, but of many more. What is their
object in demanding Reorganization" which
will turn out of the service at least twenty per
cent of the privates and over thirty per cent
of the officers They are perfectly well
aware that, in the course of year or so,
public opinion will insist upon an increase OF
a force which is now altogether too small for
the duty required of it, and will be prepostcr-
ously inadequate if the proposed law is car
ried into effect We have no doubt that the
revolutionary Democracy hate the Army be-
cause they cannot use it in their projects of
usurpation, and they propose to discharge
700 officers mainly that different sort of men
may be- put in their places They are tempt
ing Providence. They are flourishing torches
In powder magazine and yet they are highly
indignant if we accuse them of preparing dis
aster.
That petition of the Greenback Labor League pre-