New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-12-05
Anr L RLrAuER-OA. No.


The iurratItudc of parties. ~ well of republics
receive, another illustration IN the manner IN which
the newspapers OF his own party speak OF The truly
heroic effort Of Mr. Fernando Wood in the House on
VI. nday They all mite m prUnounclng 1t 4 bundcr.
Indeed ms political associates the floor dld the
same thing; and when Mr.. samuel Cox bobbed
into the debate, il was not as a reinforcement but
a diversion: the coming in Of Harlequin TO divert
attention from the tragedlan whose makeup
is falling OF from him to the amusc-
mcnt of the galleries Aud Mr.. Wood
did not deserve il. IL was unapprccatIve migrate
ful and unknd. What though it isn't customary TO
debate the suggestions of the Presidents Message
upon motion to print; Mr.. Wood Is ttular leader
of the House. and 1t was his privilege, as
he seemed to think it his duty, when
moving a reference and order To print, to take a
shot at it, IA It were, on the wing NO doubt he
did II because he could longer restrain his
feelings The imprisonment OF thousands and
their confinement in lOatbsome dungeons, and
the intimidation of thousands more had reused
his Indignation as well as his pity, and he was de-
termined 10 lose not moment IN bringing before
the body Of whiCh he Is the leader, few calm and
convincing statements calculated 10 show beyond
question that mans inhumanty to man makes
countless thousands mourn; = the mhuman man
being John l. Davenport and the other man beng
the average Democrat whose only offence is a burn
ing desire TO vote and keep at H.
So when this Message read and it appeared
that the President had referred TO instances of
fraud and violence in the Southern States and taken
no notice whatever of the manner in which John |.
Davenport had blown hundreds OF Democrats from
the months Of cannon and had put mil
lions more TO flight at the point OF the bayonet,
Mr.. Wood felt doubtless that this thing had gone
-, hon, tltaf Cbafn hN
rose to make the formal motion for reference and
pritfing. he felt called upon, the leader
of the Democratic party in Congress. to
set the country right on this subject. Because the
President had vacillatod, no said, he felt 1t to
be- his duty to declare that there no foundation
for tho allegation of wrong in the South The coun-
try will thank Mr.. Wood for his promptness The
Presidents allegations are founded ON reports from
what are deemed Trustworthy sources. THESE
reports come With the sanction of names and sigma
lures and are TO all appearances true. But Mr.
Wood makes thorough and sweeping denals of all
of them, and his authority is that Of-the
Democratic ieader in Congress- who " feels IT his
duty" TO declare everything without foundation
that hurts the party. Those allegations being dis
posed Of Mr. Wood expresses his regret that the
President closed his eyes to the dreadful goings-on
hero in New-York, "where, on the 9th Of
November, 1,UD
70 prison by Government official, where
hundreds of them plunged into the vilest dens
NJ common prisoners, and where, besides those who
had been arrested 10000 other voters had been in
Inundated, thus making difference OF at least TO-,
600 votes in the City of Now-York." Here are
wrongs tor you enough " TO stir fever in the
blood of age or make an infants snews
strong M steel" And yet Mr. Woods po-
Hucal friends pretend to think it was
blunder, for him to deny at Once-knOwing all
about il, as he dId--the story OF wrong at the
South. and bring forward the case Of John /.
DayenpOrts tyranny, which he also knew all
abouf Blunderl How so! Don't they believe
Mr. Woodf Perish the suspicion.
If Mr. Woods statement is true, that there were
no outrages at the South and that there thou
sands ufthem here in New-f0rk, he made no blunder
al all in correcting the falsehOOds IN the Message
and laying before the country the shocking state
of things in this city. HIS may he criticised
by ignorant persons, but Democrats in this city
who know that millions of DemOcratsn good stand
INC were driven by fear Of John !. Davenport into
Jersey City and Hoboken. and millions more TO
drown their sorrows in the bowl, viii thank blr.
Wood for the suddeDness with which he
burst upon the country IN company . with
the Message 1t may be- contrary to the line OF pre-
ccdeuts but his heroic conduct viii be appreciated
by every citizen of New-York who witnessed the
painful spectacle OF John |. Davenport in q
coupe dragging to prison 1000 legal voters, by
actual count, chained and manacled; and who saw
hundreds of them subsequently plunged into the
vllest dens as common prlsonors' When we re-
member the fearful scenes of that day how Dayen-
port personally invaded tho happy homes of thou
sands oil Democrats and dragged them TuIhessly
TO prison how some he tortured, ayod alive,