Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1878-06-20
They Don't Mean Anything.

\ few weeks ago the Democrats be-
gan movement to prove that the
President Of the United States occupi-
ed his high position by fraud. They
got up an investigation which they
iannounced was to demonstrate to the
country that he had no moral right to
hold the office of Chief Magistrate.
They met in secret caucus o.bind each
other together and force a resolution
for an investigating committee through
the House without debate or amend
ment, and they voted down declara-
ton that no attack on the Presidents
title was intended. This was virtua
announcement that they designed to
oust the President and revolntioniZe
the Government. The most outspo
ken of their organs so Interpreted it
and boldly applauded the design, some
of them going so far as to say that by
next Fall Mr.. Hayes would be COM
PEELED to sneak out of the back door of
the White House and retire to private
life. All over the country there was
movement of revolution among the
violent, ignorant elements of which
the Democratic party is largely COM
posed. The seedsIof discord, anarchy,
and civil war were plentifully scatter
ed by Democratic newspapers and poll
iticians throughout the land, and good
men looked forward with dread to the
fnrrihla horuoaf that nirphf from
this sowing.
But happily there was another move
ment at the same time-a movement
of the intelligent conservative classes
North and South-an Outburst of in
dignatiOn at this attempt to convert
the United States into larger Mexico
"a protest of outraged patriotism
against the internal plot for subverting
the Constitution and the laws and
dragging the Nation again through u
sea of blood and fire to serve the ha-
treds and ambitions of a few Demo-
cratic politicians. The conspirators at
Washington put on an air of brsvadO
at first, but as the storm of popular
wrath increased in force they began to
tremble and apologize. They protest
ed that they did not mean anything.
The dear, good country ought not to
be alarmed. They were quiet, peacea-
BILE fellows, indeed they were. They
never for moment intended to attack
the Presidents title. 1t was all q joke
all the threats of the newspapers and
the talk of the caucus. The country
did not accept their disclaimers. Con-
veution after convention denounced
the Mexican plot, and the Republican
party, inspired with new courage and
unity, prepared to defend its President
against the threatened new rebellion.
The Democrats saw they must do
something to quiet the storm or they
would be wrecked at the fall elections.
So they got the House Judiciary Com
mittee to adopt report declaring that
the count of the electoral votes by the
FOrty-second Congress was final and
that no subsequent Congress could re-
verse it. From this report one Demo-
crat, Proctor Knott, and the Ishmael-
ite, Benz. f. Butler, dissented. Yes.
terday all the Democrats in the House,
except 81, voted for a resolution Ieci-
ting that the Forty-fOurth Congress. in
joint meeting, declared r. B. Hayes
and w. A. Wheeler respectively elect
ed President and Vice President, and
declaring that no subsequent House or
Congress has the power to reverse that
action, and that any attempt to annul
or disregard such action or title of the
President based thereon, is revolu
tionary and is disapprOved by the
| House. -.-- 81. -.... tr..
Law, order and patriotism have won
victory in thus compelling the DEM
ocrats to disavow the designs, they.
have so plainly exposed. So far so
good; but the victory will be fruitless
if the power for further mischief is not
taken away by depriviDg the Demo,
cratic party of the control of the next
House. Their protestatiOns are not
sincere. The twenty-one members
who had the courage to vote against
the resolution expressed the views of
the Democratic masses far better than
did the men who supported it. There
is no safety against a revival of the
treasonable plot for Ousting the Presi-
dent, except in giving the next House
TO the Republicans. The Democrats
will have the Senate. If they get the
House, too, there will be no more dis
chalmers and disavowals. s.-Cleveland
Herald.
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