National Republican., 1878-08-21
pCNOcuATVc uvsroRy.

posed in an interview printed in our news
columns this morning with Mr.. JOnS
w. PIERCE, of Philadelphia. Mr. PrERCE'S
relation during that precarious period with
General "BvCK" MCCNSDLEss, Speaker
RANDALL's most stalwnrt hcnchmnn in
Pennsylvania politics, adds to the weight of
his apparently truthful statement now. be-
cause ii gave him close opportunities TO sec
and to know what was going on then.
lie states with u positiycncSS bora
of intimate knowledge, and an in
noccnt partisan admiration of his
friend, the Speaker, that RANDALL~
communication with and control of an
armed force at that time only ended when
II b"came apparent that the Use of that force
would not he necessary or cNpcdicnt in suS-
tanning his umpHrinmcntary rulings in the
House. In bfici, Mr.. pIERCE's innocent ca
posure Of the TlLDES plot to rob the people
OF their choice for President proves what
has long been suspected that the Democrats
were prepared for the worst results. Their
conspiracy was so complete that their
Speaker. sitting in his chair in the House.
had hut 10 touch the wires and command
the attendance of a body of organized mill
tia, under experienced Generalship, TO en-
force his illegal and partisan dctaton.
1t is known that General JAMES b. STEED-
MAN, of Ohio, was here in Washington ut
that time, waiting the signal of conflict to
summons from Virginia and Maryland, as
well rs other States, bodies of men for the
same illegal and revolutionary purpose, and
II will not soon he forgotten that the bellig-
crcnt HENRY WArTERsoN. of Kentucky,
boasted, in q public speech at Ford's Opera
House, Of his ability TO call to his aid 1OO,-
900 more valiant Democrats, whom he IRON
ically or euphoniously described as "un-
armed lambs II is also known that
preparations were made for the inaugural
tion of TILpEN, provided the House could
have been persuaded To declare his election.
in their designs by an abandon
ment of the fillibustcring part of
their programme at the critical moment
when il was designed TO keep up that par
liamentary device for the purpose of delay
ing the count until after the lth of March.
motive in the cpigram, which will last as
long rs its false inspiration, when he said,
when fraud Is law fillibusteriug is patriot
" ism" In other words. these seditionsts
assumed, in the blindness Of their PARTISAN
ship, that it was patriotic TO insist, even TO
al. l.. al. IL - ,1,..,.
candidate, and fraud to oppose his election.
There was no submissive or peaceful or con-
scrVative spirit in their movements. They
proposed to McNicanizc the country
The inspiration of revolt against elec-
tion results, which serves TO over
throw peace and good government in the
south American republics, seized upon
them. They were ready to spill human
blood and destroy the very foundations Of
our governmental system rather than sub
nit TO legitimate defeat. The fact that
these sad results did not follow from their
revolutionary acts does not relieve them
from any responsibility. They Were
finally forced into submission by the mex
Orable power of fate. RANDALL, it seems,
was the iirst To feel the force of this power,
aud when he discovered that the conspiracy
had been weakened by the "dcflectOn of the
Southern members" it appears that he re-
luctantly returned TO the legitimate and
impartial performance of his duties.
Aside from this, Mr.. PIERCE's statements
are of some Importance as confrma,ory Of
| NJ NJ ~
regarding TILDENs connection with the
| Electoral Commission. The confidence
Speaker RANDALL is reported TO have had
! in decision from that Commission favOrl-
BILE to TILDES up to the time Judge DAvIs
was supplantrd by Judge BRADLEY appears
\ to have been cOincident with a similar con-
idencc on the part of the New York man.
ayers of the case. This was antecedent, OF
! course, 10 the illibustcring conspiracy. The
! Democrats originated the Commission plan
because they forcsaw its result. The mex
orablc fate which pursued them from the
beginning first became apparent here. The
plottcr- in New York and in Washing
ton calculated all the chances in sight and
were confident of success. Their confidence
may be cleared up one Of these days, when
senator DAVIS makes a needed persona
explanation but, however that may be, i
was dissipatcd TO some extent when he. be
came, proyidcntially, incapacitated to ac
as one Ofthe Commission. Then it was tha
lNcy resortcd to the MexicanIatiOn con
spiracy for the overthrow Of a law of thci
own seeking or making, as Mr. PIERCE de
scrihcs.