New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-05-15
,rtrr MOTIVE OF THE PLOT.

T..
nrcr,rss PURPOSE To UPSET THE SETTLED ORDER
1y,SGs AYp IMPEACH VARIOUS PUBLIC OFF
Try TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSE
-, ..,,-1.r,, Nav 1.-THE Democrats deny that
".1.ro.od Investigation has for its object an
M anon the title OF President Hayes either by
a'''NN 1T Or othsrwise but there is not one OF
,, 40 has been active in the conspiracy whoWil
80 oi,ber in public or in private that the inquiry
;,.s to set on feot may result III such an AT
- more or less direct, and in an attack too'
- &c tho Democrats have the power to make 1t
So will be effective ,.-..,
~ Winter have not all been simply for the purpose
g. .v;rdieating the honor of the Nation and
Tnotino .tbe truth of the election known" The
aoc,et investigations which have been made III
rlorda and Louisiana have not all been conducted
s;mrlv in order that the Democrats may gain cam
,,aign material for the Fall elections Their object IS
20 get President Hayes out of office and the whole
moyement is being shaped TO that end.
The decision in the caucus this afternoon that no
amendment to the Potter resolution shall be allowed
was necessary to the successful caTrying out OF
The Democratic plans. If the Democrats eve
succeed in getting direct vote on their
resolution they will probably pass It; but they DO
mot nropose to have it changed in any particular
They would probably allow Mr.. Hale to oiler
his amendment as an original proposition bnt they
will never allow the subjects OF which
IL treats to be sent to the committee they are no"
attempting TO create That committee is to be paTt
San machine that can be depended upon to do its
work without turning TO the right hand OF 10 inc
left: and that work is to bring out every circum-
stance which by any twisting aud turning can be
made to throw discredit on the President or upon
the election or upon the canvass CT the votes on
which he was declared TO be elected.
The prov of the ship of inquiry is to be SET
straight for a single object and it will not be al
lowed TO swerve to the right or the left. Every
piece of ex pare testimony that tends to throw as
credit upon the Republicans will be welcomed
and made the most of, while all testimony
that tends to show up the frauds that were perDe-
trated or attempted by Mr. Tilden's friends Will be
carefully excluded. The majority of the committee
will decide what witnesses shall be summoned ana
what shah not, and will see to il that nothing
comes out that the party does not wish TO reach
the pnblic ear. The objection of the Democrats TO
the Hale resolution is, therefore, vital one That
amendment directs the committee TO inquire into
certain matters which the Democrats do not intend
shall be brought out in their investigation to en-
barrass them.
But it is said the Potter resolution is compare
lively harmless except as engine for the produc-
ton of campaign literature The Democrats are
willing that tfe people shall think so, but it VIII bc
found that the able men who have been for weeks
engaged in the preparation OF this resolution
have left the door open for the admission
of any testimony that they may desire to take
The language is latter enumerating certain things
to be inquired into land into all the facts
which, in the judgment of said committee
are connected with or pertinent thereto" that
do alp hat
clause NAV be made to cover everything about
which the committee may desire to inquire For
instance if some of the confessed peTurers in Flor
ida swear that they were induced to fasify the re-
turnsof that State by promises made by ex-GOv-
emor Moves that If Mr.. Hayes was inauguIated they
should be appointed to Office, the committee
nnder the authority given in the clause quoted, will
proceed to inquire whether those alleged
agreements were carried out or not. When
the Investigation reaches this point ana IL Is
found that some of these very men Were
appointed to Office, the committee will certainly ac'
euse the President of having been influenced Oy
corrupt motives, and of having been party 10 an
alleged bargain by carrying II out
This Is not pTObiematical case. 1t has been
talked about freely among the Democrats for
weeks and all sorts of theories with regard TO
the appointment Of the Florida Republicans
who had TO do with the count of the vcie
very influential Democrat remarked,
week ago, that the Presidents course IN this matter
cOuid only he explained on the suppOSlton that no
IS very weak man. He either knew all the prom
Uses that were made SAID the gentleman, lend
started out to make them good but faltered before
he bad completed the work OF he bas been kept in
ignorance Of the bargains that made, and has
been nnwittingly used by the Republican pohti-
cianSp
No matter what turn the investigation proposed
by the Democrats may take IT is their present pur-
pose to lay the foundation for direct attack
upon the President, us well as upon Secre-
taIy sherman, General Noyes and Mr.. Kas-
son. OF this there cannot be q shadow of
doubt. The Democrats do not dare to announce
this purpose openly now, but they will do so
when. through their Investigations they have edu-
Gated their party up to the point Of sustaining It,