The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-04-27
BAL For Blair.

6al k0f 0lalI.
Notwithstanding the fact that the ssstart.
ling confession Of the electoral frauds in
Florida By which Mr.. Hayes was counted in,
and Tilden counted out, might have been ex
pected to carry grist to the mill Of the Blair
resolutions, canvass Of the Senate and the
House of Representatives shows that there Is
not the remotess possibility of the passage of
the biil.-Bdlfimore Gazette.
Now, whether this is bad for Blair,
or worse for Congress and the country,
may well be considered debateable ques-
ton. If Congressional opposition to the
Blair resolutions rests alone upon the
ground that there is no way Of reaching
the end in view, we'll We can respect
the opposition which rests on such basis.
But, if that opposition is based upon the
idea Of Mr.. Stephens, that 'the people are
satisfied with the condition of things as
they are, they are laboring under the
grcssest mistake, as any one who mingles
at all with the people, ought to know.
The resolutions are objected 10 as uneon-
stitutional and revolutionary. What was
the Electoral Commission Was there
any constitutional authority for it? Are
we not 10 a state of revolution now,
peaceable and bloodless though it be, and
have we not been in state of revolution
ever since the 8 by Commission foisted
President upon the country who was not
elected? That Commission was created
to settle the question according to the re-
quirements of justice aud equity, but it
did nothing Of the sort it refused to con-
slider the real question before it, and set
tied it by an memorable majority of one,
at the behests of party, without regard to
the justice or right Of the question at all.
If such action could have been anticipa-
ted, is it at all probable that the Commits
sion would have been created BY no
means. Il IS simply absurd, then, in Mr.
Stephens, to make a statement which cv-
erybody but himself knows to be untrue.
If it were true, il would be conclusive ev-
idence that the people had condoned the
greatest crime ever committed against
themselves, and had become, in fact,
party to it, partaking Of its gross moral
obliquity. This libel upon the people is
none the less gross in its character, be-
cause it had its utterance from the lips of
so great man as Hon. Alexander Fl.
Stephens. The seeming satisfaction in
Congress with the existing state of things,
does not heighten cur appreciation of that
body in the least. The project of Mr.
Blair, may be impracticable, in the esti-
nation Of Congress, bgt it is not a whit
more 50 than the project of the Electoral
Commission, for which many Of the mem
bers voted, taking counsel of their fears,
even against the wishes Of their coustitu-
ents, instead Of standing up like men for
the completion of the count by Congress,
maugre all the bayonets with which de-
bauched President surrounded the Capitol
But their courage, like that of Bob Akers,
oozed out at the tips of their fingers, and
our Spartan Representatives wilted down
like cauliaower transplanted beneath
burning sun. Mr.. Blair was neither
laughed off, eoaxed of, nor bluffed off, in
the Maryland Legislature, although some
pseudo-Democrats in and out Of journalism
aud the Legislature tried the experiment.
And, If we mistake not, he is made of
sterner stuff than to quail before our savans
at the Capitol. To undertake to fout and
ridicule measure Of so grave character
as this, is simply ridiculous Nay, it is
more. 1t is espousing the cause of
fraudulent President aud siding with fraud
against the people and against an honest
effort TO install their choice, as chief ruler,
in the Presidential chair. What if moth
ing should come of it, or if nothing can
come Of it, it is at least an honest effort
to right the great wrong, and will tend to
make any future attempts at fraud upon
the ballot odious, aud to that extent will
deter designing men from ever making the
attempt again. The almost unanimous cp-
position of Congress to Mr. Blair's resolu-
lions may well be taken by Returning
Board scOundrelism as giving countenance
to its frauds and may encourage those who
feel inclined to try the same game again.
1t says cmphatically to villains of this
sort,-''If you can only be successful in
carrying out your schemes Of fraud, there
is no power which can thwart you, and
any effort which may be undertaken look
ing to that end viii be laughed to scorn
and booted out of Congress"