The Hartford herald., 1879-05-14
NOTES FROM CORRESPONDENTS.
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, d. c., April 80.
IErnm nur Regnlar Cnrresnnnlent

From our Regular Corresponjent.l
An old saying is that "He laughs best
who laughs last" The Repub licans,
after a season of fear that Mr.. Hayes
would sign the Army bill as passed by
the Democrats, are now rejoicing to
find that he is still partisan enough
to interpose veto because the neces-
sesities of the party demand it. But
they are gently reminded that this is
not the end of it. Congress still has a
word and it is not unlikely that it may
be the last Judging from the indi-
vidual expressions ofDemOcratic Rep
resentatives and Senator's L don't think
the majority will submit to executive
dictation, especially when the sophistry
upon which it is based issues from the
man who is himself fraud and the
direct representative Of the most gi-
gantic and outrageous election frauds
ever perpetrated in this or any other
country. As Congressman Morrison
says, The spectacle of such an Off
cial lecturing the immediate repre-
sentative of the people upon the sub
ject of pure elections is enough to make
jackass sick at his stomach"
The whole sum and substance ofthe
case is that Mr.. Hayes puts himself on
record as in favor Of troops at the
polls. Its the last desperate struggle
of the Republican party. Without
the use of troops and the aid of other
machinery invented by them, they
have no hope of carrying the next
election. If they can retain all this
machinery they expect to be able to
steal some States and possibly be able
to succeed. The pretext of protect
ing the ballot is sham to cover their
real purpose. Every reasonable man
knows that there never can be fair
election where power rests in the hands
of one party to use the army and to
appoint hordes of marshals to in
timidate voters and arrest hundreds OF
opponents at every poll on sight. The
demand of the Democrats for the re-
peal of every shadow of law covering
such outrages upon free elections as
these is sustained by the people. If
the question were put to vote
throughout the country to-day, two
thirds of the voters would say" repeal
the iniquitous laws" There is not a
doubt of it.
There is no disposition on the part
of the Democrats here to back down
from the position they have taken.
IfMr. Hayes and his Republican advi-
sers regard their partisan electios ma
chinery of more Importance than the
appropriations, let them take the con-
sequences. Nearly all the Democrat
ic leaders with whom | have talked
say he must sign the bills as we pass
them or go without the money.
When it was asked whether the Dem
ocrats would stand firm or take to wa
ter, Gen. Bragg, of Winconsin, sald'
Gas for me, there is no surrender;
can't SWIM" "There is no chance to
back, even if we wanted to-, they say.
"The people are with us, and if we
cannot stand On this issue, we had
better all resign and go home This
is the feeling of a large majority.
Whether the appropriations will be
suffered to rest while and other leg
islation entered upon, or whether they
will be shortly re-enacted and an ad-
iournment taken, does not yet appear;
but | do not think there will be any
surrender. If there is, l quite agree
with those who think these represen-
tatives of the party will have outlived
their usefulness.
In the midst of the great cares of
State Congressman find some time to
amuse themselves. About hundred
of them attended the London Circus,
which renamed here three days this
week to give them chance. Not
only Senators aud Congressman, but
the whole populace. including men,
bers of foreign diplomatic corps, turn
ed out to see the animals and things.
Most of them pretended that it was