New-York tribune., 1879-03-06
MR.. BEUITTs NHEDLEsS FEARS.


MR.. HEUITTS NEEDLESS FEARS.
We Judge from the very earnest speech
Mr.. Hewitt made in the House upon reporting
the fual disagreement on the Army bill, that
he believes it essential TO the porpctmtv OF
free institutions and the continuance of onr
republican form of government that the
clauses in the statutes permitting the use
of the military forces Of tie United
States "to keep tho peace at the
"polls," should be Immediately repealed.
For a man who Is not ordinarily carried
off his feet by partisanShip, bis 81 ecch was
uncommoDly fcrvent. Considering that these
offensive provisions have been lurking IN
the statutes for fourteen yeats 10 nobody's
serious harm and apparently without hay
ing imperilled our liberties; and consld-
ering, too that Mr. Iowitt's party has
bad such frequent end continued Op-
portunIties to reach them il the ordinary
course of legislation, w.'logt sorting to the
compulsory process Of condition uR rhe passage
Of an appropriation Lill uroA their repeal
the gentleman's zeal and eamcstHcSs seem
rather surprising. II there bc eGch imminent
danger to our liberties lurking within these
clauses of the statutes. Mr. Hewitt should have
lost no time upon his first entry INTO Congress
in urging their repeal. Through the two terms
of his Congressional service he has been one
of the most diligent and useful of leg
islators. We cannot believe that he has
been, during all this time, either so ignorant
of the actual condition Of the country as
not to know if such peril threatened, or
knowing it, so remss in duty rs not to begin
at an early day, and under more favorable
circumstances, the movement Tor repeal.
But to our great surprise We find him. in the
last hours of an oXOiIing essiOn. just
awakened to the fact int there are laws on
the statute book the continuance of which
must be fatal to the night of self-govcrnmrnt
The question involved II them be pronounced
to be the very essence OF that struggle which
has lasted since governments were founded,
and with great sOlrmnity he expressed his
belief that if they ere not repealed
it would be almost impossible ever to eject
another President by the voice OF the people
This is very strong language Perhaps strouI ger
than Mr.. Hewitt would under other cbcum-
stances have used. 1t is not probable that ne
would look any sensible man in the face in
private and repeat it, For really we do not
believe that he thinks there is any such
danger. We are quite cOnGdent that with the
excitement of public debate withdrawn and
no action of party caucus to bind his judg-
ment, he would be much more apt to say
that it did not even furnish reasonable pre-
text for forcing an extra SESSION. Doubtless
he is entirely honest in his belief that the
principle involved is wrong, and that the pos
sbility of military interference with elections
should be removed. But he knows the strength
or weakness-of the Army; knows the dis
position of the Administration and the
jealousy of the people; and with such
knowledge he must know tht to talk
about the danger of our liberties from such
source is little less than absud-cxcusabe
only upon the ground that it is the ordinary
exaggeTation of partsanShip, and is demanded
by party necessity. Not that Mr. Hewitt Is
an extreme partisan, by any means. But he is
sufficiently partisan TO be influenced yer,
considerably by party policy and caucus
DEGREES. So, when it was decided By the
party to make an issue on this question he
naturally addressed himself t. m" consldcrl-
ton of the principle involved in the obnox-
ious clauses, and omitted to take into account
the circumstances under which they were en-
dCltu anu tht Cftutb "hiNh hiht tLtin nee
essarY.
To Mr.. Hewtt-consdering as a political
philosopher Ga dociriHGire perhaDs) tins pro-
vision of law, which puts in the hands
of the Federal Executive a shadowy posi-
bi.ity of power TO use the Army and Navy for
ambitious and dishonest purroses-it may
have seemed so dangerous IA prerOgaCivc that
he felt justified in demanding its Immediate
repeal, and accompanying the demand with
such solemn warnings. But there is
much more practical view of the qucs-
tion in the mind of the people. To
them this seems but part Of great move
mcnt entered into by the men whose crimes
against this Government made necessary Just
such laws-to repeal every act and remove
every obstacle that hnders their new con-
spiracy to gain possession of the Govern
ment. To the people, Mr.. Hewitt stands
as representing the demand Of men
who strove TO strangle the Republic,
for the repeal of all laws which have
been enacted to defeat their devilish
design. There is a very general and wide
spread conviction that our liberties were some
what more in danger a few years ago from
these men who are so fearful Of military in.
reference than they are now from the Army