The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-06-09
The Attack and the Betrayal.


the blood of an ancient and distinguished
family, Of whose public services the people
Of the State of Delaware are proud. 1t may
almost be- said that he was bred to official
life, and that by family tradition not loss
than by special education and training, he
was prepared to follow in the footsteps OF
his ancestors. But family distinction and
gentle manners do not make a statesman.
In the greater qualities required to defend
people, or to lead party in storm and
difficulty, Mr.. BAYARD is lamCntably de-
licicnt.
There never was more important crisis
in the history of this country than tho
present. Our forciathcrs severed the colo
MES from the British crown TO save a con-
stitutional right Of no greater value than
the rights involved in the present struggle
with fraudulent Executive. Every man OF
ordinary intelligence understands that mil
itary elections involve the destruction Of
civil liberty, and no one understands II
better than Mr.. BAYARD. II was but the
other day that he stood in the presence of
the Senate and the nation and showed, with
the clearncss of demonstration, that to yield
this point was to yield everything
his speech was this pregnant sentence from
WEBSTER:
Absurd prcposterous is H. SCOT and satire free
forms OF constitutional liberty TOR frames OF government
10 be prescribed by military leaders, and right OF
suffrage to be exercised at the point Of the sword"
But II Mr.. BAYARD's diction is not so rich
rs Mr.. WEBsTER's, his comprehension OF the
subject is not less clear or his sense OF the
Inp l.,Hlf l..
Some propositions are too clear to be debated, they
are strong In their simple statement have
Of discussion DASiFL WEBSTER spoke Of certain popular
rights rs rcside rights that could safely suffer
be drawn question and the right Of the people peace
ably to assemble and hold their elections free and un.
aismayed by the presence Of armed force by the
threat OF armed force intimidation under any pre-.
tcnee whatever, is an essential right without which
all others are insecure Election day Is the one
day OF freedom. the day days for the citizen man
may not be free that day he shall be slave TOR the
remaining days Of the year on that day the
porunity to retrieve mistakes TO inaugurae reform
redress grievances, To withdraw power that has been
abused the day TO which OF law abiding spirit look
forward with patient endurance present evils because
IT'S the day OF their dclverance. SIR tits the dav when
power is to return to the people from whom emanated
or II may never return. Free election is the
great safety valve OF human discontent IL Is the wise
substitute OF our foreathers for desperate and Orcbe
revolt OF misery against the oppre ssions o
authority. Election day brings the ruler back to Juds.
mont at the hands Of his people to be deprived Of hi.
temporary power or to Yeeive renewed expression Of
public confidence
And again:
MY only object at this time is 10 warn this Senate and
10 the people OF the United against the doc
lrne Of permitting under the pretcxt OF civil rule the
establishment OF military power that necessarily must
become superior to II this law authorizing the Pres
dent OF the United States in his discretion to bring the
army Of the United States to the polls Of the several
States under pretext Of keeping the peace such law
ran be sustained then will elections necessarily be.
military forms merely. and the party that can Oh.
tain control Of government possessing such powers
will inevitably possess the for its perpetual
ton and the liberties OF people will rest only In a
government Of and not laws In the conscience
degree Of audaey or military capacity which any Pre
dent and Administration can possess or control"
So spoke Mr.. BAYARD on the 2lst OF April,
with much more TO the same purpose. Is it
possible that he could ever consent to sur
render the republic TO the process Of stran-
gulation by military power, as described In
this speech. and at the conclusion Of the
very contest upon which he entered in a
spirit 80 manly and anxious viii any one
believe that he could within q few short
weeks appear in n caucus OF his followers
and, almost in tears, implore them 10 forego
their sworn duty, to betray the liberties OF
their country, TO submit indefinitely TO the
farce OF military elections. and TO vote forth
with all the supplies demanded for the pur.
pose by the Fraudulent President?
We heartily wish we might say that Mr.
BAYARD and his equally intelligent and
equally timid rival Mr.. THURMAN, had not
been guilty Of this most singular apostasy
I'm hax "a,
no public service, however great will ever
obliterate the memory OF this offence II
the institutions OF the country survive al
once the attack and the betrayal, it will be
remembered that they withdrew the shield
OF defence intrusted 10 them, and deiber.
ately opened passage to the heart for the
sword Of lawless power. Mr.. BAYARD said
- refusal to make Appropriations no matter what the
grievance might be, would be revolutionary
What then, is the Congress for2 II the
question OF granting or Withholding sup.
plies be not one for its discretion, what
power has it? II the appropriations are a
mere matter Of course, TO DO made without
regard 10 the will Of the people or OF their
representatives, and the whole duty Of Con
gress Is but TO register Executive DEGREES
why not dispense with it altogether? This
Is voluntary abdication Of power. and "a
reimbursement Of a Legislature never seer
in tho history or dreamed Of in the philoso-
ply Of politics before.
but wo must not omit 10 state TO his
credit that while Mr.. BAYARD thus filled
his mouth with the dust, he uttered truth
not likely to be forgotten.
The present situation Of affairs solely attributable
to the Presidential fraud Of 1875 Through that fraud
an Executive not IN accord with amaouty Of the people
and their representatives. had been placed IN the White
House,
He might have added that but for his own
and Mr.. THURMAN's unaccountable swift
ncss in surrendering the rights OF the pco-
pie TO fraud and force on II previous occa-
sion, tho country would now be at peace
and its liberties secure.
why Show an Unfelt Respect
A good deal Of complaint is made in Ger.