National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-05-06

Largest legitimate morning circu-
lafion in the District.
WASHINGTON. MAY G, 1879.
THE agony is almost over; that is to say,
this extra session Of Bourbon caucusing is
about ended.
So it appears the Democratic coercion
bluster has resulted in mere boys play after
all. AT any rate their caucus measure is
now known rs LADDs bill
AND now HANL.AE has retrieved the lau-
rels ENNIS lost II seems he knew how to
RowEI.L enough to make up for that little
mishap in the pedestrian match.
THE bill TO prohibit military interfer-
"ence at elections" is measure TO prohibit
that which never has occurred and never
will occur under Republican Administra-
ton.
THE Bourbons have assumed that they
have a grievance to be corrected, aud they
put forth the LADD bill rs the required cor
rective. But it is false aud violent as
sumption. ...-..--
Two drunkards wero burned to death in
Texas Jail, and one worshippcr in lIamp-
stcad+ in that State, killed another just as
the church "let OUT All this Oh Sunday
last. Home Rule!
WONDER il the Itille Clubs of the South
and the shotgun dcprcdutors are not
armed enemies Of the United SLates?" "
But Mr.. LADD's bill is not intended to opc-
rate against them.
Mr.. LADD's bill will soon become known
rs measure to rau(y the avowod policy of
President HAYES administration. The
troops were withdrawn from the polls-if
they were ever at them-on the 9th of
March, 1877.
SENATOR EATON was the mouth-piece of
the Bourbon caucus in the Senate yesterday,
and Mr.. LADD in the House They are
Northern Democrats; echoes Of the South
ern Brigadiers, nothing more nor less. Let
us point with pride, &c.
THE army appropriation bill is now held
as hostage for the passage of LADDs bill.
This is not coercion. Oh, no! Now if the
President shall in his judgment find just
grounds for veto OF the LADD bill, then
what? Why, caucus, of course.
The Southern anti-Labor-Exodus con-
vcntion, which met at Vicllsburg, Miss,
yesterday, had a very knotty question be-
fore it, the solution of which, however,
could be instantly reached under the in
spirations of justice. If they could guar
antee fair treatment to the blacks, the ex-
Odus would cease; but they can't do that,
so it will go on.
PRESIDENT HAYES would have occasion
to feel gratifed at the result of the Demo-
cratic caucus on the army bill if it were not
for the fact that it is a compromise forced
reluctantly from the scditious Bourbons.
As it is formulated in the bill introduced
by Mr. LADD yesterday, il is practically
nothing more nor less than a reileration of
his oiten-expressed views regarding free
elections.
BAYoNETS or shot-guns, which? The
bayonets represent peace and the shot-guns
emblematize terrorism and murder. The
truth is that there never has been such u
thing as "bayonets at the polls" in the
offensive sense in which the Democrats use
the phrase, nor has there, in all the debate
OF the past month on this question been IL
single Republican utterance in defense Of
the use of the army to interfere in election
matters.
THE Bourbon caucus bill will undoubted-
ly pass the House to-day and the Senate to-
morrow or next day. There is, therefore, no
reason why it should not reach the Presi-
dent and become law this week, for he
will undoubtedly sign it. 1t is, in fact,
law already, for the alleged principles it as
serts have ever been recognized by the pres
ent and all preceding Republican Admins
trations
THE LADD bill is simple enough, and to
the point. 1t repeals nothing, and does not
disturb the well-recognized principles of
civil government 1t does not interfere
with the legal and proper exercise of civil
authority, and does not emasculate the iu-
dicial power of the Government. In this
respect it differs essentially and emphati-
cally from the partisan riders on the army
bill which were vetoed by the President.
ONE reason why English precedents are
not germane to the political affairs of the
United States is that we tolerate traitors
md rebels in our Government, while the
English either hang or Danish them. If
there had been no rebellion, bull-dozinr
and numbering for opinion sake would never
have been known in this country, and there
would be no need of troops to keep peace at
the polls.
THE election of the Hon. WILLIAM L
CHANDLER to be secretary of the Republi,
can Congressional Committee "means busi-
"ness" in the most emphatic sense of the
phrase. While it is not probable that Mr.
CHANDLER's management of the affairs o
the committee will be any more active OF
successful than Secretary GoRHADIs admin,
istration WAS it is certain that the efficiency
Of that organization will not deteriOrate un