New-York tribune., 1879-03-15

measures, and of his own motion refuse 10 put
the names of the Iowa members upon the roll
for of course the idea of permitting anything
TO interfere with the Democratic programme
was not to be entertained for mo-
ment. 1t is not impossible indeed that,
through excess of caution, this course may yet
be pursued, though it seems not TO DC heceS'
sary. An alternative proposition 10 npet lhe
emergency was to enter into an arrahgetheh'
with the Greenback members, OF whom there
are certainly ten. and perhaps more, Ior
division of spoils. From present appearances
there will be no need of this, and the Deno-
Gratis in the House can go right on anu ui'iuo
MP the patronage while they snap thelr nngerS
~ the gentlemen who eyince such uncommon
anyietv 70 run a balance of power. The
respite afforded the statesmen Tor Whonl pen
itentiaries yawn, and the recovery OF the sich
ones. give the party sure thlng III 'i'c Vi
ganization. They have now only 10 guaiu
against falling out in caucus themselves.
They are sure of quorum, and, OF course,
sure of eecting the caucus nominees, unless
tbero should be a bolt, which is hardly pos
sibilty.
1t is a singular circumstance that Whlle 'ne
party leaders, and to some extent the parry
press, were agitated with this terror at the
possible loss of the spoils OF Office, they
seemed determined to believe that the entire
complcatIon-the prosecutions OF Democratic
members. the setting up of a balance OF power
nv tho Greenbackers, the illness OF some and
tbo death of others-was part of q conspiracy
by the Republicans to elect Mr. Garheid
Sneaker. II being generally understood that
Mr.. Garfield would be the Republican cahh-
date for that Office, our Democratic Hlehus
iumped to the conclusion that nc must
have had q hand in weaving this intri"
cate web of circumstance to gratlly his
own selfish ambition. We do not know
that any Democratic newspaper has openly
charged Mr.. Garfield with poisoning the Dem
ocratjc members who have died since the
election, or with being in league with the
MUSICIANS of those who have been i'll to keep
them so until the Speaker is elected DuC they
have not hesitated to say that he was engaged
in deep conspiracy to carry off the Speaker
shin. and that he would hesitate at nothing
IN furtherance of the plot. The intimatlons
that he reioced over the deaths of those who
have been taken away, and desired nothinS
so nncb as that those who were i'll should not
recover, have been frequent and very broad.
The news that Democratic member who had
been i'll was improving and likely to be well
enough to take part in the organization OF the
House has been published with n chuckle as an
interference with Garfield's conspiracy, as
though that was its highest significance, and
renorts of the convalesence of the invalds
have been gleefully commented upon, not so
r tl,.
natient as of the discontinue of Garfield.
This Notwithstanding the fact that reputable
and trustworthy persons can be found who.
knowing Mr.. Garfield well, do not believe
that ne would engage in wholesale poisoning
for the sake of the Speakership. Our Demo-
cratic friends somehow cannot understand
that man may be III public life and resist
tbe temptation to advance his own fortunes
nv poisoning or assasslnating his opponents.
And when they are told that Mr.. Garfield
would not under any circumstances take the
Speakership with majority of the House III
opposition, they simply laugh the suggestion
to scOrn.
It's queer logic that these people indulge In.
But they are quite consistent in it. They
apply the same rule to the Speakership con-
test that they did to the Presidency. In the
latter case they said " Mr.. Hayes obtained the
Presidency. Mr.. Tilden was unable to secure
" if by purchase consequently Mr. Hayes must
have bought it," In the matter of the Speak
ersh1p they reason In this ways :" If sufii-
" cient number of Democrats die or continue
" sick, the Republicans will elect Garfield
"Speaker. Clearly. then, Garfield would like
"to have the Democrats killed or kept down
with slow poison" The trouble with them
seems to be that they cannot understand that
common honesty or common humanity has any
relations whatever with politics. 1t is a con-
stitutional defect. People who are so quick to
attribute such motives to their opponents
must be somewhat familiar with them as gov
crning their own conduct.