The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-10-07

Democrat
ic.
Washington Specialize the Cincinnati:EHquire
There is profound sentiment
growing here that the visit Of Gen
Grant, Senator Conkling, ex-senator
Cameron and other distinguished
Grant leaders to Gen. Garfield, at
Mentor, has hidden purpose which
as vet has not been disclosed. Those
who know these distinguished leader:
know that the social relations existing
between them and the Republican
Presidential candidate are not Of such
Il character as would induce any one
of them to 90 around thecorner to cal
upon him.
The statement is made here that old
Simon Cameron has been with Gar
field three days at least, and that the
Winnebago Chief planned the meet
ing at Mentor, and that its object
means a good deal more than any de,
sire to patronize a candidate whose in-
evitable defeat is as clearly written
upon the wall as the warning to Bel
| shaZZar.
The theory advanced by Republi-
can of prominence is that the purpose
is, in certain contingency, to inGuce
Garfield to withdraw from the ticket,
The contingency is republican iefeat
in indiana. While the Republicans
have no hope that they can carry In
diana according to the present outlook
the intention is to use money without
stint or scruple. If the State can be
bought, vel land good for Garfield, for
in that event the leaders apprehend
the tide will turn, and that there will
still be left a chance to carry even a
bad candidate through. Should In-
diana be lost, however, defeat, under
the ordinary form of election, is con>
ceded in advance by the wisest Re
publican politicians, and the next
thing to do will be to make the best
of a desperate game.
Without any intention to be an
alarmist, or even create a sensation, l
repeat, as nearly rs memory can serve
me, the views of a Republican of good
sense, communicated to me to-day, and
without any desire to believe that par
tv.enhs will lie subserved through any
such desperate course. He said:
The defeat of the Republicans in
Indiana presages clearly to my mind
the defeat OF Gen. Garfield in Novem-
Der. His candidacy has not turned
out to be strong one. There is no
reason, though, why the Republicans
should lose5 this election. The Con,
stitution provides that each state shall
appoint, in such a manner as the Leg
islature thereof may direct, number
of Electors equal to the whole number
Of Senators and Representatives to
which the state may be entitled in
Congress, etc. Now, every Northern
state but two has Republican Gov>
ernor and Legislature. The excep~
tions are New Jersey3 ani Indiana.
The Legislature of every other North
ern state could be convened, and pre-
scribe either that the Electors be
chosen by the Legislature or by Con
gressional districts. This would give
the Republican candidate over two
hundred Electoral votes"
"But would not this be dangerous
blow at the liberties of the people? "
quoth your corr espondent.
81 am giving no opinion as to that.
l am only saying that the Republican
party has it in its power under the
form of the highest law-the CoDsti~
tutiou-to elect its candidate. You
will thus see that there is ample pow
er and ample time, after the Indiana
verdict, to carry out such plan if it
be decided upon. l do not say it will
be done, but it can be done, and its
legality cannot be gainsaid."
A very clever theory is that if such
deraier resort is to come, that Grant
and not Garfield, will he wanted at
the helm. Garfield has not the NOR
al courage to meet the storm which
such proceeding would bring about.
A victory thus snatched from the
Democrats would not be tamely ac-
quiesced in, and leader would be
wanted with nerve, courage and deci-
sion of character. That such scheme
is in contemplation of course would
not be admitted now. On the con-
trary, it would be ridiculed even by
Republicans themselves; but the pres
ence of such leaders as have Just visit
ed Garfield is not believed to have
been for social intercourse only. These
leaders arenot hypocrites, and Garfield
knows they have no desire to call on
him to either patronize him or ask fa>
vors, They mean business every
time.
The visit, at all events, has caused
a great deal of comment, and suggest
ed ed.numerousssrefections that the Re
publicans are planning way to save
themselves from utter ruin. If Gar
field should be Withdrawn, Grant
could he placed at the head of the
ticket by the action OF the National
Republican Committee, aud MAORI
ty of that committee wish he were
new leading the battle.
Mr. Tilden has personally contribu.