The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-02-05
THE NEW SCHEME TO ELECT GEN.
-. - GRANT. 80


{ -qaqaa ipod3GtHRAlNsT. MT nd ,5ao taalis
Changing the Mode of Appointing Electors
I 2fiJ =; In New York 5iff RI 919f
ai1 washington Cor. New York sun.l apt3bl
The movementin the New York Leg
islature to change the established prac-
tice of choosing electors for President
by general ticket has produced q pro-
found impression in political circles
here at the capital. To suppose that
SO grave proposition could be vent
ured without having been well consid-
cred and matured by the Republican
leaders, or that it is merely tentative,
witha view of testing public opinion
on a hazardous political expedient,
would be absurd. - s-,i{..s..:.z
That bill was introduced without any
previous announcement, and was sur
PRISE to both parties not in the secrets
of the managers q This fact is of itself
significant as to the j design of the
scheme Only the faithfulfew who run
the machine and who dictate the party
policy, with their staff in the Legisla-
ture, were permitted to know when and
by whose. hand the trap was to be
sprung into which the unwary and the
feebly protesting moderates will ulti-,
mately falL.n HF9dA 8 as - iS}t5 aii
~ The inspiration of this trick, to take
away from the body of the people of
New York their accustomed privilege
of voting squarely for q full ticket of
electors, which is the nearest approach,
to voting directly for the President of
their choice, is easily traced. Mr.. Conk-
Ling last fall, and on previous occasions,
assumed the Democratic theory of the
Presidential campaign to rest on the
following basis: Given 138 votes from
the solid South, add Indiana, 15, and
New York, 30, and the Democlatie can.
'didate would be elected by 8 majority.
Therefore, said he, New York is the
necessary factor to make this calcula-
: ton success. Hence the importance
of breaking the column, by hook or by
crook, IN order to elect q Republican.
To that object, above and beyond all
others, Mr.. Conklngis efforts, ability
and boldness have been directed. The
9 last three test elections have demons,
strated that the Republican, party, un-
der his management, is in a minority
ION the popular vote. The. figures are
worthy of notice. Here they are: :. q
j 49E1ati Sifa q, 45SffCHJDs od
, - Bean o3ai rnIsIps,ss4. asas.,s .o5 9ao- sssTpG
20 asasa szs sNn 7zssgsss7 s7o s7o3 ri Copy e;
Tldens majority over both.... .sO755
it Lila, egtrts,r, 1878, ,,usfF s.ffs,.sf a;
JUDGE OF COURT OF APPEALS. ~ = =
Be saSV a; tD Des5o, g, t Va Cot
t5 o. ss
Republican minority on On, total vots.s......4o.z7a
GOVERNOR.
Robinson D9. .875 790lKelly (B d.. II 566
Cornell a. .4s1 ibs7l Lewis taJ..!. Z as6
s corneIi's drs majority over over asObinson
SCornell's minority against Robinson, and 3.
Kelley. ~. ~. ~. "a 7S9
@ icornsll's minority on total vote, ,bs5t2
These consecutive expressions at the
baIot-box have informed Mr.. Conkling
that his machine electors fofi President
! cannot be chosen thisIye If q proper
candidate be nominated by the Opposi-
,tion.
Mr. Conkling proposes by a reVvolu-z
honary; trick to, Overthrow the 9conse-l
Grated usage. in New, York, and to strike
down the popular mode of appointing
electors, now accepted all over the
Union. Or, in other words, he intends
to repeal the present law of general
ticket, and to substitute for it an cleo
ton by Congressional districts under
the existing apportionment. By this he
would expect to carry nineteen. -or
twenty of the thirty three, even if the
two electors-at.large were carried by the
Opposition sd Il oi3oiG5egnu ed biGo
Ii this programme should succeed,
the Democratic calculation, as stated by
Mr.. ConkEng, of the solid South,
backed by Indiana and New York,
would be upset, and the Republican
chance to elect candidate would be
largely increased It may be asked,
Will Mr.. Conklng dare to drive this
measure through, and thus to defy
public opinion2 Certainly he will do
it, because it is the only mode by which
his aim can be compassed, If at all.
With revolt against him by the young
scratchers and anti-third-termers newt
able, and defeat staring him in the face
before the people, he is forced to this
resort of oircumventing a free and full
vote.
g OF course the Republican Legisla-
SoAO, m4bh 1AdJO1&Gr VA AA4
the Senate and more than three-ffths
in the House, will do whatever the lead
ers may order. Discipline and dicta-
ton have made them obedient instru-
ments of arrogant authority. A few
may at first be inclined to resist, but
their scruples will yield to the expecta-
ton of reward or to menaces of pro-
scription. Your ,cowardly politician
breads most of all things to be caught
in a minority of bolters and malcon-
tents, which would throw him out OF
the regular line II .4g4.u u aa-.
Behind this movement the figure OF
the Strong Man for q third term looms
up at full length. agHe cannot carry
New York if the people are allowed to
vote their true sentiments, and there
fore it is proposed to jockey them out
of nearly two-thirds of the electors OF
the State by transferring the choice to
gerrymandered districts. It is essen
TALLY Grant scheme. This is one ol
the results of the great maud by which
the Presidency was stolen, and the con-
summation of which Mr.. Conkling was
morally pledged to prevent when be
fed to Baltimore the day that the cleo
toral vote of Louisiana, with false an6
forged certificates, was counted. :