Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-06-17
The Great Conspiracy.

During the Presidential campaign of
1876, the supporters of Hayes, through
their newspapers, in phamphlets, .on
the stump, and by every other possible
means, attempted to convince and sat
isfy the masses of the people that there
was n plain and clear distinction be-
tween the principles and policy of the
Republican party and "Grantism."
That the former was not responsible
for the latter; and that the people
might safely elect a republican Presi-
dent, without any danger of perpetu-
ating "Grantism." The managers of
the campaign upon that side, recogniz-
ed the absolute necessity of this course.
The lawlessness and corruption of
Grants administration had made even
his name odious to the people. 1t was
therefore necessary to impress the peo-
pie with the idea that the Republican
party was not responsible for his
crimes, and that the reforms demand
ed by the people could be made Gin
side the party" 1t is hardly necces-
sary to say that the Republican lead
ers did not believe this; that they did
not intend that "Grantism" should
cease with his administration or that
obedience to the constitution and laws,
and official honesty and integrity
should ever be reinstated as the poll
cy of the Federal Government. That
all these promises of reform were made
for the sole purpose of obtaining votes
the sequel abundantly shows
When the election was over, and it
was known that a majority of nearly
million of the white voters of the
Union and more than quarter of mil
lion of all the voters had distrusted their
promises of reform in the party" and
had therefore voted for Tilden and
Hendricks, all the leaders of the Re
publican party united in determining
to thwart the will Of the people, and
reverse the decision of the majority.
We say all the leaders united in this.
They differed among themselves only
as to the means of doing it. Morton
and his followers, being the more bold
and fearless position of the party, pro-
posed to do it openly and boldly, by
having the President of the Senate
count Hayes ir regardless of the
protest of the House of Representatives
and enforcing that count by the army.
Conkling, Edmunds, Hoar and their
followers, less bold, but more cunning,
proposed to accomplish the same result
through the agency of the Electoral
Commission" The Democrats, know
ing that Tilden and Hendricks we're
elected, aud believing that Senators,
Representatives and Judges of the
supreme court, when bound by an
oath to decide according to law and
justice, would recognize the obligation
of that oath, accepted the Electoral
Commission" In accepting this tri.
bunal, the Democratic statesmen DEM
onstrated how feebly they realized to
what fearful extent "Grantism" had
been impressed upon the minds and
hearts of all the Republican leaders in
eight years. Contempt for law, and
utter disregard of official oaths, and
corrupt use of public money, are the
cardinal and distinguishing traits of
''Grantism." The whole mass of Repub-
lican politicians had become thorough
ly imbued with all of these traits.
But before the electoral commission
was created, the whole power of Grants
administration had been used to falsify
the returns of enough States to enable
the commission to count Hayes in.
Portions of the army were sent to
South Carolina and Louisiana to pro-
tect the returning board in their work
of fraud and forgery. Commissioners
were sent by Grant himself into the