National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-04-05
AN EvIDE NJ CoNsPIKACY.

BURN-DoNNELLY case he has shown evil
dence of having attained higher attitude
of responsibility and honor than have his
peers of the Democratic persuasion, and for
that reason he has exposed himself to
conflict with their dishouorable methods.
This has eventuated in open war between
the leaders of his party aud himself, and
we find his enemies resorting to u vile con-
spiracy-the usual method of his party in
case of warfare against the Republicans
to crush him. Mr.. SPRINGER is chairman of
the committee which has had the WASH
BURN DONSELLY case in hand, aud could
not conscientiously yield his assent to a
great and glaring wrong. His Democratic
associates de.ired to consummate that
wrong and outrage and brave all conse-
quences. BIr. SPRINGER hesitated. His
associates, in connection with reckless and
unprincipled men, formed n conspiracy to
effect his ruin when they found that they
could not use him to accomplish the full
measure of their neflrious purposes.
The conspiracy is now brought to light
in divulgement gifts Incl dents and char
acter by its own agents and actors, who no
doubt know more about it than any one
else. This conspiracy dates back as far as
the Sth of March, when an anonymous let
ter, undoubtedly written by some one Of
the consp traitors, was sent to Mr. SPRING
ER's house during his absence in New
York, which proposed to present him with
So, 900 if he would do all in his power to
prevent the unseating of WAsHBURN, of
Minnesota, and putting DoNNELLY in his
place. This missiye, to evade suspicion,
was signed "a Republican" In the alb
sense of Mr.. SPRINGER, his wife opened
this letter and unwittingly exposed the
contents to DONNELLY's counsel, who
showed it to DoNNELLY, aud then its con-
tents were communicated to two of the
Democratic members of the committee. In
the meantime, as appears by the narrative,
Mrs. SPRISGER began to feel that she
had transcribed the bounds of discretion
and propriety in exposing the letter. little
dreaming that the conspirators against her
husband had made a strong point in their
game through her conduct, and requested
that nothing should be said about the mat
ter until her husbands return. When Mr..
SPRINGER returned day or two later,
DONNELIY, no doubt the arch cOnspirator,
| IAGo-lille went to SPRINGER and informed
him that he knew of the letter and its con-
tents, volunteered his cooperation to dis
cover the author. With the readiness of
n practiccd knave he suggested the names
l.rl 80 T., .f,rv
BURN and ex-Congressman KING-as the
probable writers of the document when he
no doubt knew who was the real author,
and that he was not Republican at all.
1t is highly probable that Mr.. SPRINGER
suspected that conspiracy existed for his
injury, for lie begged DONNELLY to say
nothing about the matter, as he would not
for $4,000 have it known publicly that he
had received such letter. He was then
informed that JULIAN knew of the letter,
and he replied that he would hold him re-
sponsible then if it should get out. DON
NELLY, then, as the genuine IAGo, runs to
JULIAN and informs him of what SPRINGER
had said, and he became irate, and from
that moment the conspiracy took active
shape. Mr.. MANNING next comes to the
front, almost bursting with honest impulse,
and identified himself with the conspiracy
and promptly charged that no other than n
corrupt construction could be put upon
SPRINGER's conduct.
Mr. SPRINGER, who from the first has
been averse to seating DONNELLY, knowing
that it would he grave outrage, has stood
firmly by his integrity in opposing the plot
and in this way he has called down upon
himself conspiracy that plots his ruin. 1t
is formally ammo uncad that at the next
meeting of the Committee on Elections Mr.
MANNING will prefer charges against Mr.
SPRINGER and call for an investigation. II
Is to be hoped that this advertised pro-
gramme will be entered upon, but no one
believes that it will be attempted, All this
blowing is to cover the tracks Of the real
conspirators and bring prejudice upon Mr.
SPRINGER, who has hesitated in being re-
spousibe for a contemplated outrage that
would disgrace legislation and common de-
cency. This matter will be watched with
some interest to see if those who are con-
conspiring to bring dishonor upon Mr.,
SPRINGER because they cannot make him
subservient to their infamous behests will
dare to push their conspiracy beyond the
oscnna Of mere wind