The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1880-02-26
The Attempt Unon Minnesota.

To-day the Subcommittee of the
House of Representatives is expected
to develop the scheme explained last
week in our Washington dispatches
for stealing the State of Minnesota.
Minnesota is ''stalwart," always roll
ing up substantial Republican majori-
ties; and even last year, when there
were four tickets in the field, the Re-
publican Governor was elected by
majority of 1000 over all his competi-
tors, and a plurality Of more than
14,00O over the next highest on the
list. The delegation in Congress
stands two Republicans, elected by
maiorities of 5000 and 5000 respect
lively, and one Democrat elected by a
majority of 100 To steal such State
as this seems tolerably bold enter
prise; but the Democratic majority in
Washington sticks at nothing, and we
have no doubt the plan will be push
ed. lie the choice of a President
should be thrown into the House of
Representatives next year, the stolen
vote of Minnesota may turn the
scale.
The seat which it is intended to
capture is that of Mr. Washburn, in
the Minneapolis District has never
been anything else than Republican,
yet that picturesque ragmoney states
man, Mr.. Ignatius Donnelly, processes
to believe that he would have been
elected there in 1878 if Mr.. Washburn
had not obtained an apparent majority
of 5000 by fraud and intimidation.
The claim is absurd on its face, and
the charge of intimidation in COM
munity like the one in question, is
almost laughable; but anything will
serve in desperate cases, and so they
say Mr. Donnelly is to be admitted, al
though he has wholly failed to sub
stantiate his loose and general accus-
ations. 1t is not surprising under the
circumstances that the Democratic
majority of the subcommittee should
decline to make written report of the
testimony upon which they base their
conclusion; but we may depend upon
it that the other side will be heard,
and if the scheme is carried through
the Democrats will see ample reason
to regret their own success.
The policy deliberately pursued by
their leaders during the past three
years has been observed by good citiz-
ems of whatever politics with grave
concern. To say that the Democrats
have been engaged in a conspiracy
against free elections is not partisan
exaggeration, but a sober statement
of fact. As soon rs they discovered
| that they had lost the Presidential
election of 1876 they tried to buy
the office by bribing the electors.
When that plan failed, they tried
to prevent certain electors from vot-
ing. When the returns were opened
in congress, they tried to prevent
them from being counted. When the
Electoral Commission decided against
their pretensions, they tried to resist
by force. Their plan of campaign for
1880 has not been to win over the
voters opposed to them, but to seize
the ballots. In the south they have
who suppressed the vote of the col
ored people, and public opinon in
that section applauds the cutting out
of the dangerous element in the body
of electors" as very good thing. In
Congress, the one public measure to
which they have devoted themselves
with energy and constancy since they
came into power is the repeal of the
statutes for preserving the purity of
elections. Devices for upsetting bal
lot-boxes in detail being for the pres
ent exhausted, they have turned their
attention to the larceny of States at
wholesale. They attempted gigan-
tic theft in Maine-nothing less than
the forcible conversion Of the Legis-
lature, the executive offices, and the
electoral votes; and now they purpose
setting aside the result of the election
in Minnesota, with view to the pos
sible uses of that State in the Presi-
idential contest.
When we reflect that the action of
a few Democratic Congressman in the
matter of a contested seat in the
House Of Representatives may over
ride the decision of thousands of vo-
ters; that any body can manufacture
charges of intimidation" and undue
influence" sufficiently specious to give
a determined majority pretext for
setting aside free and fair election;
and that one unprlnclpled man, thrust
into a seat which does not belong to
him, may decide the destinies of the
United States of America,-when we
reflect apon these things, we shall see
what dangerous course the Demo-
cratic party is pursuing. Perhaps it
is fortunate for the country that the
disorganizers never learn caution from
repeated rebuffs. The odium of the
extra session was still fresh when they
undertook the rape of Maine; and they
are yet in the first disgrace and confu-
sion of that abortive crime when they
venture to steal Minnesota. They
cannot go on affronting decency for
ever. Even theft will not save them
from the popular condemnation which
must follow such persistent and stu
pid defiance of the popular will and
the popular respect for law and fair
dealing n. Y. Tribune.