Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-10-14
The Radical Conspiracy Against Mr..
BaJard

morning. to Gust Mr.. Baysrd from his
position as President pro TEN. of the
United States Senate, and place
the ponderous Illinois Independent,
David Davis in his seat, IS one well
worthy the INSCRIPTIONS cunning and
unprincipled audacity of that pre-emi-
nently cunning and unprincipled party.
1t is almost worse than useless to expose,
for the thousandth time, the utterly
reckless inconsistency Of the party OF
great moral ideas and higher law, but in
this proposed effort TO upset the organi-
zation of the United States Senate and
revolutiOnize the status of that body, this
well recognized characteristic Of Radi-
calism was never more strikingly dis
played.
One weI-knOwn instance will suffice to
prove the truth of this assertion. 1t will
be remembered that when the removal
of Kellogg, uniustly styled Senator
from Louisiana, was discussed a short
time ago-albeit that it was patent to the
intelligent world that he had no shadow
of a claim to his seat, and had been
arbitrarily placed therein for the sole
purpose of strengthening a weak
and declining Radical majority -
all the leading and shining lights of
Radicalism Immediately raised a great
cry against the Democrats about ''res
ddjudicata" and revolution" When
was there ever a case of res ddjudtcdtd
so plain as that of Senator Bayard's cleo
ton, and when was the country ever
so seriously threatened with "revo
luton" as would be the case were the
Republicans now deliberately to set to
work to disorganize, through such con-
temptible methods, the Higher House of
COngress2 The success of their scheme
would indeed be fraught with the
greatest danger to the stability OF our
government, for it would simply mean
that the Presidency of the Senate pro
TEN. is an office which can be changed at
any time by any party which happens
by any accident to be in msjority-ro
matter how small-in that body, and
thus an important office-which is en-
HANGED in importance hundred fold at
this time, inasmuch as it is the Office
next to the Presidency-wOuld become
mere political football, to be kicked up
or down according to the whims and
caprices of political conspirators.
Great as would be the odium attached
to the Republican party were they to at
tempt to carry out their revolutionary
plans, however, it would be as nothing
compared to that which would hence
forth be associated with the name of
David Davis should he consent to be-
come the plant tool of reckless politi-
clans. That gentleman already occupies
position by no means enviable. Ever
since he entered the political arena dur
ing the memorable days Of the Hayes
aud Tilden contest, he has shown him
self to be governed by but one idea-in-
ordinately selfish ambition. There is
scarcely a doubt that he allowed the
glittering prize of the United States
SenatOrship to induce him to decline ser
vice on the electoral commission in
1877, after he had so far committed him
self that it was almost absolutely
known that his vote on that commission
would have materially changed the
aspect of affaifs, and invested Mr. Tilden
with the Office to which he had nndoubt-
eddy been elected. And his entire course
since in the Senate has been, without ex-
ceptiOn, Guided by the one object of ad-
vancing his selfish ends. This is why
he has ever declared himself wholly free
from political principle-in other words
an independent and no doubt it was in
anticipation of such a plot as is now
proposed that he declined to take anN
part on Monday last in the important
work of organizing the Senate and electing
a President of that high body. Should
he permit himself now to become a
Radical tool in one of the most con-
temptible of all the contemplate plots
which have made Radicalism infamous,
he would indeed call down upon him
self the we'll merited Odium of the en-
tire country. Even the party whose
vile instrument he was made would de-
spise him, and notwithstanding his i'm
mense amount of avoirdupois, which is
his most prominent characteristic, no
one in the land would be so small or low
mot even Mahone) as to do David Davis
reverence. I
We sincerely trust, for the good of the
country as well as for the reputation of
the United States Senate, that this revo-
lutionary scheme for Selling on political
power may not be persisted in. If it is,
however, the duty of the Democratic
Senators is plain-to resist it by every
means in their power. 1t would be bet
ter that they filibustered until doomsday
than permit a scheme, so full of danger
and disrepute TO the republic, to be con-
summated.
Since the above was in type the tele-
graph informs us that the revolutionary
schemes of the Radicals have already
been accomplished, that David Davis
has sold himself to them. body and soul,
for mess of political pottage, and it
seems that the Democrats were power
less to prevent it. The only hope now
left Is that the right-thinking, Conserva-
tive element in the country will not fail
to rebuke at the ballot box this most out
rageous piece of political chicanery.
StaIWart Audacity.
Splendid audacity" is regarded as a
i