New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-02
DEFENDING ER1ED.

On Wednesday evening, when the Elec-
tons Committee proposed to take up the con-
test of Bisbee against Finley, of Florida, every
Democrat except two joined in the very same
fEbustering resistan which they have been
making i'll the South Carolina case. Thus it
is proved that the Republicans were right
i'm refusing to postpone the South Carolina
case for some other Day after day, in the
course of their indecent obstruction of the
public business, leading Democrats have de-
clared that they resisted the consideration of
the South Carolina case only because of
special features III that case only. Mr.. Randall
repeatedly stated that his course was justified
because " this was an exceptional case" Many
other members made the same assertion. Mr..
Blackburn. claiming to speak i'll behalf of
the Democrats. said. . We stand ready To con-
slider and act upon any other election cases.
SO little do these men care for their reputa-
tons for honesty that. on the very next case
called up, they refuse to vote, and resort TO
fhbustering precisely as before. The party
has no sense of shame. Its leaders seem in
capable Of realizing that any kind OF dishonesty
can injure them in public estimation.
The Republicans have known and stated
ceptional feature in the South Carolina case
that excused opposition that in fact the OPP
position was not caused by any such feature,
and that all pretences OF that sort were fraud
ulent and false It has seemed good to the
Democrats to prove that this accusation
of fraud and falsehOOd was well-fOunded
THE TRIBUNE has repeatedly stated that the
Democrats agreed in caucus, before the South
Carolina case was called up, to make all the
resistance in their power to the exposure and
rebuke of the frauds by which persons had
been falsely returned as elected from several
Southern districts, and that they took this
course virtually under compulsion, Southern
Democrats having threatened that fraud and
forgery should not be used again to carry
tickets of the party unless they were sus-
tanned in Congress. The conduct of the Dem
ocratic members is and has been perfectly in
accord with this view of their motive and
determination, and directly contrary to the false
pretences they have made in the House. 1t
pleases them to show that the worst that is said
of them by their opponents Is not only true
but quite within the truth. They are resorting
to revolutionary steps, with no other motive
than TO save the means of carrying future
elections by fraud.
1t is an uncomfortable fact for the Dem
ocratic members, too, that their conduct in
this business has driven every Grcenback
member of the House to vote and make
common cause with the Republicans against
them This is likely to prove a very important
matter neat fall. The few GIecnback members
in the House represent large number of
speakers and journals, especially at the South
and West They are followed by a large
body of voters, and have the ear of many
more, mainly of Democratic affiliations. When
these members are assailed, rs they are now
and must be next fall. because they have
helped the Republicans to Dust Dibble and to
adopt q new rule against filibustering, they