Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1892-10-04

This scheme testifies at once to the In
genuity of Quay and his agent and to the
supreme contempt in which Quay holds the
| lawful and benefioent purposes OF the insti-
tutions OF his country. 1t likewise explains
IN largo measure a(luay's action in forcing
on his party poStponement of the Force
| bill, which to many Of his former associ-
ates and party friends, has been the most
1nexplicaDle of all his public performances.
/ To their minds the measure WAS one which,
because of Its arbitrary and inquisitorial
character, and the tremendous power and
advantage 1t would give to the party, would
strike him with great force and favor.
| But to their unspeaka0le astoniShment and
chagrin he actually lead in tho movement
/ TO lay tho bill aside, and thereby deprived
the party OF tho benefit of the iniquitious
measure at the approaching Congressio nal
| elections. They iabored with him long
and earnestly They even threatened him.
| They told him in the bluntest fashion that
| the postponement Of tho Force bill until
the next session OF Congress at his in
stance, would not only cost him his place
at the head OF the National Committee, but
! his whole influence with his party besides.
He refused to yield an inch, however, and
| held on to the course he had taken and
sent the Force bill over, as ne had planned
| to do.
WHY QUAR- WAS so SERENE.
1t now appears that .Quay's serenity un-
| der tho terrible ordeal OF party criticism
\ ana arrAignment through which he passed
was, in measure, owing to his confidence
IN his ability to execute the new plan of
| carrying elections which he had had in
mind for more Ghan year. Hemfght have
/ silenced many of his critics by taking them
! into his condolences, for they, like himself,
had only ultimate success in view and could
have been won over to any plan of par
tory results. Their object in press,
ing the Force bill was not in the
hope OF rendering elections any more
fair, but because they considered it es-
S6nGiAl tina hFinGrinR 0f f6R Snuth m
the Republican fold. Quay, not whit
more unscrupulouS than they, simply had
plan of his own for keeping the party In
power-a far better plan, he thought, than
theirs-and being afraid TO get too many
people into the secret, kept his peace but
pushed his plan and submitted to the at
tGcks OF his party friends in silence. He
could SEQ tho main point of the game was
TO keep faith with the manufacturers, pass
the Tariff bill and make sure Of another
corruption fund. The other part of the
programme could then be carried out some-
what at leisure, but in ample time to effect
and even definitely Ahape the result in tho
next National contest.
Hardly was Harrison warm in his chair
be fore Quay began plotting for 1892, though
it does not appear that he had HarriSonis
su ccess again in view. Even man of
Quay's resources has his limitations, and
dou btlesS the great corrupter of the people
in 1888 felt that he could not hope to
achieve SUCCESS again by the same meth
DDS and precisely upon tho Same lines en-
ployed before. 1t would be safer to move
| in different way t.his new inIQuities to
perform" An attempt to repeat his old
manpyreS might be followed by exposure
and disaster. 1t must have been with some
thing of delight. therefore, that he receiv-
ed the proposition of the man Lindsey,
who poin tod out how easy it would be
to make tho doubtful States reliably Re
publican simply by transfer of few
thousand Republican negroes from the
South, introduced into the different locsli-
| ties to take places as lnborers. According
| to tho correspondence which follows, Quay
was instantly struck with the suggestion,
| arranged to sec Lindsey at an early day,
| put him at once In communication with
Dudley and Clarkson, and requested the
| payment OF sum OF money to Lindsey, to
! aid in the early Inauguration of the move
\ uent. Quay unquestionebly felt that the
much desired secret of how to con-
t Sdan his SonI party on IN P t5.t had
ply by putting wheels on the suffrage, so
| to speak, in several States, he could roll
enough impecunfous people about the
country 10 makethe result in November,
1892, in every way satisfactory TO the Re-
publican party. As for The situation in the
extreme South, where the Force bill was
intended TO operate, he cared nothing. All
1 he desired was to, stock the doubtful
States with Republican colored voters, and
| insure National Republican success again,
and Force bills and all other bills not yield
| ing fat from the manufacturers might go
| TO Inc WINGS.
Tho man Lindsey, who appears as the
| originator of this scheme, was so greatly
encouraged by QuGy's approval and adop-t
ton OF it and by Quay's promises OF pecu-'
mary assistance that he seems to have
pushed it with great energy. according
| 10 his own statement, he conferred with
Repu blican congressman from three differ
ent States sought to be influenced politi-
cally by his methods-IndianA, Connectl-
| cut and West Virginia-and in every case
was met with words OF praise and encour-
agement. All OF the congressman consulted
| thought his plan for inSuring Republican
success an admirable one, and several of
them won't 80 far as to put him In commu-
milton with prominent party workers at
their homes, |hoEe assistance it was
thought necessary to obtain. A notable
convention, according to the correspond
ence, WAS that OF United States Treasurer
Huston, who was not only most faVorably
| impressed with Lindsey's project himself,
but promised to lay the matter before the
President and have Mr.. Harrison consider
| it in connection with the possibilities In
Indiana next time
For several months Lindsey's plan has
actually been afoOt, and his recent CORES
dicateS that Rrran Eements have already
| been made to locate q large number of me-
groes In West Virginia a. soon as the Con-
gressionAl elections should have passed, so
that they might be taken from Tennessee
without imperilinE the election of the ne
gro, ChoRtham.
TIE DOCUMENTS IN THE CASE.
| The correspondents which follows is
& complete narrative in itself. Tho incep-
ton of tho scheme, its approval by Quay
and other prominent Republican leaders
its Endorsement by Representatives in Com
gross whose political fortunes were to be
forwarded By 1t, are all clearly set forth
| by documentary evidence that cannot be
rebutted or explained away. The fac
SMILES of a number Of letters constitute a
| highly interesting exhibit.
From the correspondence it appears the
d. Med. Lindsey began his work as long
! ago as May %, 1889, when, as he says, he
discussed his scheme with Edward Nc
Pherson, of Pennsylvania, since chosen TO
be Clerk of the House of Representatives.