Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 March 1879 — Bayard on His Knees. [ARTICLE]

Bayard on His Knees.

At the time of the dissolution of the Forty-fifth Congress, Senator Bayard, of Delaware, held a higher place in the estimation of the people than any other Democrat in the country. His conservative utterances were in sharp contrast with the radical demagogical speeches of Thurman, of Ohio. He made a conspicuously brave effort to restrain his associates from the revolutionary course upon which they en : tered in regard to the regular Appropriation bills. He was outspoken in his denunciation of the Democratic attempt to compel the repeal of the existing laws for the protection of the purity of the ballot-box on pain of a refusal to furnish the necessary supplies for the conduct of the Government. In standing for the right against the behests of his party he appeared desirous to emulate the example of the Chevalier whose name he bears—that grand character in French history of the fourteeifth century, who in literature is called the Knight “ sans peur et sans reproche." Mr. Bayard’s course was the more honorable in view of the fact .hat his name had been prominently mentioned in connection with the candidacy for the Presidential office. This circumrtance did not cause him to swerve from the strict line of duty. Throughout the whole term of the late session he stood aloof from the ranks of those who were excitedly bidding for the favor of the radical wing or his party. He seemed to have the courage of his convictions, for, as often as Thurman, inspired by an unquenchab’e lust of power, offered his neck to the heel of the Confederate Brigadiers, Bayard was found at the fore vigorously combatting his heresies, exposing i his sophisms, and unmasking his demagogy. But his efforts were vain. The session closed with the Democratic party in the attitude of revolution, and the new Congress assembled yesterday with Democrats in control .of both branches, threatening to pursue the revoluti6nary policy to the bitter end. The Bayard of three hundred and fifty years ago, the Chevalier without fear and without reproach, never counted the cost. He loved justice and honor better than he loved lite, and pursued his course unflinchingly till he met his death standing at the post of duty. But Bayard, of Delaware, after the excitements of a session in which he had acted the grand part of a courageous, and consistent Eatriot, retired to the quiet seclusion of is home, reviewed his course and surveyed the political situation. He counted the cost of continued adherence to the right in opposition to the manifest will of his party associates. It he thought of the Chevalier of the fifteenth century, he did not reason about' honor after the manner of his great namesake, but rather afteT the manner of Sir John “ Whatis that honor? Air. A trim reckoning! Who hath it? He that died on Wednesday. Doth he feel it? No. Doth he hear it? No. Is it insensible, then? Yea, to the dead.” Doubtless Senator Bayard came easily to the conclusion that he who follows the call of honor, in the Democratic ranks, follows it to his political death. What a change in twp short weeks. Then he characterized the tacking of the repeal of the Supervisors’ law to an Appropriation bill as “ revolutionary!” Now he is not very clear as to whether he will favor the measure if tacked to an Appropriation bill. But he is “decidedly in favor of sweeping away” all the laws under consideration which guard the purity of the ballot-box. For shame, Mr. Bayard! You know that these laws cannot be “swept away” by an act of independent legislation while a Republican President sits in the White House! YoiT know that they can only be repealed, if at all, by tacking repeal clauses to Appropriation Wlte,-and v 'bsrefy*'two-wreefc» ago you properly characterized such

a proposition as revolutionary! You have forgotten Chevalier Bayard's definition of which was to meet death rather than violate an honest conviction; and you remember only FalstafTs definition, which was that honor is insensible—to the dead! You choose to live without honor as the. possible Democratic-candidate for the Presidency, rather than retire from the race bolding proudly- aloft the banner of truth and consistency. Your record in the Fortyfifth Congress and that whiejj you foreshadow for the Forty-sixth will present a striking and sad contrast. But your fall is logical. He who serves the Democratic party serves a hard master. Independence of opinion Is not tolerated within its ranks. It is emphatically true that he who would be a Democratic leader must follow the lowest strata of party opinion, which is invaria ly the dominantelement. With a slight change Dante’s inscription of the entrance to Hell—“AH hope abandon, ve who enter here”—applies to admission to the bull-aozers’ party: “ All honor abandon, ye who enter here.” Senator Bayard has accepted the situation. He craves the Presidency, and he accordingly bows humbly before the decree of the Brigadiers that all protection to the purity of the ballot-box shall be swept away. The spectacle presented by Mr. Bayard is truly a lamentable one. It shows that the worst element in the Democratic party ride it with a high hand, and, worse still, that its best elements bow submissively to this vile dictation.— Chicago Tribune.