The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1868-08-12
Counting the Electoral Vote.
FAIR COUNT OR A FIGHT.

From the New York World, July ISL
The passage in Gen. Wade Hampson's speech at the
Union Square ratification meeting, which the Times
holds up to reprobation, is the following: r.
"We can have no relief unless this great Democratic
party will come out and pledge itself that shall have
fair eecton-that the white people Of the South shall
vote and want you all 70 register oath that when
they do vote hst these votes shall be counted and II
there is majority Of white votes that you will place
Seymour and Blair In the White House, in spite of all
the bayonets that shall be brought against them.
only want to the election fair and if they do that
with the incubus of black rule we can carry the
Southern States"
We can find nothing in this to disapproye. We
should deprecate the necessity of resort to force but
we pour scorn upon the crayed, the pusilanmous
tons that freemen may not vindcate their rights by
arms Courage to resist oppression is the ultimate Sc
carity for government. This at least, the opin-
ion of brave forefathers when they took care to
provide in the Constitution that the right Of the peo-
pie to keep and bear shall not be infringed."
The right TO bear arms implies the right sufficient
provocation, to use them the only debatable ques-
ton relates to the suficiency of the provocation.
If the Democratic party should fairly elect the next
President and the Republican Congress, BY miscount
ing throwing out votes should declare Gen. Grant
elected nothing could be palmer than the right of the
people to vndicate their actual choice suppose, to
Illustrate the princ pe that the result OF the election
should depend upon the electoral votes Of the newly
admitted State of Florida that the three votes of Flor
ida should be Democratic, that Congress should throw
them out and declare Gen. Grant elected. Now, on
the suppostion of fair election in Florida ought the
Democratic party to submit9 The question answers
itself; only negative answer is possible That the
Democratic party would resist and make its resistance
etfectual, we have no doubt. We should have our
side the two main elements of success-right and
bers. The superiority of our numbers would be the
foundation of rights for if the Republican party
fairly out-Yoted US, it would be urdnty to submit.
But the election shall show that the Democratic par
ty are majority aud Congress shall nevertheless de-
clare the Republican candidate elected, right to
sst will be unouestionable, and our power TO resis.
successfully will depend upon the superiority in
numbers which made US majority. 80
The chief advantage of republican Institutions 10 that
they keep the p.epondefance OF physical force on the
aide of the Government IF the minority grows into
majority they have only await the next election to
come peaceably into power and for this reason re-
sort 70 force is always nexcusabe under republican
Institutions, so long elections are fairly conducted
But if by change in public sentiment, the minority
have control of the Government at the time of cleo
tion and keep themselves in power by refusing to
count the by which they defeated; the very
arises for which the Constitution guarantees the
right of all citizens to bear The power Of for
chile resistance by swinded majority is, in the last
resort, the only security of republican Institutions
Deny the right and you give full license to any un
scrupulous minority, which happens to be in power,
to render its authority perpetual : -
It is quite true that the Republicans will have the
counting of the electoral votes in the coming Presden
tia election and that if they dishonesty exclude those
giren to Mr.. Seymour, the Constitution provides no
peaceable method of redress. It is all In vain to say
that we may wait four years and try the result Of
another election for if we submit to the dishonest
precedent have no security that shall not be
again cheated and our electoral votes again thrown
out This is evil that must be met the frontier.
1t is not in the power Of Congress to prevent the DEM
ocratic party from ascertainng in November whether
it is majority. The votes which they refuse to
recognise officially they cannot prevent US from count
ing unoticialy. No political swindng prevent
our knowing by the middle of November whether the
preponderance of physical strength is side,
on their side. If they are in majority, shall sub
nit like good citizens, and swallow chagrin as best
we may. But if we fairly carry the election, and are
cheated out of our victory BY dishonest counting of
the votes we shall find some other way to make the
demonstrated superiority Of numbers recognised.