The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-11-16
The Result.

The Result.
The result OF the Presidential contest,
which at the date of our issue Of last week
was believed to be overwhelmingly Dem.
ocratc, has been toned down some what
by fuller returns. Pennsylvania, Wis
consin and Nevada have slipped from
the Democratic column South Carolina,
Florida and Louisiana are claimed by the
Republicans as well as by the Democrats
| Our friends in the three last named states
| insist that they have carried them all OH
| the electoral votes, ana that in a far
count they will ali be given t. Tildeu.
In support OF this they make shoWings
that conyinces the entire independent and
Democratic press OF the country, which
| asserts the clear and certain election If
| the Democratic candidate The states
| that are conceded to Tilden and Hell
| dricE give them exactly Isl electoral
votes, being one less than the required
majority to elect If either OF the three
states in dispute gives them its vote, they
are certain of electon--While Hayes must
receive the entire electoral votes Of them
| all. The accounts which we publish else
where will show the state of the returns
received, and how strong is the claim f
Gov. Tilden'S friends that he is entitled TO
! all the votes of those states
The difficulty in the way OF u tar count
will be found IN the partisan and one
| sided manner in which the boards that
Returning Boards, are constituted. In
Louisiana the board is made up entirely
OF Republicans, appointed by Gov. KEEL
| logg, and of course partake of his strol g
partisan feelings In Florida it il even
worse, Tor the Governor appoints Il Board
of Canyassers for each county of the state,
who count the votes and forward returns
to the Board of State Canvasscrs at the
capital. In South Carolina the method is
identical with that in Florida When the
constitutions of these states were drawn
up, under directions from Washingto Il, ,
the design was to so arrange matters that
these states should be Republican forever
With the great issues that hang upon
| the result OF the official count, with the
| light that will be shed upon the question
by the absorbing interest that the country
will have in it, and the presence Of the
eminent gentlemen of both parties who
to perpetrate and conceal frauds An at
candidates for the highest offices in the
nation, based upon frauds, will De more
than any persons or amy party can stand
up under
The present condition of the 'rts,len-
tial election calls fer calmneSs, lorbear-
ance, and the accordance Of equal and
exact justice. Either party can better at-
ford to lose the Presidency than TO engage
in or encourage Il course that shall create
serious disturbance The constitution and
laws provide for the peaceful settlement
of all controversies on the subject and
they alone should determine them. But
those in power must IL fair and just, act
ing as statesmen and not as partisans
The President has taken |; stand which is
most commendable, If it shall he honestly
adhered to. lie has said
should there be any grounds of suspicion of
fraudulent counting on either side it should
be reported and denounced at once.
No man worthy the office of President should
be willing to hold it if ''couned in or placed
there by any fraud. Either party can afford 10
be disappointed in the result, but the country
cannot afford to have the result tainted bv the
suspicion OF illegal or false returns.
This is very fair talk, but it is i'll stspi-
cious contrast with the ordering of Shel-
idan TO supersede General Augur IN com
mand at New Orleans
The suggestion of the President that
the national committees appoint tar and
upright men of each party TO he present
at the counting of the votes in South Car
olina, Florida and Louisiana is a wise and
commendable one The gentlemen al
ready named by the Democrats are unpx-
ceptionable in every respect, and their re-
ports will have great weight with tile par
ty and the public