Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1876-11-18
OLYMPIA, SATURDAY MORNING, OCT. IS, 1876.
THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

THE POLITICAL SITUATION.
The result of the Eastern elections
is still the topic discussed, and so i'm
portant is lis bearing upon every IN
terest of American citizenship, that
all other questions are ignored in the
anxiety for a speedy decision of the
subject There is not shadow OF
doubt but that Mr.. Tilden has re-
ceived 1874 votes in the electoral col
lege, lacking only one vote of a ma
jority; and it is confdentially claimed
that the doubtful S:ates"-South
Carolina, Florida and Louisiana
have given Democratic ma orities,
which would aggregate 2O3 votes, a
clear majority of IS, but in conform
ance with the Radical programme,
as set forth in our article last week,
the returns of those States are held
in allegiance, 10 devise some pretext
by which they can be rejected alto
gether and Mr.. Hayes declared
elected President of the United
States. That there is any excuse for
such proceeding is altogether i'm
probable, as the accommodating ev-
idence aburdanty shows. The
charge is made of intimidation o; The
negroes, who were thereby deprived
of the privilege Of voting; but it ap-
pears that such efforts came from the
other side, and in Charleston the ne
groes who turned out in the Hamp-
ton professions were maltreated, and
those who signi6ed an intention, of
voting the Democratic ticket, were
threatened with violence and death
if they persisted in that resolution.
It Likewise appears that in almost
every instance, in those districts
where intimidation is charged, the
negroes outnumbered the whites four
to one, and were of course strongly
supported by their white Republi-
can allies. The fact is, that many
of the negroes, have been Disguised
with the receptions practiced upon
them by carpet baggers, who to in
Auence their votes, Immediately after
the war, promised them undisturbed
possession of plantations, and horses
and mules and other property, soon
as Radical rule was established. It
was not, of course, intended that
there stipulations should be fulfilled,
and the more sensible of the colored
race have become convinced of the
perfdy of their assumed friends, and
in the recent election acted with the
Democratic party, in the belief that
, change of rulers would, at least, rid
them of a class Of men who have
been leeches on every important
Southern industry since the war.
The appeal of the Chairman of the
Democratic Committee of Louisiana
to prominent citizens to come at once
I" in the interest Of peace and fair
and honest returns" indicates the
faith that is held in the result. This
is not the expedient of bad men en-
gagged in bad cause, but the voice
of patriotism raised against oppres-
sion and tyranny. What the final
result will be the future must deter
mine but it is hoped that this move
ment may end in fair and satisfac-
tory adjustment of differences SO far
as those States are concerned.
But itappears that other difficulties
environ the way of the Republican
candidates, even if the Southern States
in dispute were conceded them. The
first and most unfortunate of these
is the misprint of the name of Re-
publican elector in South Carolina
and one in Wisconsin, and conse-
quently, under any circumstances
two electoral votes from these States
will be Democratic. Then it has
been ascertained that a Postmaster
in Vermont and one in Oregon, were
elected while holding official posi-
tons, and the Constitution plainly
provides that " No Senator, Repre-
sentative, or person holding an Office
of trust or profit under the United
States, shall be appointed an cleo
tor" This language is clear and ex-
picit; but while Vermont, by virtue
of a State law may supply the va
cancy on the electoral ticket, the way
is not plain for Oregon to do SO, and
one vote isgood as a score SO far as
the result is affected thereby. Both
these Nasbys, when elected, prompt
" resigned their Offices, and the De-
partment as promptly accepted them,
but it stands to reason that no sub
sequent action can remove the disc
bility of a person ineligible at the
time of election.
All these questions are undergoing
the closest scrutiny by the wisest