The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-12-28
wv eakenlng." q

The democratic correspondents at WASH
ington city are just now busy in spreading
before the country the impression that the
Republicans are s'weakening,' and that va
rious propositions of compromise are being
thought Of. The most plausible is, that the
complications now attending the Presiden-
tial question, growing out of democratic in
ventions, but not really existing, will be set
tied by the election of Tilden by the House
to be President. and the election OF Wheeler
by the Senate to be Vice President. 1t may
be safely assumed that all such suggestions
come exclusively from the Democrats. The
Republicans recognize no doubt about the
election of Hayes and Wheeler, and conf
IDENTIFY expect their Inauguration when the
appointed time arrives for the performance
of that ceremony. They have lS5 electoral
votes legally secured, and there is going to
be no compromise of what is just and legal
Compromise OF the right is totally inadmis-
sible. 1t would be a moral monstrosity. If
Mr.. Hayes has the 1S5 votes necessary to his
election, he should and will be declared the
President. If so declared he will be inaugu-
rated. If he has not them, legally gotten,
then ne ought not to be President and
should not be inaugurated. No honest man
desires to see President inaugurated whose
election is tainted with fraud. Did we not
believe that Mr.. Hayes was elected, and was
fairly entitled to the office of Chief Magis-
trate, We would not support, him in the
party can afford to be disappointed. The
country cannot afford 10 have Il President
elected by fraud"
There can be no possible contingency that
could arise Which would convince the people
that Sam'l j. TlfSen has been fairly and le-
gally elected. The claim of 1874 electoral
votes for him is in defiance of the Constitu-
ton and laws. 1t will not be denied that if
a fair, unembarrassed exercise Of the cleo
tive franchise in Mississippi, Alabama,
North Carolina and Georgia, had been had,
Hayes would nave carried all of them-that
in New York the frauds committed in the
registration OF voters, and the repeating at
| the ballot box, were greatly in excess Of the
majority Tilden received in the entire State.
The conscience of the nation is convinced of
this. The moral sense of the great mass of
the people revolt at it. When it is so plain
that no honest man will dispute it, that the
Southern States we have named rightfuly
| belong to the Republicans, and would have
been so recorded had the Constitution been
| respected, and when it is known that Hayes
| has carried enough votes without them, to
insure his election, we DO not think it is a
| case calling for propositions of compromise.
or any subterfuge that will interfere with
the Inauguration of the Republican cand
dates for President aud Vice President.
1t is the policy of the Democrats to keep
| up the delusion that there is q possibility Of
Mr.. Tilden's election. The gamblers il. that
| party, were interested in this. John Norris
sey's conduct shows how he protitted by it,
| and also saved his democratic friends from
heavy losses. After having put into his own
pocket per cent. of the stakes left in his
| hands, he declares the bets off. and notifies
the parties to call for their money, less the
per cent. The Republicans protest, know
| ing that they have won, but Morrissey, who
| has plenary powers in the premises. insists.
| and arbitrarily determines the manner OF re-
turning to the Democrats their part, and
holding the balance at the option Of the Re-
publicans who wagered on the result. There
| is no remedy in law against him. The bet
| ting was illegal, and il any case OF the kind
should be brought into Court, the whole
amount involved would be appropriated to
| rissey has thus acted, is significant OF what
Tildcn's nearest and best friends think.
They would never have surrendered the bets
if Ghere had been .he ghost of a chance to
win. They know that Hayes is elected, and
| all they get out of Morrissey's hands is that
much clear gain.
There are other considerations that are
operating. They assumed that Tilden would
certainly be elected. They afterwards an
nounced that he was elected. Having been
declared false in both cases, it is rather hui
initiating to recognize the true state of the
matter without some show Of resistance. The
only resort left is to proclaim fraud against
the Republicans, and seek to arouse the dis
appointed office seekers to the fighting point.
This is all very easy on paper. 1t may at
ford plausible means of escaping from the
full responsibility of their falsehoods. 1t
will not affect the result, however. Gov.
Hayes has been elected President, and will
be inaugllrated, let the sensation mongers
fabricate whatever and as much as they
please.
How Democratic Votes are Made
AS an illustration OF the kind of influence
tbo ta1 H. ~ "a