New-York tribune., 1876-12-04
A FAILURE TO ELECT.

OF THE TEMPTER.
| In the discussion concerning the result of the
Presidential contest il has been suggested that tho
election might be thrown into the House Of Repre-
sentatvcs by the vote of one of the Republican
electors who should cast his ballot for Bristow or
some other person. instead of for Hayes, thus
! ing tie between Hayes and Tden in the cleo
! toral vote. The Nation Of this week contained
an article suggesting that elector who
would act thus might relieve the country from
serious evils, and might count on the approval OF
many thinking and influential men Of both parties.
| In conversation with TRIBUNE reporter on Sat
urday Gen. Sickles referred to this suggestion in
the following words which were uttered in answer
to question concerning his opinion of the poss-
bility of Coy Hayes losing the election by reason
of the disqualification of some one Republican
electOr
81 do not see much ground for apprehension on
that score The laws of the several States seem to
provide adequate remedies for these contingencies,
and where further legislation is necessary such
action to be promptly taken, in the case Of
Rhode Island and Vermont. The greater danger in
my opinion, is in the possibility that elector
may be found who, for one reason or another, may
be persuaded to give vote for Tilden, in violation
of the trust reposed in him by the people of his
State. heard last night from source entitled to
the utmost respect, that such electOr might
be found in Massachusetts,. Heretofore such
apprehensons have been confined to the supposition
that some coored elector in South Carolina,
Louisiana Or Florida might yield to weighty argu-
ments but no one imagined that Massachusetts,
would be betrayed My informant traced curious
relation between recent articles IN The Nation
and well-known disciple Of that paper in the old
Bay State, and he intmated to me that we must be
prepared to see distinguished convert to its views
among the most eminent and hOnOred names on the
Republican electoral ticket of Massachusetts,. In
deed it is an impressive responsibility resting upon
each and every one of the 1S5 electors chosen for
Hayes that he holds in his hands the power to say
who shall rule this country for the next four years.
Suppose wine-grower on the Rhine had the
power and the right to name the successor
to the Emperor William, some silk-weaver
in Lyons could depose by his single bal
lot the present Government in France and
recall the NlpOieOnic dynasty to the throne,
or make Gambetts President of the French
Republic In our present political situation just
this power belongs to each and every of the 1S5
electors claimed for Hayes. change of one places
the Democratic party in power and with it the
patronage of our Government and the direction Of
ITS policy for the next four years The whole coun-
try has the deepest interest in the honorable fulfill
ment of the obligations accepted by the Presidential
electors and this nv apology for repeating even
the well-authenticated rumor mentioned to me last
night. It may be supposed for example, that the
elector to whom l refer would say There is no
law compelling me, and have made no expressed
pledge to cast my vote for particular candidate.
The notion that an ecctor is bound to vote with his
| party Is an ofshOot of the recent system OF
| conventions and party discipline. When the Con-
| stitution was framed and for some time after it's
adoption the Presidential electors were free to vote
for the man Of their choice, and occasion has
| so he 81
proper to me to the early practice and cast
my vote according to the dictates of my own judg-
ment irrespective of the wishes of the party with
which have been identified Such considerations.
or others equally honorable and patriotic-however
mistaken could alone influence the gentleman
named TO me-"
WHAT THE NATION SUGGESTS.
The views of The Nation in regard to this matter
were presented at considerable length in its issue Of
last week. and are as follows:
In Of the present election the issue placed be-
fore the members of the Electoral Colleges s through
curious combination of circumstances wholly different
issue from that which they elected 20 deal with They
not, appears probable, TO decide whether ono
candidate another shall be PresdeSt but whether all
the doubts and dire possibilities Of disputed election shall
be precipitaed the country. THIS point, in the
electoral votes OF South Carolina Florida and Louisiana
are cast for Gov Hayes every individual Of the 168
poperychoen Republican electors has got TO decide for
himself He cannot cvade the issue; 1t rests without re-
IN his hands.
II is also a very simple Issue, and one which at this
iuncure cannot be brought too forcbly home 10 the
minds all cool and rejecting men, IL is simply this:
in the late election no candidate did in fact secure
proper Legitimate, ndispuabe majority OF the electoral
vote In three States, at least the result was so tainted
with fraud manipulation and chcanery that under any
ordinary circumstances their votes would by common
consent be thrown out tending simply to y.iate the
final cOuut happens however that upon the votes
of those States theresu IN the Electoral Colleges may
be made 20 turn. Accordingly, the electors OF Masss-
chusets representing in part tue votes OF quarter OF
million Of recmen, called upon to act in unison with
the electors Of louisiana who represent only the politi
ca rocyIties Of two negroes and two white men who
happen to constitute partisan ana ong,5inee dscreded
Returning Board. II this is not political outrage, It
would be hard 70 say what Is surely under any elccun
sally be resented such II Gov. Tden should finally
be elected through the votes OF any OF these Sate
he and his supporters can at least claim hat he received
those simply because impossible to withhold
them from him They were exorted from hs opp0nents
On the other hand the choice OF GOV Hayes by the sod
votes OF those States could not under the notorious c
cumstances OF the ease but place him In the Presidential
to explain and harder yet to defend.
Tins being soand under any circums tanccs except just
those which exist no human being would dispute IL,
no matter how the electoral votes OF the disputed
States may cast-his beiug there is but way
ont Of the dilemma ~ Is necessary 10 Ook al tnngs Us
they arc-tO call them by their right names A failure
to elect must not be treated as an elections result
tainted by be rejected result a ALL No
matter what done attempted 10 be done in louisiana
or Florida n9Mmg can tg&s 0 OF S p2 or any
10 cUt the Knot Of Iqt9I circumstances nhteh the ugv Pds
interested men are 50 rapidly tightening about
disputed election Is lmmlnenti he can convert 1t into
a failure elect The first is chaos the last Is law. We
yisedlythat the eIector ioho ,ood ia tbs emergency 1us
the original udepeHdeacy Of his office might sdfety
eo a on e s9s c, ~ oS est XXI, o % y e M Sod pst b. ,
be accounted as blessed decera''cs from dreaded
But now let US go step further Let rs suppose that
in certain contingencies which occupy the minds OF
ALL the vote of Republican elecor on the 9Th
OF the coming month cast not for Coy Hayes and Mr..
Wheeler but Tor instance, for Mr. Bristow and Gov.