Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1876-11-23
THE PRESIDENTIAL MIDDLE,

The excitement has calmed down
but at this writing it is still an un.
settled question who has been elected
President of these United States
Everybody's eyes and ears, hopes and
fears, especially those of office holders
and Office hunters, are anxiously
turned toward South Carolina, Louisl-
ana and Florida, either one of which
would elect Tilden, but all three oil
which Hayes must have to "hold the
fort by majority of one in the e'ec-
toral college, Meantime the tele-
graphic dispatches from the South
are as conflicting as ever and keep
each party in Autter of expectation
of final triumph. The Boards Of can
vossers in each State have been at
work for several days past, and let us
hope honestly, receiving, counting
and deciding upon returns just here
is where the difficulty comes in. In
our Northern States generally the
work of election officers is simply that
Of counting tickets and certifying ma
I
1orities In the reconstructed South
ern States the Boards of canvassers
investigate and decide upon the va
Glity Of returns. If there ere alleg-
atoms of fraud, irregularlty, corrupt
influences, acts Of violence, lnt'mlda-
lion, or armed disturbance, the entire
return for any such district may upon
sufficient proof be thrown out and not
counted. The investigation of all
such charges is made their duty by
law. The Boards Of canvassers have
therefore difficult, delicate and re-
sponsible task. If they are republl-
cans the democrats regard their every
act with suspicion. If they are dem
ocrats the republicans watch them
with about the same distrust. Ascer'
tanning the result of an election
amidst conflicting statements OF dis
turbance and hundreds Of charges Of
fraud by each party, is necessarily a
slow process and is not likel y to be
satisfactory to the losing party. In
South Carolina, on Saturday last, al
order was given by the Supreme
Court directing a count Of the votes
actually cast for each candidate and
the result to be certified to the Court
A later despatch says the count thus
returned gives Hayes 100 official
majority. That settles South Carroll
ma. But allegations Of fraud and II,
regularity are still reserved for IN
vestigation. 1t is said that hundreds
of anidavits Of fraud, violence and IN.
timidation have been placed before
tho oanyassers in each State. The
vote of Louisiana and Florida may
therefore not bo known for some days
to come. 1t is understood thai five
members OF each Of the northern dom
ocratic and republican visiting com
mittee will be present at the eXaml-
nation Of the returns, which it is hoped
will ensure a satisfactory result.
Meantime there are other compli'
cations which may for some time keel
open the question Of who shall
be the next President. In the fna
work of counting the votes o
the electoral college in the presence
Of both houses of Congress exceeding
" troublesome and serious questions
may arise. But it is to be hoped that
craftsmanship, citizenship, and patri
otism may rise above party feeling
and passing safely through this angry
crisis our republican institutions may
rest on . Grmer foundation than ever
Either party can afford the disap
pointment of losing its candldat
but neither party can afford to agalr
endanger the Union or plunge TIT
country into anarchy and violence
Let US have Peace.