Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-12-06
The Presidential Middle.


There ought to be good reason to expect
that the painful uncertainty regarding the
Presidential election will be settled to-day,
when, by the provisions Of the constitution,
the persons chosen TO constitute the electoral
college will meet at the capitals Of their
respective states and perform the duty dele
| gated 10 them in electing President aud
Nice-president of the United States. The
war of words will doubtless continue for
/ time, but we cannot question that the sober
aud patriotic sentiment of the country will
quietly and peaceably accept verdict rem.
dered according to the constitution. There
will be great disappointment on the part Of
the defeated party, and, worst Of ALL no small
proportion Of them will firmly believe that
their defeat came through official fraud and
dishonesty. This inevitable result arises
partly from the unfortunate fact that the
whole question turns upon the vote of two
or three states whose record for official in
tecrity is not above par, but more especially
from the fact that INSCRIPTIONS partisan
journals have so prejudiced the minds Of
their readers that they will accept nothing
as just and fair, but the triumph Of their
own candidates.
In the electoral college, Mr.. Tilden is rea-
sonably certain Of one hundred and eighty
four votes, and General Hayes of one hun
dred and seventy-three. In this we concede
South Carolina to Hayes, as the Republican
electors have not only received their certi6-
Gates, based on the face of the returns from
the whole state, but General Hampton has
telegraphed President Grant that there is no
disposition to dispute the electoral vote Of
the state. The result in Florida and Lonis-
lana is not known at this writing, but the
returning boards have doubtless, ere this.
declared in favor Of the Hayes electors. In
Florida the success of the Republican ticket
is merely question of majority. The dem
ocrats have vainly attempted to disproye the
fact that there is a small one con the face
of the returns and they have as signally
failed, so far, in their effort TO show that
there is not much larger one on the basis
Of the vote legally cast.
In Louisiana, Tilden has a majority Of
less than five thousand, instead of ten or
twelve thousand, as hitherto claimed, on the
face of the returns. The whole question
therefore, rests upon the action taken in
reference to the parishes contested on the
ground of fraud and intimidation. That
the votes Of some precincts will be excluded
is certain, and it is equally certain that they
should be excluded. The only doubt is
whether the bull-dozing" was so extern.
siye as to justify the exclusion Of votes
enough to overcome the majority which MIR.
Tilden would otherwise have. The develop
ments of the past week and the letters of
conservative men like Dr. Redfeld and Mr..
White have convinced many hitherto doubt
full Republicans at the North that violence
and fraud prevailed far more widely than
was at first supposed. In the bul-dozed -
parishes, it has been indsputably proved
that there was no pretense Of a fair and free
election, and while the inevitable rejection
of the majorities thus obtained is fatal to
the claim that Tiden has carried the state,
it should not be forgotten that the regulat-
ors have accomplished at least one part of
their purpose, in DISTINGUISHING the Repub-
lican voters of parishes which, under fair
election, would have given a majority of
at least twelve thousand for Hayes and
Wheeler.
The action of the returning board will be
closely scrutinized, and for whatever action
they take they will have to give satisfactory
reasons. Senator Sherman, General Gar.
field, Mr.. Stoughton and other eminent and
honorable Republicans are watching the pro.
eeedings, and we do not believe they will
approve of any fraudulent acts. And they
can be trusted to see TO see that the Northern
people are made acquainted with the eyi
dence upon which any votes are excluded.
Such, in brief, is the situation to-day
Serious and threatening as it is, our conf
dence in the patriotism and right-miuded
ness Of the American people remains un-
shaken, and we cannot doubt that our good
old ship of state will safely and speedily ont
ride the storm.