Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-22
POLITICAL.

POLITICAL.
The Governors certificate in the Oregon
case would seem to be immaterial, because
there is no requirement in the federal con-
stitution or the law of Oregon that any such
certificate should accompany the return Of
the Electors to the President of the Senate.
1t is different in many other States, bat such
is the law of Oregon.
The Tribune we'll SAYS that the country
will never sustain the Democratic demand
that the same House which is to elect a
President in case Of failure to elect by the
people shall have power at any time to cause
failure to elect BY its sole objection to the
votes Of certain States.
During the eI-rebel Gen. Gary harsngue
to the crowd after Wade Ham pton's insugu-
ration, Thursday, after telling his hearers
not to commit violence, or DO any shooting
until they were commanded to do it by their
leader, Hampton, he added that, when the
shooting did begin, they should commence
with Chamberlain and shoot down"
Hon. Wm. E. Chandler, of New Hamp-
shire, declares in a published letter his firm
conviction, resulting from conversations with
Democrats North and South. that the pro-
gramme Of lilden and Hewitt is to have
Tilden declared elected by the House, and to
establish him Us President by revolution, if
need be- lie says /" The plan is as DELHI
crate as it was in 1861, with this difference,
that now the Northern Democrats will be-
gin and the Southern Democrats will only
follow. Let not the Northern people then
be unprepared, a. they were in 1861. Let
not the Northern Governors wait until
treason bursts forth in New York and In-
diana, under the manipulations Of Governors
Tilden and Hendricks, defeated and des-
perate candidates as they are. Vigilance
and preparation can do no harm supine-
ness and blindness may prove crime against
the Republic"
DR.. Redfeld. of the Cincinnati CONNER
cal, whose letters from New Orleans at the
outset. leaned strongly to the Democratic
side, has this TO say of the returning board :
These men who composed the returning
board have been abused fully as much as they
deserve. They are Republicans from prin-
ciple. They endanger their lives by count
ing in the Republican ticket, but are with
Oub vi tuc Olucl uduu lntN COulu
get 500 900 each to count in Tilden. am
informed that one Of the members of the
board has been approached in a manner that
he could not misunderstood, but the approach
was useless If the board was as black as
it has been painted, it seems remarkable
that ~ large a sum should have no influence
upon it. :"
Judge loyissee has been for many years
citizen OF Caddo parish, Louisiana, and has
held many offices of honor and trust He
made on the 9Th OF November lengthy aft
davit, narrating the circumstances under
which al emissary Of Mr. Tilden offered him
500, 900 for his vote. The first offer was
one of $40 900 or $4,000 if he would de-
cline to act. Judge Levissee, acting on the
advice OF friends, decided to ascertain how
far the scheme would proceed. He did not
refuse, therefore a second meeting At
this time the square offer Of 100000 was
made if he would vote for Tilden. This
was about an hour before the meeting of the
Electoral College. The offer was refused
Judge Levissee intimates that if Judicial pro-
ceedings are instituted he is willing to 90
into the story with all needfrl minuteness Of
detail, including names and places.
The New York Nation, which hates the
Republican party as badly as Tilden or Ho-
ratio Seymour, and a. reluctantly comedies
to it any advantage. denounces the return
n boa rds without measure, but maintains
that their decisions must be accepted
as final. 1t says: elf the practice
of going behind the returns be
established, we probably have seen
the last Of orderly and decisive elections
Every close election would be disputed be-
fore Congress met, and, when it did meet,
there would invariably be controversy over
the count and demand for further inquiry,
and committees would be dispatched to make
reports which would settle nothing, and
merely furnish materials for partisan articles
in the newspapers and inhame the passions
Of the politicians. In fact, we see nothing
but chaos as likely to result from the as
sumption Of Judicial functions by Congress
in the matter Of counting the Electoral vote,
and We trust that, in spite Of Republican
precedents, any attempt to perpetuate
the practice in February next
will be defeated. The Government
could never stand the strain of having
Congress act as a national returning board
with Judicial powers. Nor does the propo-
sal to impose the duties OF such board on
the supreme court seem any more commend
able. We do not believe the court would
long bear up under them. The judges
would be the object Of fanatic denuncistlon
after each count ; and the last party would,
when in power, have as part of its pro-
gramms schemes for packing the court in
-..H,,,-, Gov .be psyt Presidential election.
nv increasing the number of judges or other
wise. and their credit and authority would
rapidly decline under the suspicious Of all
sorts that would settle down on them. In
fact, there is only one course open to US in
this matter, and that is to lot the States
manage their own elections, and accept the
result q they give it. OF coons. oil this
means that the wissst conrse for the Demo
mats and everybody d 70 allow Hayes 70
~ he Presidency quietly and without
Tarihss dispats On ths lsh Of March asss'"