Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-12-20
Knoxville Journal
steps Of The Election.
ryew york Tribune.

II Il
! ~ distinctly outlined. Republicans
hold that Governor Hayes has 1si
electoral votes east by electors duly
appointed according to the forms Of
law in their several States and prop
erIy certified to by State executive
authority. The Oregon affair gives
| them no trouble. acknowledging
that the Democrat, Cronin, was dc
i ftcto an elector as far as the Cover
/ nor's certificate could make him one,
they claim that his action created a
vacancy which the other electors had
a right to fill. Having, therefore,
ls5 votes, the Republicans see no
reason why they should accept any
4 proposal from their opponents for a
h compromise. The proper way nut Of
4 the difficulty, they say, is to inangu-
rate the candidate who has a mai0ri-
ty of the electoral vote according to
*fbe returns. No other would be Ell
Kther constitutional or reasonable.
Recognizing the fact, however, that
there is doubt in the public mind
kas 10 the real result. they will occupy
<fhe time until the 10th of February
lin demonstrating that Governor
Hayes has moral as well rs a legal
right to the office. The Republican
&members who have gone South with
tic House committees will get what
Testimony they can on their side of
*the question, and prepare strong mi
Enority reports. A minority is al
ways harnpered in getting at facts
That work against the conclusions de-
sired to be reached by majority of
h committee, and the Senate will
therefore dispatch subcommittee of
&1ts Privileges and Elections Com
Xmittee South, on each OF which there
|WiIl be n majority OF Republican
&rnembers. About the first Of Febru-
ary there will be large batch of re-
Eports to both Hodses, backed up by q
mas of testimony which, however,
nobody will probably read. The
democratic reports will maintain
that the facts show that Governor
2Tilden carried the three disputed
2eouthern States, and was swindied
$lont Of their votes by rascally return
3ng Boards. The Republican reports
will assert that Governor Hayes car
zried all those States on Il fair and To-
Ekal count, and was defrauded Of the
states of Mississippi and North Car
&olina.
I'd The day for opening and counting
:fhe electoral votes will find the pub
Sjic mind divided just about as it is
now, but not in as c0mbatiYe a mood
md much more ready to acquiesce in
~ result reached through the forms Of
law. For the purpose Of witnessing
l4he count the two Houses will meet
SIn the Senate Chamber. Formerly
HAT was the customary place Of meet
Ing on such occasions, but Of late
years, owing to the greater capacity
VI the Hall Of the House of Repre-
the custom has been
The old-time custom will
now be restored, because the Senate
viii insist upon it, and as the Presi- !
dent of the Senate has the custody Of
the returns, the propriety OF the
House coming to the Senate Cham
6er cannot he gainsaid. There are
Erave reasons why the Senate should
not put itself in the power Of the /
House, which need not now be more
han limited at. Especial care will |
be taken TO preserve strict order in |
he galleries Of the Senate Chamber |
6uring the count. IL is probable /
thai only persons having cards Of ad-
1nission from the Sergeant-at-arms (
ill be allowed to enter, because the |
6rowd seeking entrance will exceed /
III hundredfold the capacity of the /
nlleres. The Senate having main I
lined by an overwhelming MAORI I
M, Including a majority Of the Dem. /
0cratic Senators, that the 22d Joint /
Knle is abrogated, The presiding OFF,
I'D will rule that nothing is in order /
&xccpt to open the certificates and /
&Qunt the votes. lie will permit no /
S4&1..t a., o,,,I cptartnip ,,p uapftnpa If /
1l3e House Democrats still insist on I
10 privilege Of throwing out the re-
1f5rns from one or more States, and I
1kflhdraw under the leadership Of F
Ebeaker Randall, 10 carry ont such a /
reject, they will not find the doors /
iECked, as some Of them apprehend. /
hey will he admonished that the I
rt6ceeding is wSolly demonstrations
Hand viii not inrerferc with the /
Gom pIrtion of the count. The count /
NIL go on, and the result viii show I
1kat Rutherford -. Hayes Is Pfesi-
1ent of the United states.
Over two weeks will clapso be-
fueen tho counting Of the votes and 1
lonnguration day. The Republican
1<ovramme does not, of course, con-
1etnplate any hostile movement on +.
tfe part OF the Democrats during
that period. A special session Of the
6enate, to begin on the eth or 9TH Of
March, will he called hy President
Grant before his term expires, To 4
f0pfirm President Hayes Cabinet
sAsi ether appointments. The new
Executive, with the support Of that
body, wil take Immediate posses
sloss or the Government in ali its
hranches. little Democratic House