The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1876-11-22
Presidential Prospects

A-AShN 10 az mus 'NANAE HAHNA
that Gov. Hayes has really triumph
ed is seen in the exceedingly bad tenn
per Of bis opponents, and in ,be ab-
surdly contradictory claims upon
which they RELY. For example, we
are RECALLED with elaborate DISGUST
tions to prove that one Republican
candidate for elector, for WHOM the
people of Vermont gave an over
whelming majority, was constitution
ally ineligible, and that, in conse-
quence, the Democratic candidate
having the highest vote has been
chosen. Though it is not clear that
the disqualification applies until the
Governor of the State issues the GER
tiicate of election, and the elector
enters upon his duties, Mr.. Caleb
Gushing, a Democratic lawyer Of dis
tinction, holding that it does not, and
though the blunder, If it be one, can
easily be remedied by the other cleo
tors, who have the power to ill the
vacancy, and it haS been repeatedly
decided that votes east in good faith
for az ineligible candidate are not 50
far void as TO permit the election Of
bis opponent, still the Democrats
cling to this straw with The ~tenscity
of desperate men. Isi.that plain that
they wolld waste no time upon sneh
an uncertain claim, If they were con-
ident that Mr.. TIlden was entitled to
more than a majority Of the ell ctoral
votes BY the verdict Of South Caro-
lima, Florida, or Louisiana? Equally
effective, as proof that they have 10
faith in their W claims, is the alb
sorbing interest they take in the case
of the Oregon elector. 1t is in the
power Of the Secretary of State to
give 4 certificate 20 one man for
whom the people did not vote, but it
is equally in the power Of the other
two electors, when they meet, to OBJ
serve the fact that the Illegally return
ed person was nOt elected TO I'll the
vacancy, and TO forward three votes
in accordance with the will of the
people. Would Democrats build
great hopes on so frail a foundation if
they were sure that Louisiana bad
honestly voted fer Mr.. Tilden?
Equally frivolous is their hope that
the Governor Of California may de-
feat the will Of the people of that
State by assuming judicisl powers
which the law does not give him, and
refusing certificates to the electors
chosen. There are easy legal rene
dies in such a case. No intelligent
Democrat has disputed that the ma
jority Of the people in California Y0t-
ed for Republican electors, and it will
be quite as easy for the Governor of,
North Carolina to convince himself
that Democratic electors were not
chosen without fraud as for the Gov
ernor of California TO refuse certif-
to Republicans. Is il not Oh
vious that the Democrats sgald not
such controversies if they were
satisfied as to their legal triumph in
Louisiana? Day after day the Dem
journals reiteraie the assertion
that everybody knows" hat Florida
and South Carolina have really given
a majority to Mr.. Tildcn, and yet the
same papers insist every day that il
the vote Of Louisiana is declared
him it will rob" him of an
election. Have they not sense enough
to see that they virtually confess that
the other States have voted against
him, even while they loudly declare
that be has carried them Can they
not see that claims so obviously I'M
pudent in the case of South Carolina
destroy all confidence in similar claims
as to Louisiana?
This business is becoming very
plain. The Democrats tried to elect
Mr.. Tilden By stupendous Dragging. !
Now they are trying to get him
counted in by impudent bluffng
The ~. Louis Times of the lith ed
itorially declares /; 1--WE will either
have Tilden or a eight" This is
language fit for the insane asylum or
jail. If the words come from a per
son legally and morally responsible,
they entitle him to protection against
himself in a straight jacket. If they
come from n who knows their mean-
ing, they entitle him to a place inside
Che frst hangman's moose that may
be prepared Tor those who get up a
tight" against the nited States.
He may rest assured that TIE loyal
people who were willing to forgive
those who took part in the rebellion
Of 1861 win see TO it, ifauotber rebel
lion should occur, that treason shall
be made odious by the punishment Of
some of those WHO engage in or in
citeit