The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-12-15
OREGON TO. DECIDE.

The result of the presidential election
would seem to hang upon the way In which
the disputed vote from Oregon is counted.
Without that vote, Rutherford B. Hayes
aud Samuel j. Tilden esch have one hun
dred and eighty-four electoral votes for
president, and William A. Wheeler and
Thomas A. Hendricks a like number of
votes for vice president. We say this
counting the votes of South Carolina, Flo
rida and Louisiana for Hayes and Wheeler
as we do those of Mississippi and Alabama
for Tllden and Hendricks. We have too
often expressed our opinion of what would
be the result of a fair and honest canvass
of an honest count of the votes polled in a
full, fair, free and honest election in these
states, TO leave any doubts of our position
in reference thereto; but taking things as
we find them, the election conducted as it
was, the canvass made in the manner so
often detailed, aud the certificates of cleo
ton based thereon, we see no way in
which the votes OF these states can be
counted other than in the way indicated.
1t may be true, it is true, that by so
counting the votes, We do not get a fair
expression of the popular will in these
states-but that il one of the misfortunes,
the evils, of the system of electing a presi-
dent. The laws, and very poor laws they
are, seem to have been complied with, and
there ID nothing but submission left, and
every good citizen will we believe, submit
with the best grace he can. These electors
all bear the proper certificate, under the
broad seal OF the state, and there is no
mode known to our laws by which we can
get back of that certificate and seal, and
inquire into the validity of their election,
or question the legality Of their acts.
We may say here, in passing, that these
electors Of president and vice-president-
and the president and vice-president elected
by them-aTe the only officers known to
our laws, the validity of whose election
clnno be enquired into. To the national
and state legislatures is given the power tc
judge ofthe election, qualifications and re-
turns of their own members, they can la
quire into the legality of the election, the
eligibility of the member, tie honesty oil
the vote, sc, &c, and can, as they often
do, arbitrarily admit or reject a member
1 without regard to right, law or reason
and it is better so, than that a fraudulen'
election, a false count, a perjured return
or a bought certificate should be final ant
conclusive. So, too, the validity of tn
election of state, county and town officers
from the highest to the lowest, may be in
quired into by quo loarranto, and wrong
righted, and substantial justice done.
The contestiug boards-if we may 8
term the mon who, In South Carolina, Flor
ida and Louisiana, cast or pretended I
cast, the votes of these states for Tide
and Hendricks; and the men who cast, o
pretendel to cast, the vote of Alabama TO
Hayes and Wheeler-however honestl
they may have been elected, however dis
honestly they may have been counted out
have not the shadow Of any standing a
presidential electors. The fact that the,
are without the proper certificate under tn
broad seal of the state, is final and con
elusive as to their claim. To allow thes
votes to be counted would be a revolution
airy act, and one which, VIC believe, will
never be undertaken.
When we come to the care of Oregon
and attempt to apply these principles, W
are met by several palpable Absurdities a
the outset. The regular board-that is tn
hoard about the election of a majority o