The New York herald., 1876-12-08
The oregoa Eiectors-A Checkmate
and a Surprise.

n
tongue when cudgelled by Balaam has
served many uses in the controversies of the
learned. The metaphysical philosophers
have ridden him with great comfort
and satisfaction in their disputes re-
specting the freedom Of the will. II
the will has no self-determining power,
they say, but is always governed by
the strongest motive, an ass midway be-
tween two bundles of hay of equal size and
quality would be unable to decide from
which of the two he should satisfy his hun
ger and would helplessly flop his wise ears
and starve with abundance of tempting food
on either side. Descending from the barren
heights of metaphysical speculation to the
soft, enchanting wales of sentiment, our pa
tient and honest donkey has served as the
emblem of lovers spellbound between equal
beauties. If the donkey between the two
haystacks had possessed the gift of speech
and of song he might have brayed, in
plaintive strains
How happy could be with either
| Were 'tother dear charmer away!
| This would seem to be the affecting condi-
tion of the republican party since learning
the last news from Oregon "Issachar is
strong couching down between two bur-
dens"-namely, Oregon and Florida, the
extreme Northwestern and the extreme
| Southeastern State. If the mere certificates
are to be regarded as conclusive the votes of
| Oregon must be admitted on that footing as
well as the votes of Florida. If Congress
has no authority to go behind the certif-
| Gates authenticated by the State execu.
tives the one democratic electoral vote
from Oregon gives Mr.. Tilden the requi-
site one hundred and eighty-fve and
he must be declared elected. If, on the
other hand, Congress can go behind the GER
tifcates and decide on their validity, Hayes
may get the one disputed vote in Oregon,
and lose the votes of either Florida, Louis
lana or South Carolina. Whichever horn
Of the dilemma Issachar, COUGHING down
between his two burdens, may take, the
result threatens to be equally fatal. If the
mere certificates are held to be final Tilden's
election is put beyond question but, If the
origin of the certificates can be investigated,
and their genuineness and legality reviewed,
there is no certainty that Hayes will
retain the electoral votes which have been
SO long in dispute. The republicans
have great deal more at stake in this conf
troversy as to the fnality of the certificates
than the democrats. They need all the
votes of the three Southern States and all
the votes of Oregon to give Hayes
majority, whereas the democrats are safe If
they get either the one Oregon vote, or one
vote from any of the States which have been
so keenly contested. If the republicans re-
fuse to go behind the certificates Tilden is
elected; if they consent to go behind the
certificates they may lose the Hayes votes in
the South. The republican donkey stands
between these two bundles of hay; they are
in dilemma between Oregon and the South,
with an equal danger of being gored whether
they accept one horn of it or the other.
The republicans have q quick and clear
appreciation of the magnitude of this sud-
den peril. The unbridled rage Of denuncia-
ernor Grover attests the Importance they at
tach to his action. The wounded bird
futters. There is no end of the opprobrious
epithets which they heap upon the Governor
of Oregon. He is ''traitor;' = he is o ''Ben-
edict Arnold y he has committed ''the great
crime of the century;" he is to be refused
the seat in the Senate to which he was
elected by the last Legislature of
his State. Whether he deserves this
great outpouring of wrath or not its
authors make by this exhibition an implied
confession that they are sadly upset and de-
moralized by Governor Growers action.
Unless he has deranged their plans and they
fear that he may have dashed the cup from
their lips there would be no place for all
this wild and stormy denunciation.
Without assuming to express any opinion
on the legal questions which lie at the root
of this controversy we will state what has
been done in Oregon, according to the in
formation which has yet come to hand. All
our readers know that among the names on
the republican electoral ticket in Oregon
was that of Mr.. Watts, who held the Office
of postmaster and was therefore in
eligible BY the law of the State
persons receiving the highest number of
votes are elected. As the votes cast for an
| ineligible candidate are void it was main
tanned by the democrats that the electors
really chosen were the two eligible republican
| candidates and Mr.. Cronin, the democrat
| who received the largest number Of votes.
This involves legal question which has
been differently decided by the courts of
different States, and which can be deter
mined only by the local law. The courts of
New York, Pennsylvania and Louisiana have
decided it in one way; the courts of
Indiana, New Jersey and Louisiana in
another; and each Of these conflicting