The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-12-14

The Situation.
That Samuel } Iildcn has received one
hundred and cighty-liNe electoral votes
for President, on the face of the certified
returns. cannot be denied, no more than
it can that he has over three hundred
thousand majority OF the popular vote Of
the country. An attempt is made to rli-
cule and scout the firm and dtionsibie
position taken by Coz Grover. of Oregon,
in declining to certify the election OF
Watts, Il postmaster OF that state. But
the Governor has taken :, solemn oath to
support the constitution OF the United
States. and that instrument declares that
no person holding AN office ut profit or
trust under the United States shall be an
elector. BY the light OF law and preced-
ents, he held, in common with lhe Judges
Of the Supreme Court and other state Of
lcials associated with him a. canyassttr3
that votes thrown for Il disqualified person
were void, and that the certiIl ,ate be-
longed to the nest highest candidate. The
result OF this plain and straightforward
course is one more vote for Tillen, and
the one necessary to lis election
A moments reflection viii show that
this result puts the plotting Republicans
in a most cruel and trying dilemma. They
have assumed and for some time promul-
Z lteu the theory that the state authorities
are supreme III such lnatlers-that the
opening anu counting OF electoral votes is
a merely ministerial act RI and that no
power has authority 10 80 behind the
broad seal Of q sovereign state. That Was
assumed because the false counts in tile
upon. and it was q part OF the plot t"
stille all inquiry. Bat the OREGON bush
ness upsets these calculations They must
= - 49, "nt'''nq ar accept a tat
They cannot well make 4 rule which shall
investigate Oregon. and refuse to inquire
into Louisiana, and when the door il once
open 40 one can tell what the devtlopc-
ments may lead to. AT the last prey iou5
election doubtful and disputed states were
thrown out. II that Shall be dome with
Oregon, there can be no choice, and the
house will elect Tilden.
1t is limited, we see, from Republican
sources, that the presiding officer Of the
Senate may assume and exercise the right
to count or re ect votes Ill his discretion
under article second Of the constitution.
This would be most arbitrary stretch Of
power, and one that would find no jnstili-
cation with any one not bent on party
success even at the risk Of the stability Of
the government.
The Democratic party believes, and
thoroughly believes, too, that it has the
right side Of the question in this contest.
and it knows that it has the popular ma
.jority Of the country with it, But right
does not always prevail in this world, and
it is evident that there is u strong con-
spiracy against its prevalence at Wash
ington in the matter of this election And
if we assent to the belief that the Repub-
lican party means t. do Il wrong in this
matter, it must be confessed that they
have large means for carrying out such an
intention. Outside the popular branch of
Congress, the whole machinery Of the
custodian Of the electoral returns ut the
capital is Il Republican; the President Of
who, it will be claimed, has the right to
count Them is II Republican; and the Ma
tional administration, that controls the
military power OF the government, and
will virtually decide who is to be inau0ll-
rated, is Republican, The Democratic
party, largely as it is in popular majority,
can have but little to do with the future
determination Of the question. except by
peaceful means and the force OF reason.
1t must be confessed that the view of
the future is pervaded BY a dread If the
President were like any OF his predeces-
sors, the case would be different But in
stead OF a statesman, OF cultured mind and
liberal views, we have Il man in the exec
utive chair who has not the first idea OF
state policy or the true principles of the
government. He is IL man full of prelu-
dice. -opinionated, stubborn and com
batiye. His character may be traced in
the remarkable message which he last
week sent TO Congress. 1t is fearful to
contemplate the fact that the peace of tie
country at this crisis rests with an admin
1stration having such head, and the con
sequences that may follow.
Can the anxiety that fills the public
mind be relieved Can peace be as
sured, and the ways of peace in determine
ing this serious question? We hold that
the solution Of this query lies with the Re
publican party itself We have before al
iuded to two elements in that organiZa-
ton, one conservative and one destruct-
i've. Thus far only the latter class among
its public men has been heard The con
servativcs bide their time. When deliber-
atoms begin in Congress, and especially
in the Senate, the caIm judicial and
statesmanlike view OF this matter from
the public men of the party will be had
1t is believed that there are a half dozen
such in the Senate, quite a body in the