, 1876-11-25
Our Next President.

watch very closely what is going Oh
in the three doubtful States, and a
very large portion of voters will arrive
at conclusions irrespective OF party re
la;ions. The question is so grave and
momentous that party success lcses
much of its ordinary importance. Our
republican institutions are being sub
Jected TO severe test, and confidence
In their permanency in the estimation
Of public opinion, both at home and
abroad, will depend very much on the
manner in which the people conduc,
themselves, and the restraint they can
exercise over the rule or-ruin leaders
who may appear in the councils of
either party. IL is siOuIly claimed by
the democrats that in Louisiana they
have majority Of the votes cast,
variously stated at from six thousand
10 eight thousand. This claim is not
allowed by the republicans, but it has
been admitted by republican journals
that the vote as cast i'll the five dis
| Puted parishes gave an apparent ma
jOrity 10 the democrats. 1t Is claimed
however by republicans that the vote
in ;hese five parishes is properly sub
ject TO revision by the returning
board on the ground of gross fraud
and intimidation. All intelligence
from Washington and Louisiana points
To a determination on the part of The
republican leaders to protect the re
turning board in performing their duties
as defined by law. From the decision
OF this returning board there is no di-
rect appeal. The method of their
work is Ibis: They first canvass the
undispGted ballots and thus arrive at
a ,osltl,e knowledge Of the vote OF
each party which will stand IN any
event. They then receive statements
of supervisors of registration or com
missioners Of election from districts
the vote of hict, is IN dispute They
may also receive the atfidavits OF clti-
zeus who were not officials. If the
returning board become convinced
ti;at in consequence OF dlSiur bance or
intimidation or other causes a sufficient
number # qualified electors were pre-
vented irnm.regisiering and voting so
AZ 30 change the result of the election
they may exclude such districts from
the count IN ma%lng up the vote OF
the State, 1t will readily be seen
that in arriving at a conclusion in re
gard 10 intimidation, there Is great
chance for errors Of Judgment. There
is also 4 chance for premedliated
fraud en- the part Of the returning
board. There Will be no tronb!e III
finding witnesses who will swear that
they were inundated. The return
board, intending tc be honest, may be
imposed upon by false Witnesses and
If the returning board does no; intend
to be honest, they can very easily
procure testimony in such districts as
they desire 10 exclude from the count.
Ii will be the more easy 10 do this
with a show of Justice, as the charac-
ter ot the vote III certain parishes III
/ L,uiSiana il at least suggestive Of
strong influences at work 10 keep col
ored voters from the polls. We will
suppose, therefore, that, honestly or
di,honestly, the returning board of
/ Louisiana throws out The disputed
pari,heS and counts the vo,e for Hayes.
| The returning b ards Of Florida and
South Carolinl may do the same
thing. In that case Mr.. Ha!eS will
be elected by a majority Of one vote.
He will have l05 TO lS4 for Mr.. Til
den. But there is yet an Ctfrlal act
to be performed after the votes OF lhe
States are officially declared before
the President is declared elected. The
federal constitution proyldes that the
two houses shall meet in joint cOnven-
ton on the second w, dncsday in Feb
u.ry, when the President of the Sen
ate shall open the package Of returns
from the different States and declare
the result.
Nov, if as We have supposed, the
three States OF Louisiana, South Caro-.
lima and Florida shall, through their
returning boards, declare for Hayes,
the returns reaching the President OF
the Senate would elect Nj. Hayes by
= maiority of one. a gery important
onestiun here arises 81 10 the course
The House would ad0p: at this crisis.
II il should appear 10 representative
democrats who are now IN the d!spu>
ted States that Mr. Hayes was fairly
elected, they would doubtless permit
the S.ai,s 10 ke counted without pro
test Bat II 1t should appear mat
| the returning board of sny one Sti lie
threw out returns 10 create a majority
for their own party, it is not probable
that the democratic House would
permit such State 10 be counted with
ont entering a vigorous protest bu'
il is not So C ear at present loE inst
protest can be made effective. Under
the twenty second JOINT rnie the vote
of no State could be counted while
either House objected. But this rule
is not now regarded a. in force, and #
is not at all probable that the Senate
will accept i; and thus arm the House
with the power 10 rule out a STATE. il
may be urged that the twenty second
rule is as good law as when hoih