The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-12-02


and palpable attempt to commit a fraud.
Mr.. Curtin said in conclusion that he
believed the Returning Board had the
power TO count in Hayes in Louisiana.
The people Of the United States had been
so accustomed to abide by the decision Of
the majority, that he hoped when it was
found that Tilden had received MAORI
ty of the votes cast, the attempt to count
in Hayes would be abandoned.
AN ABoLITIoNIsT, IN NEW ORLEANS.
10 tie Editor Of tic Tribune SIR -
As the son of an Abolitionist of as long
standing as Gerritt Smith or Horace
Greeley, as an Abolitionist myself, who
risked life for principle on the battlefield,
| hope | may have my say. At the North
would be an Independent or Liberal Re-
publican; in Louisiana every consideration
of decency and honesty compels me to be
a Democrat, was present all day at my
poll on Nov T. The only intimidation
there was on the part of the Republicans.
/ was myself insulted and menaced with a
pistol by Republican because | was a
Democrat, and at the very door Of the
poll l heard the vilost epithets applied to
all Democrats, simply because they were
Democrats. The half.dozen United States
deputy marshals at the poll were of the
dregs of the population, and were appoint
cd evidently for the sole purpose of giving
them authority to carry arms and thus
intimidate Democratic voters. The Re-
publicans tried all day to start a fight,
but as the Democrats went unarmed, to
vote and not to fight, the prosecuted lambs
of your party were not gratifed. Sir, l
fought four years in the Union army, to
preserve the Union; few years more of
Grantism and Kelloggism will prepare me
to fight twice four years to demolish it.
SHELDON GUTHRIE, Jr,
Ex-Lieut. Col. 32d Ohio Vet. Vol. Inf,
and late First Lieutenant 23d U. s. Iuf
Orange City, Ldtowche Parish, la,
November 81, 1876.
THE PHILADELPHIA LEDGER ON THE
SITUATION.
The Philadelphia Ledger, which has
always been \ conservative paper, although
it has been lately advocating Grantism and
thick-and-thin Repubicanism, has an ar
ticle in its issue of last Friday which
shows that it, too, like the Nation, sees
that the time has come when it is neces-
sary to "call halt Speaking of the
doubts and suspicious, charges and coun-
ter-charges which hedge about the nine
teen electoral votes, in dispute, the Ledger
says: "There can be no fair-minded,
intelligent man in this country but will
admit that the attempt to decide Prcsi-
dental election in that way must prove
to be an unmitigated calamity to the
country and all the people. The situation,
as it is now being hourly developed, is
therefore, one that calls for the most open
fair and honorable treatment, the utmost
publicity, and the most scrupulous adher-
ence to law and justice. 1t is the very
last situation for trick and evasion and
subterfuge-for the desperate devices and
stratagems of desperate political manipu-
lators it is the very last for closed doors
and secret sessions f; it is the very last for
disregard of orderly proceedings according
to the due forms of law. Every proceed
ing in secret, under the deplorable cir
cumstances of the present situation, is
sure to beget suspicion, and, what is worse,
to justify that suspicion every lawless
proceeding is sure to provoke condemna-
tion and invite rejection, and to merit
both. Results brought about in such
ways are certain to be impeached They
would have to go before the tribunal Of
public opinion tainted with the suspicion
of fraud, or vitiated by their lawless char.
acter; and such results cannot win the
approval Of the American people until
that day, which we indulge the hope is
far distant, when the population of this
country shall have lost its good sense and
its instructive honor and justice. These
last are forces that are now required to
come into play 1t will be fatal error
for the good men Of either party to give
the slightest countenance to any trick, any
stratagem, any underhaud or secret pro.
ceeding by the manipulators of either
party, or to allow any such thing to pass
without emphatic censure. If such disrc.
gard of law and of regular judicial pro,
ceedings as that just perpetrated by the
Returning Board of South Carolina fore.
shadows a similar style of proceedings by
the Returning Boards or other election
officials of Louisiana and Florida, our
country most unhappily will have been
brought within range of the dangers and
the anarchy of the Mexican system.
There can be no safety where the law, as
declared and judged by the proper courts,
is treated with contempt aud set at def
ance; and, on the contrary, there is every
safety in our country so long as the man
dates of the court are obeyed and upheld
until the court of last appeal is reached.
There is but little room for fear that the
decision of this last will be anything else
than right. The judgment of the inter.
mediate court commands the loyal obedi-
ence of the American until it is reviewed
by the proper tribunal and that judgment
of the court of last resort is as loyalty ac-
cepted as fnality, even if it be cosidered
wrong. This is the American system as
distinguished from the Mexican system,
where the decision of the law is met by a
pronunciamento.
This is good, sensible, honest talk, and
as such must commend itself TO the atten-
ton and respect Of every one who is not
infatuated by prejudice. After all, it is
to the conservative press and conservative
people of the country that we must look
for happy issue out of our difficulties.
They are capable of putting such pres
sure upon the politicians as cannot be re.
sisted. But they must not postpone the
good work, for we assure them there is no
time to be lost.
PRESIDENTIAL DISORDERS IN Mexico.
"A courier from Guanajuato, Mexico,
who arrived at Brownsville Monday, re-