The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-12-14
THE POLITICAL SITUATION.
WHY THE OREGON TRICK CANNOT SIC.
CEED:

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WHY THE OREGON TRICK CANNOT SIC.
CEED:
Tho Washington correspondent of tho New
York Tribune says:
The Democratic members seem to take
their cue from Mr.. Hewitt to day. They were
not. however. III the serene mood fmen who
were confident OF their ground, but were III
bad temper and could not discuss the stua.
ton in conversation with Republicans oreyen
with each other without displaying an excl
ted md almost threatening manner. The
Southern Democrats were noticeably cooler
than their Northern brethren, most OF the con-
clIiatory talk appeared to procee d from them.
The Republicans were grave and anxious. A
OF opinions during the day went
far iowa rd reasoning them, however. Sa-
gacious men looking at the facts in the Or
egan election, soon perceived q fatal flaw in
the Democratic cause. They saw that it is By
no means certain that the returns declared
by the President of the Senate will show q
vote for Tilden.
The case Glands thus: Tie Governor Of Or
egon issued certificate that Cartwright and
Odell, Republicans, and Cronin. Democrat,
were the lawful electors. This certificate
Cronin put in his pocket. lie organized him
self as the electoral college, moved that he
fill the two vacancies, put the vote to himself
declared it carried, elected two Democrats,
and made up Il return OF one vote for Tilden
and two for Hayes, which he will brin. on
himself to Washington and deliver 10 the
President OF the Senate. The two genuine
electors met, found majority of the cleo o.
raj college present, filled one vacancy, cast
the vote for Hayes in accordance with the
verdict of the people, and made up legal re-
tern in due form.
The President OF the Senate viii open both
the returns. He will find in the fraudulent
the certificate Of the Governor. By this GET
tificatc he will learn who are declared 10 be
the electors. He will then refer to the con-
flictin@ returns to ascertain which comes
from Il majority OF the electors thus certified
to. That return, 1t is declared, he will pre-
sent 10 be counted. The other will be trea-
ted rs annlity. There will be no going be-
hind the certificate, because tho certificate
itself. whenever found. will show which is
the genuine return and which is the fiaudu
lent one. The circumstanc that this certi-
fcate comes enclosed in false return is not
important. 1t is perhaps all the better that
it should be so, for it exposes the fraud which
it was hoped it would conce al. Republicans
now understand this clearly, and are not at
all troubled ut this last trick of their oppo-
nents.
no FEARS OF THE TRICK.
The Republican Senators held Il caucus on
Friday last. The Washington Republican
makes the following reference to it:
The Republican Senat ors held q caucus yes
terday morning before the meeting Of the
Senate, and Senator Mitchell submitted tel
egram which he had received stating that the
Republican electors remained in the room as
signed to them, re elected Watts, and cas-
their votes for Hayes and Wheeler, made affi-
davits OF the facts, made out returns, and at
tached certified copies Of the official vote OF the
State under the great seal of the State: all
done in compliance with the forms of law So
far as circumstances will admit. Mr.. Mitch
ell stated that the law Of Oregan, in case Of a
vacancy in the office Of an elecitor occasioncd
oy death, refusal 10 act, neglect to attend,
or otherwise must be filled Immediately by
Uiua voce and plurality of votes. He said that
Governor Grover had given the certificate to
d person who had a minority vote, and two
others, who had no vote at all. He further
said that the vote of tho regularly-elected G.
lectors would be brought here according to
the customary usage; that while Il would not
have the certificate Ut the Governor, it would
give the vote for electors. to which the broad
seal OF the State was attached. He felt con-
f1dent that the absence of the Governors sig
| nature would not effect the vote ofthe State,
as the Republican electors would show more
| than the Democrats electors could-that they
| had majority OF votes, and this under the
seal of the state.
A general interchange Of views on the Con-
stituton aud legal points involved ensued, in
which Senators Morton and Edmunds took
prominent parts, and q conclusion was rea-
| ched that no harm could result from the over
| sight by which an Ineligible person was
named for an elector.
F! HOW THE FRAUD WAS pERPETRATED.
| SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 8.---The Portland
| Press dispatch says in an interview with
| Watts to-day he states positively that when
Secretary Chadwick slipped the certificates
OF election through the door into Cronin's
| hand the other electoral candidates were pre-
sent and asked what the sealed envelope con-
tanned. Cronin answered that it contained
| certificates OF election. Watts, Cartwright
| and Odell asked to see the certificates. Gro
min declined to all Of them. The request
was made three times by the electors named
and each time denied. The electors then de-
| mandcd he should produce the certificates.
/ Cronin refused in most emphatic terms, at
the same time thrusting the envelope in his
breast pocket and huttoning his coat. The
electors aver that no one was in the room
| but Cronin who saw what he claimed were
the certificates. So far as they had positive
| or judicial knowledge the envelopes contain
ed nothing except blank slips.
| He claimed he was an elector, and said he
| had certificate, and asked permission to act
| with Cartwright and Odel. These gentle
men did not refuse at any time to recognize
or act with him. They demanded that he
should exhibit his certificate, and show what
right he had to claim q scat in the electo-
raj board. This he also positively refused to
do. Cronin himself Withdrew, and declared
that as the other two gentlemen refused to
| act, there existed two vacancies in the board,
which he PROCEEDED to fill, appointing Mile
and Park, two staunch Democrats, and then
cast the so-called electoral ballot of the State.
! The Republican electors, after casting the
| electoral ballot prepared q full and complete
statement Of what took place in the room, of
everything thaG was said and done, to which
each appended his affidavit. This statement
| has been forwarded, together with the seal.
ed ballot, to the President of the Senate.
At an indignation meeting here las. night
Governor Grover was burned in effigy in the
street by a crowd Of excited citizens.
| ATTEMPT TO BRIBE ELECTORS.
The New York Times gives the following
report Of the casting Of the ballot for Presi-
dent by the Republican electors of Louisa
| ma:
At this moment Judge Levisscc made his
appearance, and. flushed and excited, took
his seat among his colleagues, then the vote
| went on, and as the names were called each
e'ector cast his ballot for Hayes and Wheel.
er. At length the name of Aaron 3. Lewis
see was called, and the Judge rose in his
place nervously, and said:
M. Chai1naan-B Before casting my vote,
desire to inform this meeting and these
spectators that have been offered one I.,ln-
bred thousand dollars to give my ballot to
the Denocatic candidate, SanuelJ. Tilden.
| have refused that offer, however. l deem
it better that the Republican candidates
should be electad than that should receive
100000. therefore cast my ballot for
Rutherford B. Hayes and William A. Wheel
er.
AT the conclusion of Judge Levissee's re-
marks, he was greeted with loud applause,
and then it was announced that the eight
electoral votes of Louisiana had been duly
cast for the Republican candidates for Presi.
dent and Vice President. Shortly after thi.
f1s