Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-11-29

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two states The votes of the New England
aud Western States were known in very
few days after the ballot II was right that
they should he known. There is nothing
est, clearest thing in the world. Aud the
count is not to change the ballot but to de-
eide and proclaim it. The official returns
do not ordinarily differ from the unofficial
by many votes. Only in cases Of great close
ness will the official returns be necessary
in order TO determine the election. When a
score or two of ballots are 10 decide the re-
sult the official count will of course be
waited for with interest. But when the
difference between the parties is unoflicially
estimated 10y hundreds or thousands there
is no need OF the official count 10 determine
the majority.
There is something very painful in the
present position of Florida and Louisiana.
There has been more than ample time in the
three weeks that have elapsed since the cleo
ton 10 ascertain with certainty the exact re.
suit. If any laws exist in any state that
delay the determination Of the result, or that
leave it in the hands Of a half dozen men.
such laws are disgracelul and Infamous. If
a popular ballot is to elect our rulers it is
utterly at variance with the idea Of popular
sovereignty that any canvassing board should
have the legal right TO change the actual
ballot for any reason whatever. There is no
moral or legal propriety in canyassing
board, which is to count aud officially declare
the ballot, going behind it and changing il.
The United States could never consent that
any one of the states should so construct its
canvassing boards that they might give the
legal certificate to electors that were not
elected by the popular vote. To allow
half dozen canvassers in closely contested
election TO count in and count out in such
way as to neutralize the vote Of a state and
the vote of all the states would be fatal to
republican institutions. 1t would be a thou.
sand-fold better TO have the worst man de-
clared elected to the Presidency by the actual
vote of the people Of the several states than
to have the best man declared elected, who
had failed to secure the actual majority
necessary to secure the electors The per.
manence and safety of popular government
lies in perfect adhesion to its idea. Wewould
a thousand times prefer to have the worst
President fairly elected than to have the
best President fraudulcntly elected And
we do most devoutly hope that there will
not be the slightest suspicion attached to the
declaration of the vote by which the Presi-
dent is declared elected. If Mr. Tiden is
honestly elected, we hope that he may be
declared elected. To have suspicion Of
wrong or dishonesty attached to the election
Of Mr.. Hayes would be to us far more pain
full than if attached TO Mr.. Tilden's election.
We could endure fraud if practiced by our
political opponents, but we could not bear
it if practiced by our political friends. The
Republican party can fail to elect its Presi-
dent without dishonor. But to inaugurate
him, if not fairly elected. would be dis
honor under which it could not live, and
which would cling to it like the poisoned
shirt of Nessus. The party whose candi-
date is inaugurated President without a
clear and satisfactory election will certainly
be overwhelmed. No party can survive the
triumph of successful fraud
1t seems to us most clear that the Repub-
lican party must keep itself clear from all
suspicion or tairt of fraud in winning the
election. The democratic party has always
had bad reputation with respect to the
ballot In New York-in Louisiana even
it has borne no high reputation in express
ing the viii Of the people 1t has been ac-
cused of ballotbox stutling, OF repeating,
and Of false returns, with evident truth. 1t
has, in some localities, submerged an honest
vote under false ballots, or false returns. II
was for these things it lost the confidence of
the people. And any party that vitiates the
popular vote by fraudulent voting, or by
false returns, deserves to lose the confidence
of the people. We would vastly prefer TO
lose our choice for President than to have
N"N hNHubAiShh parry ouNNttu bl any udih
and oblique proceedings which could not
bear the full blaze Of the light. The country
could survive the election Of Mr. Tilden, but
it could not survive long the corruption of
its political parties, and especially the cor
ruption of party which has been so pure,
noble, illustrious and historic as the Repub-
lican party. Mr.. Tilden's election would
not be so injurious as the corruption of the
party opposed to him, or as its success by
means of fraud or dishonor to the ballot.
And therefore, we repeat, that it is unfor-
tunate the result of the Presidential election
is still unknown and undeclared There is
policy of concealment and darkness which
is not right We hope that Governor Hayes
is honestly elected by the fair election of a
majority of the electoral college in his favor.
But we do not want Governor Hayes for our
next President If his Inauguration is to be
gloomed by the shadow of an unholy count,
and an unrighteous canvass. If the sus.
picion of a fraudulent occupancy of the
Presidential chair is to be attached to either
Of the candidates, let it be, not to the candi-
date whose character commanded our respect
and vote, but TO the candidate who con
Quoted his own canvass from the day of his
nomination TO the day Of his election.
Wn.a Il, Saa.n.,