New-York tribune., 1876-12-30
TIE SIMPLE ISSUE.

Practically, South Carolina, Florida, and
Oregon are out of the way. In South Caro-
lima. il appears, even the House Committee
unanimously admits that there was a majority
for all the Hayes electors, on the face of the
returns. In FoIlda the Board of Canvassers
has made two counts one with exercise OF
judicial power. and the other, at the command
of the Supreme Court, according to the face
of the returns, and both result in majority
for Republican electors. In Oregon the Demo.
cratic case is so weak and flimsy that the
Democrats who have respectabihty and good
sense admit that they cannot expect the Cronln
certificate to be accepted as having any valid
ity whatever. Even if 1t should be, the Senate
will be prepared to show that at least three of
the votes cast for Mr.. 1iden in other States
were cast by persons cOnstitutionally ineliG-
bic. Thus the Presidential contest narrOws it
self to very simple issue Does the Repubh-
can certificate from Louisiana represent the
legal vote of that State 7
The evidence is exceedingly conflicting. But
the Democrats are no longer able to deny that
there had been many horrible murders com
mitted prior to the election, and candid men
will form their own opinion rs to the purpose
and effect of these crimes. They will remem-
ber that in the state of things existing then,
every man who gives important evidence
against the Democrats does so at the peril OF
his life, while the members of that party are
able TO guarantee full protection to those who
testify in their favor. The difference which
this fact ought TO make and does make in the
credibIity attached 10y candid men to the eyi-
dence gathered by either party, is incalculabe.
It gives the best possible reason for believing
that every fact calculated to help the Demo
Gratis can easily be proved, and that abundant
testimony can also be manufactured on that
side with great ease, tending tG support state
ments which are not facts On the other hand
! it is not easy to believe that any motive can
| have been brought to bear upon the thousands
! of witnesses on the Republican side strong
enough to induce them TO swear TO a lie, and
thereby to incur the vengeance of white DEM
ocrats and invite speedy death. Beyond
dispute, it must be exceedingly difficult
! to get witnesses on that side who
will establish all the facts. The feel
! ings of Just and humane men all
over the land will be touched by the incident
reported by telegraph as having occurred on
Thursday. A cOl0red witness before the Sen
ates Committee "detailed several acts of vio-
"lence, and gave, with great reluctance, the
names of the leaders, and in conclusion asked
the committee what protection would be
given to those who came here to testify"
| Senator Mcdonald told him if any persons mo-
| Tested him to report to the committee and they
would be punished. The witness replied, IF
81 go home and get killed, | cannot report to
the committee" Senator Wadleigh said,
"That is hard case. but we have no power
"to help YOU" What honest man does not
feel that a great part of the truth must re-
main improved under such circumstances Is
il strange if witnesses hide in swamps until
the inquiry is over, rather than leave home
and family at the summons of the committee
to tell the truth, with the conviction that they
may never be able 30 return at all or alive 7
Yet the evidence is overwhelming to prove
that such state of terror does exist
Who can believe in the face of such proof
gathered under such difficulties, that there was
a free and fair electioni
This is the Louisiana case, as i appears thus
far. On the decision in that case the result
of the Presidential election now depends
Democratic buster and Democratic claims
ought to count for nothing. Until recently,
that party has clustered loudly about