Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-12-13
OREGON.

2
democratic. Its present Government
is democratic. But at the election in
November the republicans elected
their three candidates for presiden-
tial electors. The lowest vote for a
republican candidate was higher than
the highest vote for democratic
candidate. This much is conceded
by the democrats. They also concedc
that two of the three republican can.
didates were eligible. The third,
Watts, was a postmaster at the time
of his election. lie resigned previous
to the time for issuing certificates.
But the Governor, a democrat by the
name of Grover, refused to issue a
certificate to him. On the contrary,
he issued one to one of the democrat
ic candidates. Now, it is a well cs-
tablished principle of law, that if the
candidate receiving the highest num-
Der of votes is ineligible, that does
not elect the minority, candidate, but
creates vacancy. All the authorities
agree on this. II was the Governors
dutyto issue q certificate either TO
Watts or to the other two republicans
alone. According to the law of the
state, the lawful electors are author.
lied to fill any vacancy that may oc-
cur. His duty was confined to one OF
two courses. But the man Grover
not only issued a certificate to mi.
nor1ty candidate, one Cronin, but
even went SO far as to withhold from
the two incontestably elected repub.
licans certificates of election! 1t il
said that their names were associated
with that of Cronin on the latter's
certificate. However that may be, il
a fact that they were obliged TO pro.
ceeded to their duties without Their
certificates. The Governor thus vic.
lated a statute of the United States
but his defiance of law does not aifec1
in the least the regularity and valid
ity of the College. The two indis
putably elected electors organized
and filed the vacancy in accordance
with law. Mr.. Watts, being nc
longer postmaster, was elected
to fill the vacancy, and the College
cast the vote of the state for Haye.
and Wheeler. Their certificates viii
be duly delivered to the President O.
the Senate. No Endorsement of thu
Governor is necessary to complete it
regularity.
The man Cronin met, and, armed
| with his spurious certificate, chos,
two associates, and then proceeded Il
vote for TiIden himself, while tn
dummies he. had brought into tn,
plot with him voted for Hayes. HI
will go on to Washington with Ger
tificate, made out by himself, bu
having no basis of legality to res
upon, the President of the Senate viii
pay no heed to him. He will appea
to the House for recognition. How
far that body will 60 in its approva
of such .palpable and gross illegally
remains to be seen. 1t is immateria
how far they may 60 in that line
Nothing can seriously interfere will
the due consummation Of the election
The democrats can hardly be SO sill!
as to really suppose that such high
handed, and we might almost So,
grotesquc, disregard of law as tina
of Grover and Cronin in Oregon cal
make any difference in the result, o,
actually embarrass the steps still re
naming to be taken in the induction
of Mcssrs. Hayes and Wheeler int
the offices to which they were elected
yesterday.-Chicago Journal.