The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-11-16
Installing the President Elect.

Installing the President Eject.
Asa fitting response 10 the wild ranting an,
insane suspicious of the Richmond Dispatc
and Baltimore Gasettc, we give the followin;
calm. dignlfied and truthful sentiments from
the Cincinnati Gazette. The contrast between
the feelings thai perva.l, the two parties i
strikingly presented in the temper that CON
trois the newspapers representing the respec
tive organizations. Il was further illustra
ted in the telgraphc dispatches sent out by
the friends of the-two canddates-tliose from
the Republicans being Invested of sensation
as much as possibe-whle the reports OF the
| Democra Is were more or less embelished will
EXPLANATIONS, charging fraud and crime upot
the Republicans. without particle of evl
dence to sustain them. 1t came, too, with bat
| grace from the Democratic press OF Virgins
to Intimate unfairness against The Republi
cans anywhere after the experience that
has been undergone in several of the districts
OF East Virginia
Bat to the article from the Gas stte. Ii
reads:
| Should Mr.. Tilden receive Il majority OF
even. one in the electoral vote. according to
the legal form, no Republican opposition
won I'd be made to his being declared elected
as President. No stronger proof Of the re-
spect of the Republican party for the forms
OF law can be given than this; for that there
IS NO free election in several oil the Southern
Stat rs; that freedom Of election is SUPPRESS
ed by violence, is condition which Demo-
Gratis rather justify than deny; and, if elect
n H. ~ =
| arms.
When we affirm this extreme forbearance
on the part of the Republican party we dis
pose OF all possible occasion for fancies that
there will be any high handed course or any
contest over the counting of the electoral vote,
or even the declaration of the result. When
Republicans agree to receive the votes of
States VIGOROUSLY carried for Tilden by the
suppression OF the voice of the majority of
the people, because their votes will have the
legal form, they remove every possible cause
for dispute.
For on the other part there is no shadow
OF foundation for preteXt that there has
been any interference with the freedom of
Democrats in voting. They who by violent
means have in their hands the means Of max
ing returns Of the electoral vote in the form
OF law, can hardly be expected to have the eff
frontery to dispute the authority of Republi-
can State officers to certify to legal returns.
1t is hardly credible that the Democatic par
ty. which has suppressed q free ballot in
most Of the States which it claims to have
carried, will be so imprudent as to challenge
an examination of its methods by serious
dispute of the legality Of the election in such
Southern States as have chosen Republican
electors
But if they should it would make no differ
Mn
of electors, according to legal returns. lie
would be installed, though that majority
would be but one. If Mr.. Hayes shall re-
ceive a majority in the legal form, he will be
declared elected, and will be installed. From
the history OF the Democratic party, we may
say with assurance that if the situation were
reversed, and the Democrats had the admin
tration, and the Republicans had effected
the form of an election Of President by such
means as the Democrats have used in Missis-
sippi. Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina,
Texas and other States, the Democratic adj
ministration would not permit the counting
such votes for the Republican candidate, nor
surrender the Executive authority to him.
The party would demand the throwing out
OF votes obtained by the suppression of free
ballot, and would use the army to resist the
installation Of candidate so elected. But
the Republican party is of different charac-
ter altogether. 1t has the Executive admin
tration, the command of the army and navy,
and the officer who has the duty to open and
announce the electoral votes, and it will use
these powers to maintain the supremacy of
law. and to see that the electoral vote is duly
carried into effect, and that he who shall Sc
cure a majority of it shall be duly installed
in office.
And there will be no danger of forcible re-
sistence to this. Democrats who have lost
their heads through the fear OF the loss of cleo
ton bets, or who have been made suspicious
to degree of lunacy by the fading away OF
the false election reports which were SYSTEM
atically circulated in the North, for IL pur-
pose, have talked as il they were going to be
counted out Of the election of Tilden, or rs
if the return of any Republican votes from
the South were an offease, and have vapored |
about resistance by force.
But this is the mere election or betting. |
frenzy. There will be no disturbance. He
who has the majority of the electoral vote
will be installed with the usual pomp ard
circumstance, but with no other commotion.
A Republican, Executive, armed with all the
powers of the Government, will see to that,
and the moral effect of this will be sufficient.
There is now no imbecile Executive. sur
rounded by ii gang of traitors; but there is
an Executive administration which will see
that the supremacy of law shall be maintain
ed, and there will be none who will venture
to come i'll collision with its lawful powers.