The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-12-14


lege, in the Senate Chamber, was called
10 order by Secretary of State Bigelow.
Deputy Secretary Of State Apgar called
the roll of electors, each of whom appear
ed at the clerks desk; and the Secretary
Of State administered the constitutional
oath, under which the elector declared
he had not been guilty of bribery of vo-
ters. They also signed their names to
this oath.
The Secretary of State announced that
all electors were present except James
H. Holdane, and asked the pleasure Of
the College as to filling the vacancy.
Augustus Schell moved the appoint
ment of committee to select a suitable
person to be balloted for to fill the va
Cancy referred to- Carried.
Augustus Schell, James McQuade and
Daniel B. st, John were appointed said
committee, and they retired to an ad-
joining room, and returned in few min
utes, reporting the name of Alexander
e. Orr, of New York. On motion the
College then proceeded to ballot for an
an elector to fill the vacancy caused by
the absence of Holdane-F. 0 Cable and
Silas Clark acting as tellers. After the
ballot the tellers reported "a votes cast,
all Of which were cast for Alexander E.
Orr. The Secretary of State announced
the choice of Mr.. Orr, and that gentle
man took the oath.
The Secretary of State then declared
the College complete, and said that it was
in order to proceed to choose perma-
nent organization.
De Witt C. West moved that Horatio
Seymour be chosen President of the Col
lege. Carried with applause.
Messrs. West and Abel were appointed
aCommittee a to conduct the President to
the chair, and after this was done Mr.
Gardiner, of New York, moved that JAS
McQuade be appointed Secretary. Car
ried.
Mr. Perry, of Albany, moved that Jas.
McQuade be appointed Secretary.
President Seymour then proceeded to
address the College, after which the Col
lbgb ulllll
dent Seymour said:
MR.. sEYMoUR's SPEECH. i,
The grave duty ofgiying. in behalf OF
this great State its votes for the men its
citizens wish to place in the high office
of President and Vice President of these
United States, has impressed itself upon
the mind of each eleCtor. We feel still
Al Of NI1r nc
this Centennial year recalls the first acts
in the struggle which made us a free
people, and the events which led to the
formation ofour Union and the adoption
of its Constitution. Our action at this
time is one of the transactions as neces-
sary to the life of our Government; one
without which it would fall into anarchy
and ruin. This day also reminds us of
the growth of New York. We represent
more millions ofpeople than lived in the
country when our fathers fought the bat
Ties of the Revolution, or formed theg gov
ernment of our Union, The ceremonies
of the year have excited pride in our
country, its history and its government.
But none of these have filled our minds
with such a deep sense of the dignity of
American citizenship as the political ac'
ton of the last month. Upon given
day more than eight millious OF men,
moving simultaneously in all parts OF
this vast country, went to the ballot box
es and gave the votes which told their
will as to the men who should fill the
highest Office in our Government. When
a majority of more than three hundred
Thousand, represented by the proper
number of electoral votes, declared their
choice, all strife ceased and all cheerful
ly Welded to the will of the people. Bus
mess began to resume its activity, public
confidence grew stronger as we thus hap
pilv rounded out the century of our ex-
istence as people. By this grand ex-
hibition of this faultless working of the
mechanism of our government we chal
lenged the admiration of the world.
THE PEOPLE ALARMED.
At this moment of general Congratula-
ton the people were startled by the as,
sertion that there had been discovered
in remote Southern StateS the exact
number of electoral votes which would
be given TO and would elect the Presi-
dental candidate who was not the choice
of the majority of the American people,
This surprise was greater because it was
one ofthe charges made by the Republi-
cans in the canvass to excite In the
minds of the men Of the North that the
"solid South" would support the Demo
cratic ticket. 1t was also urged that ev-
ery Southern State had deep interest |
in doing this, because they meant to |
make demands upon the national treas
urv, While this charge was unjust, no |
reason can be given why South Carolina, |
Florida and Louisiana should not act in |
accord with the Overwhelming majorities |
fthe adjoining States. The public ex-
citement reached the highest point when |
it learned that the men who proposed to |
give these electoral votes to the candi- |
date of the minority who had been for |
years past charged with grave crimes,
and that their personal security against |
legal punishment depended upon their |
success in falsifying the returns of their |
States. To them an honest count meant |
Just punishment. / cannot be charged |
with partisan prejudice for any terms of
reprOach may use in regard TO the Off
. cials of Louisiana. have no words suf
fciently strong to describe their un-
worthiness as set forth in official rel orts
made bytheir political friends, | can
not, if l would, paint the aversion shown
in the halls of the Capitol by honest Re-
publicans, who Stunned them as leprous
men, whose touch and presence were
polluting. Yet a fewsuch men, acting
solely in reference to their personal in
terests, and who believe that the black
ness of their crimes strengthen their
claims upon the gratitude of their party,
have thus put in peril the interests, the
honor, and the safety of the American
people We have not the poor satisfac-
ton of feeling that the dangers which
threaten us are even invested with the
ordinary dignity of danger; The pride
of our citizens is humiliated, and their
feelings Of security under our laws and