The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-11-23
THE NATIONS PERIL.

T. From the Evening Telegram, Nov 10.
The Republicans have only their own
indiscreet friends to thank for the pre-
vailing suspicion that they design tam
pering with the election returns in Loui-
siana, South Carolina and Florida, and
intend to change the result in those States,
if they have given Democratic majorities,
by throwing out Democratic counties on
the pretense Of frauds, until they obtain
a majority for their own side. The Gov
ernment of all three States are Republi.
lican, and one of them, at least, owes his
Office TO fraudulent counting, and has
been branded by his own party as a usur-
per. They have one and all taken up a
strong partisan position since the cleo
ton, and have occupied their time in
sending special dispatches to their party
organs and committees, assuring them
that their respective State would be found
ION the final count" to be all right for the
Republicans, forgetting that, as the chief
magistrates of their States, they aresworn
to administer the laws impartially, and
that they will be called upon in their Of
fetal capacity to take action in relation to
the election returns. The tone of their
dispatches, too, has been fnjudicous, and
has done much to excite the apprehen-
hension of intended foul play. Only yes
terday, Governors Kellogg and Chamber
lain telegraphed to the Herald, in re-
sponse to inquiries from that journal, that
nothing is known by them as to the ac-
tual results in Louisiana and South Car
olina. IL would gladly give you the state
ment you request " says Governor Cham.
berlain, but the official returns have not
been received from more than eight coun-
ties" $50 many of the parishes in this
State are inaccessible" says Governor
Kellogg, "and the authentic statements
of results received up to the present time
are so few, and the unofficial accounts
vary so widely that it isimpossible to give
tonight any accurate statement, or even
an approximately accurate statement as
requested by you. Yet these same gen.
temen had been for three or four days
previously telegraphing to their party
friends that their States had certainly
gone Republican, and that the final
count" might be relied on to make mat
ters "all right" Governor Stearns has
been similarly employed. "We hold the
fort" said one of these Executives two or
three days ago, "and you need not be con-
cerned about the result" "If there is a
Democratic majority it is by frauds in cer-
tain countless" said another who now ad-
mits that hea yet knows nothing about
the result, "and this will be made all |
right on the final count"
Now let us reverse the picture. and see
how it would look to our Republican |
friends if Democratic Governors were act
ing the same part now being played by
their Southern Republican Executives.
California is close State, so close that it
is claimed by the friends of Mr.. Tilden
that the result is not positively known.
Governor Irvingis Democrat. Suppose
he had telegraphed to Abram s. Hewitt,
"We hold the fort. Do not believe any
reports about California. The
State will be all right for Tilden on the
final count" and to the World, Don't be
about California. The Repub-
lican claim ofa majority, iftrue, is secured
by frauds in four or five counties, and will
be remedied when the final count is
made;;" would not the country ring with
1utcries about the "rebels," and would it
not be declared in emphatic terms that
,he intention of the Democrats was to in
usurper in the place of the le-
,ally chosen President2 To carry the
picture step further-if Democratic
President had happened to be in power
It Washington and had sent troops to
California to back Governor Irving's ef-
orts at an "honest count" would the Re- ,
,ublicans have looked on complacently :
md have justified the act, however prop
" it might have been?
We have no fear that the Administra.
ion will be made to steal three or even
wo States from Mr.. Tilden, provided
hey have given Democratic maiorities.
uch fraud might be attempted in a
ingle State, but if in two or three States
he pretence of throwing out Democratic
ounties on trumped up charges of fraud
n the vote should be resorted to for the
urpose of securing Republican MAORI 2
les, the rascality wouldlbe as self evident n
s if the figures for the respective candi- 6
ates had been boldly reversed. 1t is {,
lconceivable that group of unscrupu- v
)us politicians could dare to brave the O
ldignation that, in such an event, would |,
weep over the nation. Yet we are in a f
slicate and dangerous situation beyond d
oubt, and it will be we'll for the country Z
the solid, responsible and honest men i
the Republican party insist on fair play :
nd no cheating under the fimsy pre- :.
nee of law in the three States held by y
lose worthless, Kellogg, Chamberlain and y y
eQrnR u