The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-12-09
Political Notes.

COUNTING VS.. VoTING.-Though a
man may be regularly and legally elected
President by the whole people, yet he may
be defeated and set aside, and another
man put in his place, by a fraudulent
count, provided it is all done under the
forms of law. This is the theory of the
more violent Republican leaders. They
think it can be enforced by the sentiment
of obedience to law and order which pre-
walls throughout the country. Is this
confidence well founded?
A game like this can sometimes be
played on a small scale, as in district,
county, or even State election. But is it
safe to try il on so large a scale as the
choice Of President, with the whole
blaze of public sentiment of the country
Illuminating the disgraccful record, and
the whole civilized world looking onp
Can the trick stand the glare2
But how is it, if in addition, one branch
Of the Government, and that the popular
branch, filed with representatives fresh
from the people, decline to recognize the
fraud Suppose the House of Ropresen-
tatives steadily refuses to so on with a
President so obtained? Who ahall cure
that difieulty2 The great commons of
the people, representing first, vast pop
ular majority, and secondly, clear major
ity of the electoral vote, aud thirdly, the
entire body of fair-mindcd men Of the
nation-how is its resolute purpose, not to
become party to such crime, ever to be
overcome?
These are the momentous questions to be
considered by the statesmen Of the Repub-
lican party. Can its conservative leaders
afford to carry out the scheme of the des-
peratc political gamblers who have, in
their disappointment as managers of the
canvass, contrived this villainy to turn
defeat into seeming and false victory?
Is it not plain that this question is not
one to be settled against the Judgment of
the House, by the simple declaration Of
an officer of the Senate that Mr.. Hayes is
elected President2 Neither could it be
settled by the act of Inauguration. These
are but steps in the progress of the fraud,
and it never can be finally consummatcd
until the House ratifes the foul transac-
tion.-N. y. Sun.
The Richmond Wing says Should
articles Of impeachments be preferred
against Grant is question to be deter
mined by the Democratic House. Shall
he be impeached? is another to be decided
by the Republican Senate. That he mer-
its impeachment there can be but little
question, as he has trampled upon the
Constitution at pleasure and de6ed the
laws whenever due regard for them would
restrain his will. We doubt, however, the
expcdiency, at this late day. of attempting
the vain thing of securing his conviction
before partisan jury as guilty as he is.
Better, perhaps, let the culprit go free
than risk further excitement and the peace
Of the country in order to teach lesson
to successors whose existence in the un-
certain future is yet problematical. His
race is oil but run; let him depart, scorned
and despised as he will be by all save his
personal followers lewd fellows of
the baser sort" Again, we do not know
that Grant is so much to be blamed after
ALL But fifteen years ago he was but a
worthless, drunken nobody, willing, as it
can be established beyond doubt, to take
service with the Confederates; but accident
secured him to the Federal side, and then
Fortune, in one of its capricious freaks,
determined for time to be consistent and
to smile continuously upon this all but hope.
less scapegrace, to,teach the world, it would
appear, that the lack of "worth sometimes
makes the man." if the possession of it
does not "the fellow" With singular good
luck he staggered along for the four eter
nal years Of the war, having his brave men
slaughtered by scores Of thousands yearly
and never from the time he was placed in
supreme command gaining, with treble
forces, ono victory.
The duties of the Forty fourth Congress
in connection with the Presidential contest
will be onerous and of grave Importance
Whatever may be the designs of the
President, there is no question that Con-
gress is the only safeguard between the
peoples rights and unprincipled aggres,
sion. Congress will first investigate the
whole matter Of the elections in the con
tested States and will then render its yer
dict upon them as a jury of the public
1t will establish its position firmly with
regard to the validity of the twenty-second
joint rule and as to its own powers in
dealing with the electoral vote whilo in
controlling the finances of the government
it will offer such check to q corrupt AID.
ministration as circumstances may indi.
cate to be necessary. The committee
upon appropriations has already informally
expressed through its members its views
in regard to the latter and its expendi
lures will be absolutely restricted to the
present term, serious and, in fact, almost
insurmountablc obstacle to any designs Of
"holding over" that the President may
observation-disclosures Gazette.
A special dispatch to the baltimore
Gazette dated Washing ton, December 9th
says: Mr.. Hewitt and Mr.. Randolph had
an hours interview with the President
tonight. 1t is said by those who know
that the meeting was pleasant and sat.
isfactory one. The President was very
emphatic in expressing his belief about
Louisiana. He says that there has not
been an honest election held there for
eight years, and it is his belief that tho
last one was no exception to the rest. He
takes the ground that her electoral vote
should not be counted this time.
The worst feature of the case, as it
seems to us, is this; Ever since the
morning after the election, when it ap-
peared that the votes of South Carolina,
Florida, and Louisiana would elect Hayes,
the managers of the Republican party have
insisted that those States had gone Re-
publican. They began to say so before any
returns of consequence had como from
those States and when the few returns
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