Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-11-17
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STAUNTON VA.
FRIDAY MORNING. NOV. II, 1876.
COUNTLNG THE RETURNS.

COUNIINU I'LL ne C1l4FO.
sAxrrI +. sTILDEN was elected Presi-
dent of the United States on Tuesday by
a majority of the votes of the electoral col
leoe and by more than a quarter of mil
lion majority of the popular vote. He will
he inaugurated on the 5th of March next,
unless be should die in themeantime. The
anxiety of the people regarding the frauds
now being attempted in Louisiana, South
Carolina and Florida, has been intense,
Init the result will dispel it all. The frauds
which have been perpetrated in state
with immunity will not be tried with the
ewes of the whole United States fixed on
the returning boards. The experiment
would be too perilous. The Louisiana
BOARD from which one attempt has been
exnected is a VIGOROUSLY corrupt body
and was exposed in a report published in
1874 by Hon. WIN. A. WHEELER of N. Y,
the present Republican candidate for Vice
President who was then member OF the
congressional investigating committee
tn at went to New Orleans to investigate
this same board The great Republican
and lawyer, Hon VIM. nj. EvARTs in
speech delivered in New York on the 18th
of January, 1875, speaking CT such an
event as has lately been in contemplation,
said: .sSuppose that this intervention OF
military power to protect the action OF
ssan independent State authority should
sshappen to be exerted in Louisiana or any
ssone of the States for the purpose OF taking
tout the majority of an electoral college
sswhen they were choosing the President;
cor suppose if by subverting the vote of
esthat State one man should be chosen in
ssstead of the other, who would have been
sschosen if the State had voted without be-
ting acted upon by that authority, what
sshave you then but civil war engaging
esvast passions and vast multitudes of men
sson the question of a dispute over the
PRESIDENCY? 'Ah, you will never have
"that, you say, because we have that
sscourage and that common sense of the
american people which make free gov
s:ernment possible and permanent and
4;strong. Let anybody take STEP you
twill say. that surpasses the fair limits OF
sspolitical competition and political agita-
elton. and the President who takes his seat
ssunder such title shall have nothing but
ecurses and Imprisonment and not the en-
ssioyment of power [ submit it to you
ssfellow-citizens. that the moment we COM
ssplacently accept the side that profits by
1ssuch Intervention, and assume that both
sing but disappointment and political dis
.ssrst are on the other side, principles
care gone and the way will be open at
ssleast for usurpation.'' Another dis
tinguished Republican, now the leader OF
that party said in his place in the u. s.
Senate in 1873, as if in prophecy, that
estbere is imminent danger Of revolution to
.sthe nation whenever the result ct Pre-
"sidential election is to be determined by
s.tbe vote of State in which the choice
ssof the electors has been irregular OF is
ssalleged to have been carried by fraud OF
violence, and where there is no method
s.of having these questions examined and
sssettled in adyance-Where the choice OF
President depends upon the election II
estate suhich has been publicly characterized
4sparty IS alleged to have triumphed and
secured the certific ate OF election by chi
"canery or the fraudulent interposlth'n OF
courts. Such a President would IN al
"cance be shorn OF his moral power and au-
ssthority in his office; would be locked upon
s.as a usurper, and the consequences that
sswould result from such state OF things
seno man can predict. But it may be com
tspared to what has so often occurred IL
s'history, where the successor to TIT
s'crown in monarchy was believed by 4
e'large part Of the nation to be lilegltlmatf,
s.or not rightfully entitled thereto, under
ssthe laws OF usages of the nation" Ines
are grave words from great minds, and
should be pondered by the desperate Office
holders-for the ofice-holders seem to b.
the head and front of the movement t"
Great the people out of the election, before
they take another step in a path, Of whlcA
no man can fOresee the end.
In the meantime nothing can be &C
conplished by being excited. The Demo
Gratis have fairly won the PRESIDENT j
election, and don't intend to be cheate'
out of it. It is one thing cheating IT,
Democrats of few Southern States cut g
their election, but it is another when they
attempt to seize an honest victory out q
fine hands of the great Democratic party
of the North. They will see TO it thai
there is an 'shonest" count, OF know the
reason why