The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1876-12-21
Do1roN rACrs OF TuE or,
B0ON ELECTORAL cot.
LEGE.

The extreme northwest corner
the Union 10 receiving quite unexpec
ted attention. During the politica
campaign which closed six week
ago, it was seldom spoken Of Nov
every Democrat asks. How abou
Oregon?' and some Republicans re
peat the question, only with a differ
ent emphasis. We propose in thi
connection to answer the question.
Oregon has three electoral votes. I
| is always . close State. In 1875 tn
result stood, 9.S7S Democrat to 9,l0'
Republican, with 1,ls2 scattered be
tween the Independent and Temper
ance votes. The general impression
before the election was that It woult
60 Democratic this Fall. but 1t dit
not. The Republican majority was
little over 400. The election was al
entirely fair one. We have yet &c
hear of any charges Of unfairness II
| its conduct in any precinct Of thu
State. It Is conceded that the thre,
Republican candidates for electors
Cartwright, Odell and Waite, each re
ceived . Majority Of all the votes cast
Had 1t not been for the culpable care
lessness and ignorance of the party
managers of the State In putting or
the ticket the man Watts. who was .
Postmaster: AMI therefore ineligible
no dispute could have arisen a. to the
result. He resigned after his election
and thus, as many claim and we be-
lieve, removed the disability; but the
Executive, being Democrat, refused
to give him certificate OF election
even after his resignation Of the Fed.
eral office he held. Had Governor
Grover stopped there, his action would
not have been censurable, but he went
beyond that, and gave certificate to
the Democrat, having the next high
est vote, Cronin. This was clearly IL
legal, and the Governor must have
known that it was. He hoped, how
ever, that there would be no remedy.
Neither the constitution, the statutes
OF the United States nor presidents
contemplate and provide against any
such high-handed outrage. But, very
fortunately, the man Cronin failed to
act his part in the plot. He spoilt all
by an unforeseen blunder, not made
known by the earlier reports.
There was only one course for him
to pursue in compliance with the con-
spiracy concocted in New York
Grover did his part as hidden, but
Cronin bungled and ruined il all. He
was present at the organization Of the
college. Odell and Cartwright being
. majority, whoever the third might
be, controlled the organization. The
former was elected Chairman, and the
latter Secretary. They took their ap-
propriate seats in the college and new
left them until their work was done.
Cronin, on the contrary, got up and
went away. Here was his fatal blum
der. True to the Democratic instinct,
he seeded. In the meanwhile Watts
who was present, had taken no part
in the proceedings, except to tender
his resignation, thus surrend.ring
whatever claim he had to the office
of Elector by virtue OF the popular
choice. \ vacancy thus existed. If
Watts Was eligible and entitled to
seat in the college, Notwithstanding
the refusal of the Governor to certify
to his election, then the place was
made vacant by his resignation; if
Crouin was entitled to recognition in
the college by virtue of his certificate,
then the place wa made vacant by
III; withdrawal. A college has no
power % compel the attendance Of an
electpr. Whatever theory one adopts
as to conflicting claim. of Watts and
Cronin, il must he admitted that
existed. Cronin gives an ex-
cuse for seeding. that the President
and Secretary of the College ''signi-
fed an unqualified refusal to act
with him. They say that they did
not. However that may pc, it is GER
taid that they did not prevent his ac-
ting with them. His withdrawal
was voluntary. Even admitting his
verzion Of the ease, it still remains in
Ilisputable that he created a vacancy.
Had he been elected, or had he at
to vote, and been denied the
privilege. the case would have been
different; but he surrendered all the
advantage derived from his certificate
Of election by retiring.
A vacancy existing, il was for the
college TO fill it. 4 statute provides
that in case OF vacancy in An electoral
college the same shall be ii led as the
law of the State may direct. The law
Of Oregon. like that on the saline sub
ject in Illinois, New York and many
other States, provides that the remain
ing Electors, or Elector, shall fill the
vacancy when they meet to vote. and
and prior to voting. The two re-
naming electors proceeded to do so,
complying exactly with the law
They exercised the same authority
that the Electoral Coli rye OF Mr. Til
den's own State did OH the same day
When the latter came to vote there
were only thirtyfour Electors present
and they filled the vacancy. What
was lawful and proper at Albany was
equally lawful and proper at Salem.
1t Is true that Cronin was in the room
but he had withdrawn from the col
lege AS etf.ctually a. If he had lrf,
ike State. He had not votel for OF
against either the President "r the
Secretary OF the college, nor did he
tender ballot for President aud Vice
President either before or after the
vacancy WAS recognized by the col
lego and filled.
The disability of Watts having been
removed, and he being present, he
WAS elected to fill tn. vacancy. His
right to seat was due to that subse-
Iuent elevation, and not to his popu-
lar election. His associates never re-
ceived their certificates, il i. true, but
they wore made out, and il Cronin
puts in any claim at all TO the Office Of
e!ectur, the certificate setting forth