The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1876-12-15
THE OREGON FARCE.


In their wild hunt for that single
electoral vote by which they were to
elect Tilden, the Democracy not only
offered ten thousand dollars for an
electoral vote in South Carolina, but
increased their proffers until in Louisi-
ana the sum of 500, 900 was offered to
Judge Levison for his vote. But it was
not till they reached Oregon that there
was even a ray of hope to cheer them.
There they had Democratic Govern
or, and there they raised the cry OF in
eligibility, because a Hayes elector had
been a postmaster. The Governor
true to his natural instincts lent him
self to their schemes, and had certifi-
Gates of election issued for two Re
publicans and one Democrat, and con-
fided all the certificates to the Demo
crat, "a fellow named Cronin. The
Republicans demanded to see the
authority by which Cronin proposed to
act, but he refused TO show it. The
two Republican electors refused to
recognize him, when he refused to give
them their certificates, and going off,
selected two others, met and cast their
votes, two for Hayes and one for Til
den, whereat the Democracy of the IN
thinking sort sent up shout, ali over
the land. The two Republican elec
tors met, filled the vacancy as provided
by wand cast the three electoral votes
for Hayes and Wheeler. tits needless
to speculate upon which will be re-
ceiyed and counted by the President
of the Senate. In the first place
abundant precedents are established
to show the utter futility of the claim
of minority candidate TO election be-
cause the majority candidate was in
eligible. The Senate and House both
have decided this matter, and even
Senator Thurman is on record against
II. The principle Is embodied in a curt
sentence. The minority claimant, not
having received the highest number Of
votes cast, could, in no sense be regard
cd as elected. Any other rule would
be an outrage upon the majority rule
which the people would speedily repu-
diate. With no valid claim, then, to
being elected, Governor Grover, com
mitted a gross fraud in recognizing
Cronin in any way, and it is no won
der the people of Oregon, indignant at
the outrage attempted to be played
upon them, manifested their utter de-
testation of the Governor, by burning
him in efigy.
The law of Oregon is explicit in re-
gard to the manner in which vacancies
in the Electoral College of the State
shall be filled, and it will be seen by the
clause that the Republican
electors acted strictly according to
law, and that their return is the only
one that can be recognized. The
,lause referred to is as follows:
TIrLEI x. SEC. 59 Ifthere
or, accustomed by death, refusal to act, neg
ect to attend. or otherwise, the Electors present
hdu Immediately proceed 10 JiH By Cfrd uOce and
'lilrdlity ottotes such Udncdncy in the Elector-
u College.
The situation is legally as follows:
Watts, being ineligible, cured his in
Eligibility by resigning his postmaster
hip; and lest any doubt might remain
esigned his dictatorship, thus causing
vancancy under the law, as no one ,
lse but the three Republican electors [
lad received majority of the votes
asst, and no one else could be declared
'.ected, that being an incident neces-
airy to c..oice. Cronin, for this rea-
on, could not be declared elected, and ;
lis recognition as such by Governor
irover was clearly without warrant of :
aw. The Governors act was clearly !
fraud. But, for the sake of argu- {
nent, granting it was right, Cronin,
,eing a minority, could not control
he College, and by going off and meet {
ng with others, left a vacancy at the {
College which the duly elected electors
illed according to law. In any shape
he affair is regarded, the Democracy !
will be unable to extract any consola- I
ion from it, and will be utterly asham- 1
d of the pretense before it is a fort
hight old.