Middletown transcript., 1876-12-02
PUBLIC OPINION.
What the Press says:
THE NATIONAL SITUATION.

L
1t is becoming more aud more mani
fest every day that the sterling sense Of
honor and justice and the strong patriot
ism Of the American people will have to
be exerted to the fullest extent in the
enforcement Of an honest and lawful re-
suit to the Presidential election: for it
is becoming. every day, more evident
that few desperate men in each of the
"disputed States" aided by others else
where. may attempt to influence that
result to suit their own purposes, re-
gsrdless Of the popular vote The de-
cision Of the presidential election hinges,
most unfortunately, upon one Electoral
vote, and that one is involved in an al
most endless maze Of disputes. of
charges and countercharges Of fraud,
intimidation. false counting and disre-
gard Of law in three States, which in
the aggregate cast pineteen Electoral
votes. 1t requires all of the nineteen
to elect Governor Hayes and it requires
but one to elect Governor Tilden but
the whole Of them, as we have said, are
surrounded by this threatening cloud of
elimination and recrimination as to the
fraudulent transactions and intended
fraudulent operations of number of
election officers and Returning Boards.
This is q sorry sight for the American
Republic at the close of it's Centennial
year. 1t is sufficiently misfortune at
this time that the discussion rests pom
one Electoral vote even if there were
but little doubt about its validity; but
it will be calamity with consequences
that no human sagacity can foresee if
that one vote shall be swsyed by any
one, by giving force and vitality to fraud
committed during the election, or by
trick. or by arbitrary action. or by false
counting. or by lawlesa proceedings after
the election, in returning the result
There can be no fair minded, intelligent
man in this country but will admit that
the attempt to decide . Presidential
election in that way must prove to be
an unmitigated calamity to the country
and all the people. The situation, a.
It is now being hourly developed. is.
one that calls for the most
open, fair. and honorable treatment, the
utmost publicity, and the most scrupu-
Gus adherence to law and justice. tits
be very last situation for trick and
evasion and subterfuge-for the despsr-
lte devices and stratagems Of desperate
political manipulators. It 10 the very
asst for closed doors and secret sessions;
is the very last for disregard Of or
lerly proceedings according to the due
orms of law Every proceeding in Sc
ret, under the deplorable circumstances
f the present situation, is sure to beget
uspicion. land, what is worse, to justify
hat suspicion; every lawless proceed
ng is sure to provoke condemnation and
invite rejection. and to merit both. Re-
ults brought about in such ways are
ertain to be impeached. They would
ave to 90 before the tribunal of public
pinion tainted with the suspicion Of
raud. or vitiated by their lawlsss char
cter; and such results cannot win the
pproval of the American people until '
bat day, which we indulge the hope is G
'r distant. when the population of this q
ountry shall have lost lite good sense i
nd its instructive honor and justice. {
hese last are the forces that are now o
squiIed to come into play. 1t will be d
fatal error for the good mcn Of either a
arty to give the slightest countenance 9
} any trick. any stratagem. any under i
anded or secret proceeding by the ma c
ipulators Of either party, or to allow t
ny such thing to pass without emphatic ]
ensure. If such disregard of law and 0
regular judicial proceedings as that il