The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-11-17

with the fullest support of Grant. He
ordered troops into Florida and additional
troops into Louisiana, in order to protect
the illegal officers who hold power in those
states in performing their share of the
fraud So much being done, Grant directs
Sherman, the general of theEarmy. to see
that there is a fair count made of the
ballots actually cast" in those states, and
Moxa Morton and Efhgy Sergeant, tele-
graph, sfrom the Pacific coast, that they
have heard rumors of violence and fraud
by which the states of Florida and Louisi-
ana are to be ''snatched from u.s." To
this Chandler replies.s that Both Estates
are ours on a fair count and we are
determined to protect the vote as cast" In
other states also there are reports of Re-
publican frauds, but the chief effort of the
administration is made in Louisiana, South
Carolina and Florida. where there are Re-
publican administrations whose existence
depends wholly on the support of the
army.
Prominent men of both parties have
now gone to New Orleans, not to super
wise the election or the count of the vote,
but to be prepared to act intelligently as
witnesses when the questions come, as
they certainly must come, before congress.
If it is claimed that Hayes is legally
elected, and this claim be made good in
the constitutional manner by legal and
sufficient evidence, then he ought to be
peacefully and legally inaugurated; but &C.
cording to all.the evidence, at present. he
has been defeated, and the claim of his
election is only one step in the progress of
the fraud. But whether he is elected or
not, he is not to take his place in conse-
quence of the ruling of the president of
the senate under the prerogative claimed
for that officer, nor is he to be inaugurated in
consequence of any proclamation issued by
the president, nor is Grant to be allowed
to hold over" as some of the Republi-
cans claim he ought to do, by virtue of any
paper anybody can write or any paper he
can sign.
The progress of the Republican fraud
may be abundantly satisfactory to it's de-
visers, to its supporters and to its partici
pants, up to the present time, and they
may, as indeed they do, forecast the sue
cess of the nefarious scheme, and already
discount the profits of future robbery.
But the fraud will not progress beyond
anticipation, it will never reach frution.
| When all the troops have been moved when
all the votes, honest and dishonest, have
been canvassed; when all the officers OF
all the states have made their returns.
and all the electors alleged to have been
chosen, either by the honest votes of the
people or the dishonest count of carpet
baggers, scahwags and swindlers, shall
haYe met, the fraud will have expended
itself. What the soldiers. the negroes and
the carpet baggers may do in Louisiana
South Carolina and Florida, we know not
nor does it concern us to know. The
people of this country will find their safe
guard, where they have always found it
when speedily invoked and steadily
followed, in the constitution of the United
States.
The provision is so plain that there is nj
need to quote it in full, but it declares
that the certificates of the electors shall
be transmitted to the president of the
senate, who shall, lin the presence of the
senate and house of representatives, open
all the certificates and the vote shall then
be counted" This provision ensures that
the progress OF the fraud will be checked
By the action Of the house of representa-.
tives, which will refuse to count the votes
of the states in which Grant and his cabi
net have united with the carpet Dagger;
and thieves to commit fraud under the
protection Of the army.