The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-12-21
TERMS $500 PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE.
Political Notes.

4
Ii there is any suspicion lingering in tha
public mind that Gov. .Tilden ought 10 be
made President, a few uprestraned Demo-
cratic mass meetings can be depended on to
remove it.
What will become of the new 'Reformn
organ in Washington after Hayes is inaugu-
ratsd9 Its fate will be decided long before
that time if Jere. Black continues to load it
oown with four column legal opinions.
The Government could never stand the
strain OF having Congress act as a National
Returning Board with judicial powers. Nor
does the proposal to impose the duties of such
Ooard on the Supreme Court seem any more
commendable.-TheN Nation, Ind.
South Carolina ought to be happy now:
Two Governors, two Legislatures, Supreme
Court with no end of Jurisdiction, probably
an extra United States Senator, and competi-
tive exhibitions in chin music by the whole
population.
When Ulysses S. Gran. retres from an
office that always gathers to itself the bitter
est shafts OF criticism, the respect and esteem
in which be is held by his fellow citizens will
continue to Increase during his life, and his
name Will ever hold conspicuous and hon.
ored place in the annals OF his country
Zion's Herald
Grantism is getting to be popular. The
more we see of Grant the better we like him.
1t takes great occasion to bring him out so
that he is seen at his best; but whenever the
great occasion comes, Grant is the central
figure and he always deports himself so that
bis honesty, patriotism and frmness shine
Observation-Disclosures Journal, Rep.
When an equal number of votes are given
for two candidates there is no election any
more than when an ineigbls candidate has
received majority; but our statutes express
y authorize the electoral college to fill vacan-
cies resulting from the failure to elect, In
Oregon, the votes for Watts being void, there
Was a failure to elect, aud a consequent va
cancy, which the electoral college was en-
powered by law to fill. So the no vacancy
qulbDle explodes.-Neoo York Hernld.
Tremendously sly fellows are these Demo-
cratic editors. They get white in tbe face
over the report evolved from their inner con.
sciousness that the President had ordered
Gen. Sheridan to succeed Gen. Hancock in
New York, and unless the President declares
that no such order was ever given or even
thought Of they chuckle: "Oh, but he
would have thought of it if we hadn't ex-
posed hlmV Which is to say: 'If you had
nad brother he would have liked cheeser'
The way the leading Southern. Democrats
at Washington are snubbing their Northern
brethren, and sneerins at their clustering
talk OF war, indicates not only that they have
made up their minds that there is no chance
Tor Tilden, but that they are rather glad of it.
Ihey are not fools, and if they have come to
the conclusion that the South has more to
hope for from Hayes than from TiIden, and
concluded to acquiesce gracefully in his elec.
ton, it is not to be wondered at.
Senator Sherman declines to be coz sidered
conspirator. He said to Herald reporter
on Thursday: Il do not want the position
OF President of the Senate, and would not
take 1t if it were offered me. have never
even thought OF 1t, and do not want any other
position than the one hold, with which I
am perfectly content. As to the newspaper
paragraph about the brothers Sherman, re-
ferrlng to Gen. Sherman aud myself, people
Will readily understand that we are not con-
spirators. The country is in no danger from
us. The illusions made to US In that connec.
tion are so absurd and ridiculous as TO be
worth only laughing at"
There is not the least doubt that eyery Re.
publican motion, looking toward an honest
and fair settlement of the matter in dispute,
will be promptly met by the Democratic side.
The Southern members and Senators ara u.s.
ing all their influence with their party to in
sure patient waiting for the return of the
Southern committees and to prevent violent
or irregular proceedings under any circum-
stances. They do not want war under any
circumstances, and declare openly to excita.
BILE Northern men that, in any appeal to arms
they must be counted out"-Wnsbinoto
Dispatch Ne,u York Hrrald.
The concentration at Washington of power
to doctor and dissect the electoral votes can
not be sustained by any believer in a national
Union OF free states. The states have, in
their own mode. cast clear majority of eiec-
toral votes for Hayes and Wheeler. We do
not propose to buy the right to count them
6y any dangerous compromise. No state in
the Union will submit its broad seal to the
tender mercies OF Democratic caucus, or
the manipulations of any counsel not proyid-
ed by the constitution. Shotgun and bull
doing have failed to defeat the ballot; brib-
| cry and trlckery have not succeeded in seduc-
ing electors; strategy aud appeal for compro-
mise shall not override the great seal of the
| states, and the positive requirements of the
| constitution.-Utiea Herald
1t is now evident, unless the laws and con-
stitution be nullified, that Rutherford B.
Hayes and William A. Wheeler have been
elected President and vice-President of the
| United States by majority OF one in the
electoral college The majority is so small
that the defeated party will labor to make it
appear that 1t was obtained by fraud, or that
there has been no election by the people;
whereas, the patent fact is that had the peo-
pie expressed their political convictions freely
and fully the majority for Hayes and Wheeler
| would have been so large as to be unques-
tionabe. Now, there will be for a time ear
nest discussion and possibly some degree of
partisan wrath expressed; but one great fact
is nevertheless apparent. and cannot be
changed. Times