The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-09-28
THE OHIO CAMPAIGN.
SPEECH OF HON. III. b. PAYNE.
His Views on Financial Issues-Re-
view of the Electoral Com
mission Fraud.

SANDUsKY, o., September 27.-Hon.
H. B. Payne, of Cleveland, delivered his
first speech in tais campaign in this city
to-night at Biemiller's Opera House. He
was introduced in complimentary terms
by ii. Wildmsn. He spoke substan-
TALLY as follows: Shall the resumption
act be executed or repealed, is the over
shadowing issue OF the campaign. The
Republican party, through Mr.. Sherman,
It's platform and its candidate, says 1t
shall be executed. The Democratic
party demands its repeal. If the Re-
publicans are victorious the President
will claim that the people approve his
financial policy as set forth by MIR.
Sherman. The verdict rendered in Oc-
tober will determine the fate Of the green
back. Resumption under tie act OF
1875 means the retirement of the green
back and contraction. The speaker
argued that under the re-
sumption act the legal tender notes
once called in, could not be reissued. He
defined his own position as follows: L
am no enemy to resumption. | earnest
ly desire it at the earliest practicable
day, rs soon as it can be accomplished
without contraction and u serious shock
to trade and business. The gTeenbac
outstanding may, within Il reasonable
time, and by gradual progrCs,, by the
operation of sound economic laws, with
out increasing the interest bearing debt
OF the nation, and without shock or
alarm, be appreciated to the par value OF
gold and its convertlbi!lty TO coin IT the
will of the holder guaranteed and rs
sured by the pledged credit and resources
OF the government, may be maintained
perpetually as the circulating or one cir
culatng medium without harm or en-
barrassment 10 the banks, people or gov.
ernment, and with great and incalCulsble
advantage to each and to all. MIR. Payne
then appealed to the green hackers and
the members of the workingmen's party
to stand together with the Democratic
party in defence of the legal tender notes.
Mr.. Payne then gave history OF the
creation of the Electoral Commission,
and said as certain members of the Elec.
toral Commission and certain OF the dis
tinguished counsel who appeared before
it have freely criticised It's action and
discussed the merits OF It's decisions, it is
not Inappropriate for me, on this first ap
pearance OF mine before the peple of
Ohio since my return from Washington,
to relate my experience and publish my
views respecting that most remarkable
drama. learn, too, that among the
| m
tensions us to the motives and consider
stions which induced the creation of
the commission, and the hope is indulged
that briet narrative from one who was
present us witness and actor, from
the conception to the final consumma-
ton, and who has no cause or inclina-
tion TO conceal or withhold any fact or
occurrence, will dispel all doubts and
suspicious as to the fidelity and courage
of the Democratic Representative; and
Senators. Let me recall the situation.
The excitement of the election had been
prolonged and WAS intense; the House
was Democratic, the Senate Repub-
lican; each claimed that its
candidate had been elected
and each thoroughly understood its own
position, its strong and its weak points.
Never did it underestimate the tact and
resources of It's opponents. The returns,
single and duplicate, were IN the actual
custody of the President of the Senate
and he was ready to count or dispose of
them at such time and in such way rs
his party friends in caucus might di ect.
The twenty-sCcOnd JOINT rule, under
which the Presidential count had been
determined, and which enabled either
House, by its dissent to reject tho vote of
State, had been sbrogsted on the part
of the Senate The Morton bill of the
previous session, which substantially
granted to either House the same p, wer,
had been curiously but unintentIOnally
suspended by u motion TO reconsider. The
Edmunds proposition to submit :he
contested case to the Supreme Court had
signally la,led. There was manifestly
no recourse but one OF the two follow
ing methods: Congress must bv law
create a tribunal Tor the trial OF the con-
tested cases or matters must be ieit to
work out some possible result. In the
absence of legislation there was no doubt
what the action of the President of the
Senate would be, though many of his
own party questioned and even denied
his right to count the votes. Yet if no
other way was provided, to avoid con-
fusion and anarchy the Republicans,
excepting, perhaps, three or four,
would have Justified and sustained the
action OF the President. He was under
no legal obligation to go to the hall o.
the House, where the House would have
been protected IN the demand of its equal
rights, but first inviting the stten dance
of the House in the Senate Chamber, he
would be protected by its police; would
have opened the returns, counted the votes,
and declared Hayes elected aud the
House would have been utterly helpless
in the premises 1t could have returned
to its own nali and proceeded to vote by
States and elected Tilden, but this would
have been revolutionary and futile, mas
much rs the contingency provided in the
constitution for such action had not oc-
Cured. The creation OF q tribunal
therefore for the peaceful and
orderly settlement OF the contro-
versy was the dictate of duty and
patriotism no less than of sound policy
AMI political expedlency. The PROPOSE
ton to raise committee of conference
originated, not in the Senate, but in
the House. and with a Republican. Each
committee mstured its plan and then
submitted it to the joint meeting. That
OF the House committee was drafted by
Mr.. McCrsry, the present Secretary of
War, and unanimously approved, the
proposed tribunal to consist Of the five
senior Associate Justices of the Supreme
Court, and TO submit to it withsut re-
serve all certificates, objections and sll
.ba r,sDprs and evidanca IN tho ,oos.as !