Mexico weekly ledger., 1877-03-22

pointed was decided in the case of Levi
see, an Elector who was an officer OF the
United States Government at the time he
appointed and continued to be after
ward. The Federal Constitution says that
man shall be appointed who is in that re-
lation to the Federal Government. But
YOU held, according to law, mind you, that
he was a lawful Elector AND MS vote agood
vote. In other words, q thing is perfectly
constitutions although it is known to be
in the very teeth Of a constitutional inter-
dict.
Dresent state of the law is sadly againt us.
The friends of honest elections and honest
governments are in deep despair. We once
thought that the verifying power of the two
houses of Congress ought to be brought al
ways into requisition for the purpose of
seeing whether the thing that is brought
here is a forgery and a fraud on the one hand,
or whether it is a genuine and true c~ertifi-
cate on the other.
But while we can not ask you to go back
behind this certificate, will you just please
to go to it-only to it-not step behind. II
you do you will find that it is no certificate
at all such as is required by law. The Elect
ors must vote by ballot, and they are re-
quired to be on oath before they vote. That
certlhcate does not show that either OF
those requirements was met, and where a
party is exercising q special authority like
this they must keep strictly within it, and
you are not to presume any thing except
what appears on the face Of their act to be
done.
If any body will cast back his mind a little
into the history Of presidential elections or
look at the debates of less Than a year ago,
he will remember that Mr.. Jefferson was
charged when he was Vice-President of the
United States with having elected himself
by means of, not a fraudulent, but a merely
informal vote sent up from Georgia. b
informality was not in the certificate inside
of the envelope, but outside veriticat1on.
Mr.. Matthew l.. Davis in 1887 got up that
story. 1t was not true, but 1t was believed
for awhile and it cast great odium on Mr..
Jefferson's memory. 1t was not an infor-
mality that was nearly as important as this,
nothing like it. But one OF the Senators
now on this bench referred to it in a debate
only a short time ago, and nouns MIR.
Jefferson as having elected himself by fraud
because he did not call the attention OF the
Senate and House of Representatives to
that fact.
If Mr.. Jefferson's memory ought to be
sent down to pesterlty covered with lnfamy
to be counted which was slightly informal
on the outside of the envelope. L should be
glad to know what ought to be done to those
who would count this vote, which has
neither form nor substance, which leaves
out all the essential particulars that they
are required certify!
This great nation still struggles for JUS
tice; q million majority of whit" people
send up their cry, and a majority OF more
than a quarter of a million OF all colors de-
mand il. But we can not complain, / want
you to understand we do not complain.
Usually it is said that 1.-THE fowler setteth
cot forth his net in sight OF the Bird but
this fowler set the net in sight Of the birds
that went into it. 1t is largely our own
fault that we are aught
We are promised-and I hope the promise
will be kept-that we shall have a good
government, fraudulent though it be; that
the rights of the Stages shall be respected
and individual liberty be protected. We
are promised the same reformation which
the Turkish Government is now promising
its people. The Sultan promises il he :
sustained in his present contest he vii
establish and act upon certain principles.
First, the work of decentralization shall
commence immediately and the autonomy
of the provinces shall be carefully looked
after.
Secondly, the people shall be governed by
their natural judges; they will not senC
Mohammedans nor Christian renegade'
from Constantinople down on them, bu
they shall be governed by people of theil
own faith.
Thirdly. no subordinate officer when b,
commits an illegal act shall be permitted Il
plead in justification the orders Of his supe'
rior. How much We need exactly that kline
of reform in this country, and how glad WI
ought to be that our Government is going Il
be as good hereafter as the Turks.
They offer us every thing now. They de
nource negro supremacy and carpet-has
thieves. Their pet policy for the South is t.
be abandoned. They offer US every thins
but one; but on that subject their lips ar,
closely sealed. They refuse to say that the!
will not cheat us hereafter in the elections
Ii fhey would only agree TO that; II the,
would only repent Of their election fraud;
and make restitution of the votes they hav'
stolen, the circle of our felicities would b.
full.
II this thing stands accepted, and the Law
you have made for this occasion shall be tn,
law for all occasions, We can never eXpec
such a thing as an honest election again l
you want to know who will be Presid mt b,
a future election do not inquire how thu
people of the States are going 10 vote. You
need only to know what kind of Scoundrel
constitute the returning boards and nov
much it will take to buy them.
But | think that even that will end SOM
day. At present you have us down an
under our feet. Never had you a bette
right to rejoice. Well may you say, Wv
have made a covenant with death, and wit
hell are we at agreement; when the over
flowing scourge shall pass through, it shaI
not come unto us; for We have made lies on
refuge, and under falsehood have we hi
ourselves - But nevertheless wait Il ilttl
while. The waters of truth will rise grad
ually. and slowly but surely, and then loo
out for the OVERLOOKING scourge. 9Th
refuge of lies shall be swept away and tn
hiding-place OF f%alsehood shall be uncover
ed.' This mighty and puissant nation vii
yet raise herself up like a strong man ate
sleep and shake her iuvincible locks in
fashion you just little think of now. Wait
retribution will come in due time. Justic
travels with a leaden heel, but strikes wit
an iron hand. Gods mill grinds slow bu
dreadfully fine. Wait till the tloodgate i
lifted and a luli head of water comes rush
ing on. Wait, and you will see fine grind
ing then.