The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-04-30

Is Haycs's Title any Better than
Packard's
Among tho almost nulnhcrlcss frauds by
which HAYES obtained what the Electoral
Commission ,raudulcutly pronounced to Ice
the lawfully appointed electors for the state
of Louisiana. there was one that was even
amusing II consisted in tho manner in
which two mon named I.Hvr1r.r ami bnrwo-
TER became electors for HAYES. We ought
however, to say. 10y way Of salvo, when we
speak of this Infamous trick "a amusing,
that the title Of the IL fdciO President IL
sorry subject out Of which 10 extract auusc-
mont. Grotcsquc wickcdness. however,
while il does not cease to bc wickedness,
has its ludcrous side.
Two of the individuals to whom the
Returning Board saw fit to give GER
tiiicatcs Of election, were Ineligible a. elect
Drs by reason Of their each holding, at the
time of the election. nm Office Of trust AMI
profit under the United States. When the
persons thus declared to he electors assem-
BLEED To cast their votes for HAYES. it was
found that it would not do to risk the votes
Of these two -LFvIsEE and BREWSTER
--as electors appointed by the popular vote,
notwithstanding the arbitrary power cxcr-
cscd by the Returning Board in giving
certificates Of election to whomsocver IL
was necessary should have them. 1t was
found on the other hand, that the votes Of
these twom cn tor HAYES were Indispensable.
Accordingly they had to he transformed
into electors by being elected to fill their
own vacancies. The process worthy OF all
admiration for its subtlcty, was this, as the
record disclose- IL
AT the hour oct = the said A.Ros r 1rvisEF and
oRr.Nno II hm,wsr's having tailed e ati,nd, ihc
sector- present proceeded i9 snpl such yncani,s ~
Louisiana N such case mad, nmi prov l T. vnct i-iu
""'u, n" -"' a. i",i"' is !, 1i"~s ~, tn "'
Authorizing the eector. attending to MI vacancies
The six who were present lat p NJ"
found that lat 1 F. NJ Mcssrs. LTvIsEE
and BREWSTER were not present Where
were they. lust where they could Toe sent
Tor. This being duly arranged and Msssrs
LEvIsEE and BREWSTER having in the
mean time resigned the Offices which 10y the
Constitution made them incapable Of being
electors. the six who were present lat 4
I. NJ" unanimously chose Messrs. LEvIsEE
and BREWSTER 20 fill the vacancies occa-
stoned by the absence of Mcssrs. LEvIsER
LrtiAEE ana BREWSTER appeared and took
their seats, and eight electoral votes were
cast for r. b. HAYES and W. A. WHEELER
Rnd certified to the President OF the senate
n the electoral votes Of the State OF Louisi-
ana.
On the Electoral Commission. In vain did
The Democratic members Of that tribunal
protest that these men, LEvIsEE and BnEws-
TER, being incapable Of being made electors
AT the time of the election in November
could not Ice constitutionally chosen to fiji
their own vacancies. which vacancies eN-
listed by reason o. thc fact that they were
Ineligible The majority Of the Commission
knowing that every one ~ the HAYES votes
was necessary to the counting in of HAYES
and WHEELER, refused 10 pay any regard to
The objection that the r,tate OF Louisiana
was inhibited by the Constitution Of the
United States from appointing these two
men electors byany process whatever They
certified that they We're duly appointed,
which was A. absolutely false IA any legal
proposition could Ice, and thus HAYES and
WHEELER obtained eight votes from the
State of Louisiana.
Now, whatever may he said Of the founda-
tion OF PAcRAHD's title 10 bee regarded a.
the lawfully chosen Governor OF Louisiana
II is not stained by any such gurng defect
n HAYES TIL" tp the eight electoral votes
OF that State. pAcRAnp after the Return
ing Board had manipulated the returns uf
the popular 'ot" ms much a. they found cN-
pcdicnt, did not need 10 have any such
performance gone through with rs that
which gave HAYES the eight electoral votes
OF the State. PACKAHDs title as Governor
rested on the provisions Of the State
Constitution and laws, and on tAs
nets Of the Returning Board in executing
them; and II was not affected by anything
In the Constitution of the United States.
HAYES utle to two, AZ least, Of the cleo
toral votes of the State was Initiated not
only 10y the dougs Of the Returning Board
under TIA" Constitution and laws of the
State, Int by an act Of the pretended Elcc-
toral College. in utter defiance Of a provision
Of the Federal Constitution. Yet HAYES is
the de ftcio President, and he prosumcs TO
send commission into Louisiana 10 bar
gainaway the title of "A man who had far
better right tobc regarded a. the lawfully
elected Governor of the state than HAYES
has to hc regarded as tine lawfully elected
President.