New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-12
M TRTCKERY.


House. thereby preventing count OF the cleo
toral votes until after March 4. This, they
conceive. will secure new election, which they
are confident will result in the success of Mr..
Tilden. This plan, like many others OF Demo-
cratic origin, lacks practicability. The electo-
raj votes are in charge of the President of the
Senate, and he can at any time proceed to count
them, the appointed day having arrived. whether
the House attends as witness or not. 1t Is
safe to say that Mr.. Tilden will not become
President i'm that way.
Ia it not time to have done with shallow
tricks7 Mr.. Tilden and his friends have
slightly wearicd public patience in this matter
The intent of their elaborate legal trickeries in
South Carolina, Oregon, and Vermont was to
defeat the will Of the people of those States,
and it failed. In accordance with the law OF
each of those States, its full electoral vote has
been cast. Without question Vermont voted
for Hayes, and the Legislature provided for
filling any vacancies by which part OF Its
vote might be lost. Beyond dispute, Oregon
voted for Hayes, and a majority of the elect
ors duly appointed proceeded, in accordance
with law of that State, to fill the vacancy
created by the voluntary withdrawal of the
sny question, as a committee composed of
members of both houses attests by its unani-
nous decision, as to the popular vote in South
Carolina. AS to Florida, majority for Hayes
appeared at the original count upon the face of
the returns; majority still larger appeared
when the board exercised judicial powers;
majority again appeared when, under orders of
court, the board made third canvass; and,
having made fourth canvass, under a second
order of court, the board still finds majority
for HAYES, and its official existence has termi-
mated. AS the electoral body has also ceased
to exst-and it is more than doubtful whether
the court had any power to interfere with its
action when in existence-we may consider the
Florida case closed. There remains the Louis
lana question. And we desire to say that the
impudent claims, and the dishonest and petit
Jogging methods to which the Democrats have
resorted in regard to other States, have in
great degree destroyed whatever hold they
had upon public opinion.
The people have feeling that the Presi-
dency ought not to be won, like horserrace
or a game of cards, by dirty tricks. From the
first, being in doubt rs to the true result, they
were inclined to watch the conduct of the two
parties very narrowly. They have heard the
Democratic leaders shrek Fraud" every hay,
while trying to steal votes by devices both
indecent and dishonest. On the other hand,
the Republicans have laid claim to the votes
of Vermont and Oregon, and it appears that
they were right they have claimed the vote OF
South Carolina, and no one now has the audacity
to dispute the claim; they have asserted that
Florida voted for Mr.. Hayes, and all the evil
dence thus far sustains the assertion and they
have consistently maintained that the apparent
Democratic majority in Louisiana was produced
by violence and terror, and was utterly VOID
and fraudulent, and they are supported. not
only by the formal decision of the State Board,
but by a great mass of testimony.
The Democrats have thrown away what case
they had by mere pettifogging. The tricks of
the TOmbs shyster, the ingcnuities OF the rail-
way attorney, are not appropriate here, and
hurt their case before the people. If they
have Justice on their side, why do they not
rest there, calmly confident that tho people
will do what is right This is precisely what
men as shrewd as the Democratic leaders would
have done, if they had been willing to submit
their case on its merits to popular judgment.
Indeed, this is just what the Republican lead
ers have done thus far; with unlimited re-
sources of technical power, they have per-
sistently appealed to public opinion with evil
dence that their claim as to Louisiana was
founded in justice. Therein they have done
much to prove that they do not fear the public
verdict on the merits of their case. Mean
while Democrats Lave been pettifOgging,
brbing, and tricking continually. as if con-
scious that nothing but dishonest means can
secure them success. Do they think that pub
Lie opinion has not noted this difference7 Pos
siby they may do better before it is too late.
But of one thing they may be sure-sharp
practice and the tricks of the shyster will not
make the next President.