The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1877-03-08

The Views of a Republican Represents

" THE LOUIsIANA INFAMY.
e The Views of Republican Representativ.
z / During the discussion in the House
: OF Representatives, on the 10Th ult. on
: decision of the Electoral Commission
= in the Louisiana case, two Represent.
atives from Massachusetts, Messrs
Seelye and Pierce made earnest
speeches against the adoption Of the
: report of the Commission. Mr..
Pierce said:
'The bill TO regulate the counting of
the votes for President aud Vice Pres :
ident provides that when the decision
of the Commission is received upon
the returns referred to II, the counting
shall proceed in conformity herewith
unless upon objection being made bv
a certain number of members the two
houses shall concur in ordering other
wise, in which case the concurrent Or
der shall govern. Objection having
been made in due form TO the report
} of the Commission on the returns
I
to face with the question whether the
vote of that State shall be counted at
sli, or whether it shall be counted for
Hayes or TiideE. / would gladly
avoid the responsibility of passing up
on this question if, consistently with
the duty which devolves upon me as q
member of this House, could do so;
but the responsibility is one that can
not be averted. 1t is one as great and
as solemn as that which rested upon
the members of the Commission,
whose report is now before us. We
are prevented by constitutional limit
ations from shifting the burdens of
our responsibility in this matter to
other shoulders
| 1t must be sustsined by each one of
us, and 80 sustained as to satisfy his
conscience and his sense of duty to is
country. 1t is with great diffiden.
! that venture to dissent from the de-
cision or rather the recommendation
Of the Commission, bat the rule which
it has laid down for the determination
of this question is one that 1 cannot
conscientiously endorse, The Com
mission declares that it is mol compe-
'ent to take any evidence to show that
persons other than those certified to
by the Governor of the State on and
according to the determination of the
returning officers of election in State
had been appointed, or that the de-
termination o: the returning officers
was not in accordance with the truth
and the fact. 1t could never have been
intended by those who established
this system of government that there
should be no examination, no scrutiny
of the returns of the electoral votes as
certified by the State authorities. The
most careful conservatOr of State
rights would never have objected to
an examination by Congress or by any
other National authority SO far as to
ascertain whether the Electors who
sent their votes here to be counted had
been chosen and were qualified in the
manner provided by the Constitution
and laws of their State and of the
United States
In the case now under consideration
an offer Of evidence was made to show
the Commission that the Returning
Board of Louisiana was not legally
Board in canvassing the votes for
Presidential electors was not in ac-
cordance with the laws of the State;
that certain of the electors certified to
under the provisions of the State
and the Federal Consti-
tuition. That gross frauds were COM
mitted in the canvass of votes is ad-
mitted. believe, by both parties, and
it is also admitted that the Returning
Board acted in the discharge of their
duties in an arbitrary and illegal man.
ner. Ii these are not matters which
The representatives of all the people,
by the Constitution 10
count the votes and declare the result,
San inquire into, then this Govern
ment stands on q very insecure foun-
10 any such declaration. 1t is CONTRA
y to good government. 1t is contra
y to good morals. tends t, weak
IN the hold of the Government upon
he respect and confidence of the peo-
,le and the party which gets Office
~ its adoption will be party found
ID upon principle dangerous to the
,erpetuity of the Government.
The evidence which has been pre-
tented here, and which the Commits
sion by a bare majority refused to
shows q condition of things
which justities and. in my judgment
the exclusion of Louisiana
rom participating in tine Presidential
lection. 1t shows, if possible, high
# justificati on for such a course at
his time than was shown in 1871,
yhen the vote of the State was exclud-
d by Republican Congress. 1 am
ware, Mr.. Speaker, in the action I
AXE that | stand almost alone among
political associates here, but l should
,e recreant to my convictions if neg
ected to place ON the imperisha5e
ecords of the Houss my dissent from
he rule which it is propos ed TO estab-
ish.
--Ss~.
TURNING WHITE.
Last saturday afternoon we saw
,uite curiosity On the streets in the
shape of human being, who, fifteea