The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1877-01-25
PRESIDENTIAL.

E'k Els 2EJN 4 M
We are reluctant to admit it, and would
for very shame sake hide it if we could
but every intelligent person with moder-
ate allowance Of discernment and discrimina-
ton can readily see that Congress has been
most splendidly bull-dozed by the reformers
We did not believe they could do it. We
trusted that Congress had too much
stamina and self-respect.
But bul-dozing is the fashion this season
and we suppose it would be cruel not to
allow Congress to follow it, But we con-
fess that we feel ashamed of them in their
new bull-dozed dress.
We believed that Hayes and Wheeler
were elected in accordance with every con
stitutional requirement, and that it was the
legal duty of the Vice President to count
the Electoral vote on the second Wednes-
day of February next, according to the
legal returns.
The reformers played their infamous
game Of preconeerted bulldnzing and fraud
In South Carolina, in Florida, and in
Louisiana and lost and that should have
been the end of it. Good policy and sound
craftsmanship alike demand that no pal
tring should be countenaaced with such
scoundrelsrp The Constitution and laws
are our only true guide, and they should
be made to respect them as ali good cti-
zens do
These pharisaic reformers who have been
singing their owR praises SO leng, that, like
their prototype Of cid, they begin to
believe that they are mot as other men
are" But Notwithstanding this faith they
should be taught early and etfectually to
obey the Constitution and laws, as other
men do, whether the sunshine of success
shall rest upon them, or upon their oppo-
nents The same Constitution, and the
same laws for all, should be the motto of
every honest man Had the Republicans
failed, as the reformers did, that would
have been the end Of it, until four more
years had rolled around Then why this
special tender regard for beaten foe
Must a lack of patriotism and honesty be
rewarded Must the crying child have
the bauble though he destroy it ?
1t was the uniform custom for the Presi-
dent of the Senate TO count the Electoral
votes for the 81 first years, of our Republic
without question or dispute This custom
prevailed until the enactment of the 22d
Joint Rule, which allowed either House to
prevent the Electoral vote ofany State from
being counted by the President of the
Senate This Joint Rule is now repealed
and in the absence Of any special enactment,
1t is the duty Of the President of the
Senate to count the Electoral vote as was
n ~, bo hFcf It. IL /
under the Constitution of our country |
No bpll-dozing demand ought to be needed |
Gov. Hays has been, or is fairly elected
according to every legal requirement, and
therefore ought to be inaugurated Presi- |
dent. And if Governor Tildcn believes
that his Southern friends were out
cheated by Governor Hayes Southern
friends, he could issue writ ofquo- warranto
which would bring the matter squarely be
fore the Supreme Court, before which, if!
he had case in law he would have fair
to establish it and make il /!
effectual against Gov. Hayes. Then away
with these time serving compromises, which |
are the resort Of weakened statesmen, a |
sacrifice of justice, and triumph Of scoun-
d. Ism
Notwithstanding this protest, our earnest
wish is that if the compromise electoral act
shall become a law, it may produce nothing
but happy result to all concerned But
we would have it understood that we take
no stock in the principle or policy, though
1t shall yield nothing but golden fruit.
The report accompanying the proposed
Electoral compromise act will be found in
another coulmn. We will print the act
Itself next week