Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1877-05-03
The Electoral Commits
sion.

~SAAO UA4A0 40 q ~ ColS
OF a speech delivered by Gen
eral Cockrell, a gallant soldier
en- the Confederate side during
the late war, and now Senator
from the State of Missouri, in
defense Of his course in refusing
to filibuster in order to defeat
the decision of the Presidential
Electoral Commission. We
make the following extract from
his speech: sEA r ai
There were but three courses
for the Democrats to pursue:
First-To protest against the
counting: in of Hayes by the
President of the Senate, then
yield and appeal to the ballot
box in 1878 to right the wrong.
Second-To resort to the ar
bltrament of the sword.
Third - The use of every
peaceful and lawful means to
secure an acknowledgment of
Tilden's election and his inaug-
uration.
The first would have resulted
in the election of Morton or
some other extreme Radical,
first as President of the Senate,
and afterward as President; and
the South would have been
tkrottled and crushed beneath
the heel of military despotism.
"But why not to arms?" ask
some of my impetuous Demo-
cratic friends 81 have fought
out one war;" said the Senator
drought on by others who did
not choose to enjoy its pleas
ures and its luxuries, and if an
other civil strife had been inaug-
urated / had laid out for my
self the work of going about
the country and gathering up
the fomenters of that strife and
placing them in the front line
of battle, to taste Of the bloody
banquet they were so ready to
prepare for Others" He did
not believe that Missouri was
anxious again to make herself
the theater for marching and
counter-marching armies, and
furnish life and property for
them to destroy.
He voted for the electoral
bill because he thought it was
right, and would do it again.
[ Applause. The adoption of
that measure had settled three
questions.
First-That the President of
the Senate cannot open and
count the electoral vote.
Second-That neither the
Senate nor the House without
the concurrence of the other
can reject the electoral vote of
any State. ,TTLif3TtaTaG
Third-That both Houses of
Congress acting together have
the right to decide what votes
shall be counted.
He had not been greatly dis
appointed in the result of the
work of the Commission, but
he went upon the theory that
without the Commission Tilden
did not have one chance in
million to- be inaugurated, but
with it he had, perhaps, one
chance in five. When the decis-
ion was rendered, contrary as
it was to his convictions of JUS
tice and right, he deemed him
self and the Democratic party
in honor bound to abide by it. |
And what have we lost? The
fruits of a victory honestly won;
but we have forced the Repub-
lican party to turn its back up
Oh the past, to abandon the rule |
of the States by military pow
er, and to acknowledge the right |
OF local State government on
the part Of the State. We have
compelled that party to furl the
banner of eternal hate, and it |
will never be unfurled again.
No more will we hear the cry
of "Rebel Democracy" for that
clement Of the party held in its
hands the destinies of the coun-
try and could have dashed it to
a thousand fragments, but re-
fused to; do so, and to their for
bearance the country owes its
peace, and Mr.. Hayes his peace
iul Inauguration. Let US stop
our whining and croaking, and |
GO to work for the future. There
is not cloud in the political
horizon that has not silver
lining. The ship of State may |
be in Republican hands but she
is running by and owes her safe
ty to- Democratic beacon lights.