Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-03-01
AN AGITATION BILL.

nounce prophesy, but we were cor
rect. We came to that conclusion
from process of reasoning as clear
to our mind as the solution of prob
lem in arithmetic. 1t is process ane
a conclusion that always will hold
good. The right never submitted to
compromise with wrong but what
the former was the sufferer. The day
for counting the Presidential vote
February l4th was near at hand. II
was conceded by all that the count
would give it to Hayes. The opposi.
ton was enraged. Threats were
made to go to Washington and in
augurate war against the installation
of Hayes into Office. To quiet the
fears of timid Republicans and give
the Democrats another show the so
called compromise was entered into.
We abhorred it because it was a
yielding to an element that has no re-
spect for law; to an element that is al
was quarrelling and fighting to have
a hand in the making of laws but
that will have no respect for laws ap-
piled to themselves, even of their own
making. Under the compromise
the opposing party had two judges ;
the Republicans had two. 1t was
known that the fifth judge would be
David Davis. Democrats always
choose their own men. There is not
an axiom in all philosophy more pat
emit or universal than this. Day after
day and week after week, seven Dem
ocratic commissioners, who all their
lives have sworn by Constitution
that had no power to interfere whit
State elections, have sat in that coun'
Gil and under special oath voted that
they had power to do or undo the
elections OF the States The State of
Florida, by her laws end her State
officers, chose Hayes E ectors. Seven
Democratic State Rights Commission
ers voted to set aside Florida's laws
and officers: Louisiana by her laws
and officers, wading through trench
es of blood, chose Hayes Ele ctors
snd seven Democratic Constitutional
lists voted that they had better
right to say how Louisiana voted than
she had herself. Oregon, by
her laws, by her unquestioned major
ity of over 1000, by her officers. gave
three votes for Hayes, and against her
having the privilege to count her votes
the echo from the Constitutional
State Rights Democratic Judges was,
"Nay, but we are Seuen I" Were
they not-those who begot that COM
promise-were they not equally sure
that Davis, being Democrat, would
give the 9th vote? Was it the quiet of
the country they cared for? No, no.
Under the old way of counting the
vote the counting would have been
done on the l4th of February. In the
two weeks that have passed the peo-
pie would have had time to settle
down to common sense Instead oil
that the whole country has been in
turmoil. Every man is angry with
his neighbor The dissatisfaction OF
one month ago has turned to hatred
that has no antidote. Then mere pol
iticians were denounced by their op'
posites as thieves and scoundrels. Now
these are epithets habitually applied
to the Judges of our highest court
Not single blessing has come with
the compromise and in every partic-
ular it has had the effect the opposite
of what it promised, and yet we are
not done with it. 1t was to bring u
quickly to a conclusion of the Ions
and troublesome contest. 1t has pro
longed that contest . 1t was to sat
isfy everybody. That it has failed t
do. 1t was to settle the title to tn
Presidential office in manner t.
make all parties contented. Plainl.
the discomfort of the defeated partie
will be deeper and more ineradicabl
than ever. Worse than al, il Wi
make of the successful party an ad
ministration of panderers to the i'm
portunities of the defeated. Will
harrassing Hayes and his appointee'
at every turn, they will claim tn
equal right to be applicants for place
because they let him have the offic
by compromise. The effect OF tn
damnable arrangement will be buI
den upon Hayes to the end of hi
term unless by violent shake h
a nds it in the inferno as one of tn
first of his duties. He should tax
possession of his Office as his constitu
tutional right; not as the gift of me
who didn't have it to give.
1
But-those who wanted ch ang
will now have one. The HERALD
one of them.
| Nv Tuesday the Electoral vote