The New York herald., 1877-01-13
Prs.id..s Grant and Louisian..

Tn0 pTuOeuce Win WQlcn the freslucut
T! is acting in this crisis deserves public recog-
nition- He perceives the gravity of the stu
alton and thinks that duties of I'm impor-
| tant and unusual character may devolve
upon him in the closing days of his term.
He feels that his strength of will and decis-
ion of character may perhaps be as much
needed when the 4th of March approaches
as they ever were in critical military con-
| junctures. If such o necessity should arise
| it is all-important to President Grants
honor, dignity and moral influence that
there should be no ground for suspect
ing that he had created the crisis which
called for his action. He has repeatedly
said that he will deem it his duty to see that
the Inauguration of his legal successor is
not obstructed by lawless proceedings No
body who understands his character can
doubt that he will execute this purpose with
vigor. 1t is line of action in which he is
strong, and he is not man to indulge
in childs play in grave emergency.
But, having formed this immovable
purpose that the duly elected Pres
ident shall be duly installed, President
Grant is bound by every principle Of fair
ness and decorum and by every constitu-
tional limitation of his authority to do
nothing to influence the decision. The
country learns with satisfaction that it is
his intention to stand neutral in the ques-
ton who has been elected, and that he
thinks his functions begin only when the
functions Of those empowered to count the
votes and declare the result shall have
ended If he adheres to this correct line of
conduct he may count on the appreciation
of all judicious citizens.
Amid all the wide diversities of opinion
as to where the power is lodged to make the
final decision nobody has ever contended
that the President either possesses this
power or shares it. It is outside the
domain of his constitutional authority.
The President Of the Senate has duty to
perform in connection with the counting of
the votes and the extent Of this duty has
become subject Of onimated controversy.
The two houses of Congress are required to
be present at the counting, and their right
Of decision as to disputed votes has also
been discussed with much acumen and
great research into precedents. But the
authority Of the President in this connection
has never been debated. because the widest
stretch of partisan ingenuity has been un-
able to discover that he has any more todo
with the decision than q private citizen.
He is undeniably excluded by the constitu-
tion from any voice in determining who has
beer elected as his successor. The constitu-
ton has charged him with no duty in con-
nection with this subject, and has committed
all decisions to other hands. The precise
extent and limitations of the power of the
President of the Senate and of the two
houses of Congress are open to dis
pute and have developed great
diversity of opinions; but the power of
the President in such matter has
mover been discussed, because it is too evil
dent for controversy that the President has
nothing whatever to do with the question
until after decision has been reached as to
who is his legal successor. If this decision,
when reached and declared by the authority
competent to make it, should be resisted by
violence, it will then be the duty of the re-
firing President to see that his constitu-
tional successor is not prevented from as
sulning the duties Of his office. President
Grants recent utterances show that he has o
correct appreciation of this distinction,
and that it is his settled purpose
to stand aloof and not intermed-
die with the electoral! votes. But when
the votes have been duly counted and the
result declared he will not shrink from
any duty which may then be incumbent on
him. We trust that this laudable purpose
will not be shaken by the partisan impor-
tunities with which he may be beset.
In pursuance Of this wise and correct de-
termination the President maintains an atti-
tude of strict neutrality between the two
claimants to the Governorship of Louisiana
The decision of the Presidential question
is likely to depend on the vote
and the vote for Presidential electors
in Louisiana are, at bottom, one and the
same question. 1t is not pretended that in
this State, as in South Carolina and Florida,
the majority on the Gubernatorial vote may
be one way and the vote on the Presidential
electors the other way. In Louisiana the
settlement of the Gubernatorial question is
O virtual settlement of the electoral votes,
and the President could not commit him
self on one without also committing him
self on the other AS it is clearly beyond
his province to influence the electoral
vote he practises wise abstinence
in declining to decide question in
which the validity Of the electoral
vote is necessarily involved. His forbear-
ance on this question attests the sincerity of
his purpose to leave the decision OF the
Presidential question to the authority CON-
petent to decide it.