The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-04-05
The Quo Warranto.

We cannot suppose that Mr.. 1liDES mas
am serious idea Of testing Mr. HAYES
title to the presidency by appealing TO The
courts OF the country. In the first place,
though the books tell us that for every wrong
there is a remedy, and that there is mode
@! possessing ones self OF every right, ye'
il is Mt least questionable whether ME-. Ill
DEN has any rights which the courts are
bound to respect. The unwritten law OF
England is better than the written law OF thai
or this country. There may be remedies in the
mother country that cannot be found unuel
: Constitution such as that OF tue United
States. At any rate, Mr.. FIELD introduced
& bill into the last House of Representatives
providing method for bringing into TIE
courts the title OF the President to his office
The bill did not become law; but the fact
OF it's introduction was confession that
there was no mode provided by the statute
law and known to Dir. FIELD by which an
incumbent's title to the presidency could be
questioned. Moreover, the law establishing
the Electoral Commission contained the fol-
lowing proviso: .,
"That nothing in this act shall be held to
impair or affect any right now existing under
the Constitution and laws to question by
United States the right or title of the person
who shall be declared elected, or who shall
claim 10 be President or Vice-President Of
the United States, il any such right exists"
This language comes very near saying
that no such right exists. 1t does afford
strong proof that Messrs. THURMAN, BAY
ARD, CoNKLING, EDMUSDs. and the rest OF
the joint committee who framed the Elec-
toral-Commission bill, knew OF no way OF
dispossessing the incumbent OF the presi-
Dental chair. 1t was put into the bill to
remove the objections Of persons who did
not wish Congress so to legislate as to per-
NIT the Electoral Commission to divest either
candidate of his title to the Office, and so
may be considered as an admission that
there might be some way of getting such a
case into the courts, though none was known
TO the committee.
But inasmuch as all the Republican
Judges on the Electoral Commission-name-
~, NUSSSl % ONaOLE1 4hAAl-LN, tAAio A1Aho-'S
have already decided that Mr.. HAYES is the
lawful President, and as a good lawyer is
not apt to draw an unnecessary distinction
between lawiully-rlectcd President and q
rightful President, it would not be safe to
assume that Messrs. BRADLEY, MILLER, and
STRONG, would reach different conclusion
as judges from that which they reached as
members OF the Electoral Commission and
as they should decide SO would the Supreme
Court OF the United States decide. w..
AS werare pretty sure that the business
interests OF the country are opposed to the
reopening OF the presidential question, and
that Mr.. TILDEN represents the moneyed
class, we are for this reason, In addition to
those previously assigned, of the belief that
there will be no attempt made by him to
Dust Mr. HAYES. Some persons might find
more convincing reason than any yet gwen
in the fact that Dir. HAYES commands the
army and navy Of the country. And since
no good to the country or to Mr.. T1IDEN
could result from an angry contest in the
courts, we conclude that he is too wise a
man to be caught chasing shadows.