The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1877-08-28

only are omitted:
Fellow Citizens, Ladies and Gentlemen.
In response to your invitation i an
here tonight TO state TO you my views
Of what has thus far been done by the
present administration in its conduct
of public affairs. In doing so L wish
il distinctly understood that / speak
| for myself alone, as a citizen OF Ohio,
to you, my fellow-citizens and my
neighbors, 20 whom i am under the
highest obligations of gratitude and
duty.
THE PRESIDENT
authorized me TO say one thing, and
one thing only, for him, and in his
name, and that is that all reports that
impute 10 him any participation what
| ever in the nomination of candidates
on your State ticket, or any desire or
purpose TO influence in any way the
Senatorial contest in Ohio are utterly
groundless.
You all know that | am now. and
! have been, warmly attached to the Re
publican party. l believe in its princi-
plies aud honor its work. With my
strong convictions could not conceal
my partisan bias, or my earnest hope
for the success OF the Republican par
/ w, but the subjects of which i intend
10 speak TO you tonight will not lead
me TO say much Of the former political
struggles, or to fight our old battles
over again, but chiefly 10 discuss the
ACTUAL ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONS
Of the day az they have arisen since
the 4th Of March last, aud in all Of
which you are alike interested whether
you may call yourself Republicans or
Democrats. As to these questions /
wish fairly 10 appeal 20 the candor and
good judgment Of honest men OF both
parties, only asking for the admiuistra-
tion of President Hayes that consider.
ate charity Of judgment which must be
extended 10 all human agents.
When he was inaugurated he found
sc States in the full and uncontested
exercise of all the powers Of States IN
the Union. In two States only there
were contests as TO who was Governor.
Both contests had existed from Janua-
~ TO March, 1877, while Glen. Grant
was President.
In South Carolina Gov. Chamberlain
claimed 10 have been elected on the
Republican ticket, and Gen. Hampton
on the Democratic ticket The Presi-
dent is not made the judge of who is
elected Governor OF a State, and an at
tempt TO exercise such n power would
be plain act OF usurpation.
THE CONSTITUTION or SOUTH CAROLINA
is much like that Of Ohio. The counuof
the vote was 20 be made by the general
assembly OF the State. Unfortunately
for Chamberlain a controlling question
III the contest had been decided against
him 10y a Republican court, and he was
only kept in possession Of the State
House 10y the actual presence OF Unit
ed States troops IN the building. He
had appealed again and again 10 Presi-
dent Grant 20 recognize him as Gov
ernor and TO give him the aid Of Fed
eral troops in the enforcement Of his
claim, which General Grant had refus-
ed, and sought only to preserve the
public peace. When President HAYES
was inaugurated both contestants were
called 20 Washington aud both were
patiently heard, and the question pre-
scented were patiently and carefully ex-
amined. The Presiden held that case
was not presented in which. under the
Constitution and the laws, he was JUS
titled in using the army OF the United
States in deciding a purely local elec-
tiOn contest.
THE SOLDIERS AND BAYOSErs
Of the United States were then with
drawn from the State House-not from
the State, nor the capital Of the State
but from the building in which the
legislature, that alone could lawfully
decide this contest, must meet. This
was all that was done 10y the President,
aud Goyeruor Chamberlain, without
farther contesting his claim, abandon
ed it and left the State.
THE CASE OF LOUISIANA
was far more difficult. The local re.
turning officers of that State had, after
full examination. certified 20 the
election OF the Legislature, showing a
Republican majority ia bOoh Houses.
This had been done by excluding from
their return the votes Of certain parish
- aud counties wherein intimidation,
violence and fraud had prevailed g. an
extent sufficient to change the result Of
the election. | was present, az the re-
quest Of Gen. Grant, 10 witness the
count, and ] assure you, as / have said
officially, that the proof Of this intimi-
datioD, violence aud fraud, extending
I 30 murder, cruelty and Outrage ia every
form, was absolutely conclusive, show
ing degree Of violence in some of
those parishes that was more revolving
aud barbarous than anything could
conceive 81. 10 was plain that the re-
/ turning officers had the legal right 10
pass upon aud certify in the first in-
/ stauce, who was elected members Of
/ the Legislature, aud that they were
I justified by the evidence in excluding
/ bull-dozed parishes, but il was equally
/ clear that their return was not cOnclu-
/ sive upon the returns, aud elected, and
I that each House had the constitution.
/ al right 10 pass upon the returns, and
\ elections 0i It's members. aud % set
aside the action of the Returning
/ Board.
rHE Two HOUSES,
when organized, had also the power to
pass upon the returns OF the election
Of Governor, and they alone and no
one else. Neither the President Of the
! United States nor the Returning Board
T, has any power or right 90 pass upon
the election Of Governor. Aud here
the difficulty Of the Louisiana case
4 commences.
Gov. Packard contends that a major.
ity Of the two Houses, as duly return
ell, did pass upon the election of Gov.
ernor. and did return tha, he was duly
I elected. but this was stouily denied by
: Gov. Nichols This vital point was
strongly asserted and denied by The
adverse parties, and the Legislature a
Louisiana divided into two hOg .lc
bodies, holding separate sessions, each
asserting its legal power, aud denounc-
/ ing the other as rebels and traitors.
GOV. PACKARD AND HIS LEGISLATURE
called upon President Grant for the
ard Of the army % put uown insurrcc.
tiOn and domestic violence, aud here /
confess IL ] had been President instead
| Of Gen. Grant, | would have recogniz.
ed Packard aud sustained him with the
full power 9f the General Government.
I My intense feeling caused by the atrOc.
/ tiles ia Louisiana may have unduly in.
II