The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-03-10
Judge BTddLey'S Course.

evening THE AdGertiSer, speaking
with authority, publishes an article
on Judge Bradley's recent decisions.
In the Louisiana and Florida cases
Tie AdrertiSer says "there was no
great difficulty. Without re-discuss-
ing them, it is enough to say that to
go behind the returns was impracti-
cable by reason of want of time. 1t
would have taken many months,
perhaps years, to complete a recount
Of such magnitude. This alone was
reason enough for not proceeding
with work which is at best irregu-
lar and unknown to the methods D.
our Government, and subversive OF
the fundamental doctrine that the
people shall elect their President
without consulting Congress or any
other power than their own. 50
Judge Bradley held that the certif-
cate of properly organized returning
boards was all the Commission could
investigate. The Oregon case clme
in a different shape. In Oregon the
Secretary of State is the sole CANVASS
ing officer. His certificate TO the
Vice President was authenticated by
the endorsement of the Governor.
Ii, under the previous rulings, the
Commission could not go behind the
returns, what way was there to pre-
vent the notorious fraud in the pre-
tended election of Cronin? TO this
point Judge Bradley gave the most
anxious delibera ton, and for many
reasons. He alone of all the Com
mission, was expected to rise above
political bias but he could not rise
above constitutional convictions.
The moral temptation lay toward
the Democratic side. Let him throw
out that one vote for Hayes from
Oregon and the Republican ticket
was defeated. By all the Democrats
by the large class of business men
who only beg for quiet, and by the
much smaller class who know with
what pain Judge Bradley only could
have reached such a decision, he
would have been hailed as the Great
Judge, soaring above party and all
personal considerations, that the will
of the people might not be betrayed.
1t was an opportunity to be consid,
cred. On the other hand, his vote
on the Republican side would add
nothing to his fame with his friends.
would satisfy but not excite admira-
ton in the ranks of the party and of
business men, and draw down the
most indignant rebuke from the
whole Democracy. And much or
most of that rebuke would be sin
cere.
The article than contends that
Judge Bradley did not 60 behind the
true return" which was that of the
Secretary of State, and adds that
Judge Bradley "was enabled 70 pre-
vent the success of fraud and the
election of a President by larcenious
acts, while he remained steadfast in
his controlling principle that the less
Congress has to do with the election
of President, the better will it be
for the safety of the country, and
this result he reached by fair and
sound judicial reasoning. But it is
an ordeal he does not care to pass
again. He considers the Commits
sion itself an anomaly, and says
there will never be another. He is
in constant receipt Of letters threat
ening assassination or containing
personal abuse, more than hundred
such having reached him last week.
However as he does not read them.
they do not annoy him. He is more
troubled by the temper of Judge
Field, who is avowedly partisan,
and it is a little strange that the
other four judges claim an entire
liberty of political bias, while Judge
Bradley is excluded from it. But to
return. Judge Bradley is not a per-
sonal winner in this decision, and he
lost an opportunity for making him
self famous by deserving his consti-
tutional views and political princi-
Piles. BY voting with the Democrats
he would have achieved a vehement
temporary popularity, and much of
it would be permanent. BY voting
as he did, he gained nothing but the
approval of his own conscience and
the belief that the more honest and
thoughtful Of his opponents may in
time accept his law and honor his
motive. But how many Republic
cans will regard his action as other
than fidelity to his party.-Corres-
pondence " Y. Tribune.
The second session of the Forty
Fourth Congress closed at Y o'clock