Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1877-01-18

business of both Jointly cannot be
performed Ey one separately. IN
each State, therefore, where there
are lno,c than one set OF retu. ms,
neither could be counted If otrjec-
tion we've made. A count by one
where it is clearly made the duty
OF two is no count at all There
is. | think, no answer to this con-
clusiou, for to co"nt, aud, of con,se,
to count correctly, is the clear
mandate of the Constitution to the
two houses OF Congress Suppose
The Republicans assume the posi-
tion that every State muss be
cnunted unless obi jected to, ly both
! honees.i and. that in those States
! from which two returns are sent
up that the one shall be counted,
unless both honses object, which
has the Governors certificate at
tached. Suppo>e, further, that
they base this claim on tue doc
trine that each State is entitled t.
it's electoral vote. Then the ar,-
swer to the fist position is The one
! have already given-v;z, that the
Constitution eqnires t h t
two houses .jQimay to count
and not jointly to Object
The vote to be courtcd is what the
houses mast agree ntnnn, and not
the vote TO he rejected. Ard the
answer to the States~right doctrine
falsely so callcd---is that if a
State in Il matter affecting the il.
terests of all the other States, it
must be permitted to speak the
voice of its people, ami not the
voice of \ returning board. Tie
thirty seven other States are Ell
titled to protection against the
forced and false utterances of Il
throttled State. Better that a
State be siienced temp orarily than
that she under compulsion Should
speak an untruth, the precise
reverse of the verdict rendered by
"a majority of her people. But lei
us 90 further. Suppose the House
of Representatives should abdicate
and consent TO go through the mere
form of counting those rtuIns whic!
in the doubly certified States were
clothed with the forms of law. Thi
would be to iguore its constitution.
al power, to examine into the cor
rcctncss of thc returns. But coul,
Governor Hayes be counted ir ever
, upon that plan 2 The Republican
f could thus capture, of course. thes,
three southern States but by tn
same rule the Democrats would
of necessity, capture one vote frorl
Oregon lor ii the Hayes clector
IN Louisiana, for instance, arc cert
; fled by the Governor OF that State
, 80 is one Tildcn elrctor in Oregol
certified 10y the Governor OF TIM.
State. II 1t be said :hat the popu
5 lar vote of Oregon VAS over on
!, thousand against the Til,!cn clec;
J ors, the reply is that the popula
vote or Louisiana was more tina
eight thousand against the Haye
electors. Ii the Governor of Ore
! gon, supported is he is by the de
s ci>ions of the highest courts and
- long array Of legal authority, b
4 said to have committed blunde
in denying certificate TO Hay.
clector, who, though elected,
n ineligible, certainly the returni
/. board, supported by no law, an
@ violating the very law by which
s WAS crerted, has committed not on
e hIundcr but crime against Il
y people of Louisiana, the People
e the United States, and, il allow,
o tc decide the presidential electio
Is against liberty itself by rcfnsir
certificates to the Til'len clccto
n, who were both elected and cligibl
~ So that upon this plan, also, M
't 'rilccn must be declared elected al
% inanguratcd, unless VIC are TO vi
'e ness the remarkable spectacle
- the representatives of a great pc
- pie attempting to settle one of t
,a most nomentous qnstions viii
concerns their welfare and TN,
y, liberties by some strange rule
ha procedure, which is TO e ri g"rol
=, " enforced where it suhscrves t
he purpose of one political party, a
of be unccremoniously ignored wht
he lis enforcement would operate
i'd the advantages Of another.
n | e Dup these different phases
3D. the electoral problem together Il
be you may clearly see how very dit
it cult it is to defeat Mr.. Tilden
lat any method of connting which
'rs likely to receive the support ofn'
lot partisan men.
be In reply to the. question as
ase whether Mr.. TildeE viii. be pcac
me bly, iraugurated, am almost rea
ec' in view OF the considerations ] h
given you, to say ''yes." II
&c. @ proper, however, tor me to app
~ -, yon of the belief prevailing h
IT, " that the more daring leaders OF
Al ,rfx, Iicnncnd