The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-01-01


which Immediately followed the meeting OF
the Electoral Colleges on the 9th of Deem
Der. by the face of the certificates Mr..
Hayes had 1856 votes and MI. Tilden
1S4, making q majority for Hayes
and electing him, unless the primo
fdcie result can be overthrown. 1t
was strongly asserted by the democrats
that the votes Of three States had been given
to Mr.. Hayes by wilful and stupendous
frauds, and committees of investigation were
Immediately appointed by Congress to in
quire into the facts. These committees
have, as yet, completed their task in only
one of the three States, but in that one the
investigation does not confirm, but explodes
the confident and noisy claim made by the
democratic party. South Carolina is Thus
taken out of the list of disputed States and
conceded to Hayes by the unanimous judg-
ment of a committee of whom majority are
democrats-a result which encourages and
strengthens those supporters of Mr.. Hayes
whose hopes had begun to waver and, In
the same measure abates democratic
confidence. 1t affords q conspicuous proof
| that democratic assertions are no criterion
of truth, for if Mr. Tilden's friends could be
so egregiously mistaken respecting South
Carolina they may be also in error respect
ing the two other disputed States. At any
rate the country will no longer place much
reliance on what the democratic politicians
assert, but only on what the committees
of investigation prove in regard to the dis
puted votes. On the face of the regular GER
tifcates Mr.. Hayes is elected, and the
burden of proof rests with the democrats
when a claim is made that certificates are
invalidated by fraud. Electoral votes can
not be rejected on mere doubts or sus-
picions but only on conclusive evidence.
If full investigation leaves the result in any
State doubtful the arraigned Canvassing
Board is entitled to the benefit of the doubt.
1t is not surprising that republican Sen
ators are recovering from their recent mis-
givings. According to present Appearances
the republican party will exhibit vigorous
unity in insisting that Mr.. Hayes shall be
declared elected and be indicted into Office.
Democratic resistance will be futile, unless
so strong a case of fraud is made out in
Louisiana as to evoke vigorous remon-
STRANGE by the public voice. AS Tennyson
finely says in his new drama
The voice of any people is tho sword
That guards them tho sword that beats them down.
We are persuaded that no other sword
will be drawn from it's scabbard, and with
out a resort to violence Mr.. Hayes cannot be
thwarted if he should be inaugurated rs
President. Mr.. Tilden might indeed take
the oath, but it would be an empty
form. His friends might claim that
he was President de jure, while Mr..
Hayes was only President de tdcto !; but the
republicans would insist that Hayes was
both de jore and de facto President, and
would have the means of making their
claim efficient. After Mr.. Tilden had taken
an idle oath what further could he do?
The first official act of new President is
to send the names Of his proposed Cabinet
to the Senate for confirmation. The Senate
would not even receive his communication,
much less confirm his appointments. APres-
ident administers the government through
his official subordinates, but no officer, civil
or military, would give any heed to the COM
mands of MI. Tilden, whereas al MIR.
HAYES appointments would be promptly
confirmed, and the whole civil and whole
military service would yield him ready
obedience There would be perfect unity
between the head of the government and
all it's members, while Mr.. Tilden would
be as powerless as any other private
citizen.
It will be said that the democratic House
may stop the supplies but this is vain
tlourish-a threat which the democratic
party would not dare to put in execution.
'sThe voice of the people" would indeed
prove to be 'sword' if the House should
be reckless enough to attempt to throw the
country into anarchy by recourse to
SO mad an experiment. But even if
tho House could be insane enough
to refuse to pass any appropriation bills
how would that help Mr.. Tilden? With
holding the usual appropriations would be
two-edged sword, and its sharpest edge
would be turned toward Mr.. Tilden. 1t
would at least effectually cut off all his
means of conducting a government, but it
would not necessarily be fatal to the admin
istration Of Mr.. Hayes. 1t would call forth
such general indignation that Mr.. Til
den and his party would be crushed
morally as well as politically, and
the business community would come to tho
rescue of the government. The House
alone cannot repeal the tariff and tax laws.
Money would continue to flow into the
Treasury, although none could be drawn
out of it. DO but consider the effect on the
country of locking up money in the public
vaults at the rate of three hundred million
dollars per annum. How long could this
process go ON before the whole business
community would be in rebellion