The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1877-01-27

y
most extreme and ultra States srights-
assuming, in effect, that the certificates
from the State electoral colleges i'm
ported absolute verify and that it was
not in the power of any one to go behind
these certificates 1t is true this posi-
ton over-rides every principle of law as
it hath been understood from time
whereof the memory of man runneth
not to the contrary for the merest
tyro knows that allegation and proof of
fragrant fraud, duly made, will set aside
the most solemn record of court Of
justice. But that made no difference.
For the hope was, that, by removing any
control of the count from the two
houses, and by depositing it with the
President of the Senate, fwho would be
impressed with the doctrine that these
certificates imported absolute verify. j
they would cause to be reclaimed a
count of ls5 for Hayes, against the
acknowledged vote of lS4 for Tilden
By this means they hoped to secure,
without investigation, aud without the
means of investigation, the electoral
votes Of South Carolina, Louisiana and
Florida, and at this time (early DAYS of
Stscihiii Nhp aSttoa vi vic bDftTHOT
Oregon, was not known In furtherance
OF this plan, Senator Sherman. of Ohio.
in bis place in the Senate, endorsed the
character for personal integrity of the
members of the Returning Board, of
Louisiana, of which J. Madison
Wells wac chairman. This
was to meet the charge
of fraud and corruption brought by the
Democrats against this Board For, il
was reasoned, if the people can be made
to believe that the members of this
Board are honest. they will, of course
believe their conduct in the canvass of
the vote fair. and will dlsbelieve the
charges brought against them bv Demo-
Gratis. This was met by proof from our
side:
F.rst-That General Sheridan had
caused the removal of Wells from the
governorship of Louisiana because he aoas
dishonest, and Surrounded hia,sslf ty cerrupt
fricksters. sheridan further said. in a
communication TO Secretary Stanton,
that his Wells) track was as sinuous
as that of a snake"
Second-The Republican Committee
of the House, sent to Louisiana to in
vestigate the election of 1874. took
testimony showing that Wells had. by
has own affidavit. thrown out the parish
OF Rapides on the ground of iutimida-
ton, when IL was shown that he yas MOI
IN thai parish on tie day Of election and
this committee further denounce the
conduct of this Board Constituted the
same as now as
ARBITRARY. ILLEGAL AND UNJUST
and that By this arbitrary, illegal and
UNJUST conduct a conservative majority
IN the Legislature was thrown out, I'd
a Republican majority counted in. Ali
this was shown in reply to Sherman,
and completely overcams his endorse
ment
Investigations made with great care
and diligence into the precedents from
1889 all the way down, showed that the
claim that the President of the Senate
had the constitutional right to count
the votes, was now asserted for the first
time, and that for more than eighty
years the two Houses had asserted and
exercised the right to control the mat
ter and the law completely related the
electoral certificate infallibility doc
trine
In the meantime the news from Ore
gon fell upon the chief actors in this
drama, like clap of thunder out of a
clear sky. Watts being postmaster
when appointed (elected). was, by the
constitution, ineligible, and his subse-
quent resignation did not better the
case, as is made clear in
the Corliss case, recently decided
by the Supreme Court of Rhode
Island, as well as by the report TO the
United States Senate ON like cases
made by the committee in 1857,
consisting Of Messrs. Grundy, Clay and
wright, and the subsequent resignation
tsee same case and report) did not
better the case. II Cronin had a valid
certificate, Tiiden, on the face of the
certificates, was elected; and if Cronin's
certificate was invalid, and Watts
inhibited by the constitution from
being appointed, then there was a
failure to appoint as to him; and the
vote would stand lS4 to lS4. Neither
having majority (lsj), the election
would be thrown in the House. and
of course, Tilden elected. Instantly
electoral certificates infallibility was
heard no more in the land-melted
like the frost before the rising sun
vanished :" like the baseless fabric of a
vision" II is notable that Nessr,.
Morton and Sherman received but
little aid and comfort in this matter
from their brethren. The bloody
shirt was waived aloft in
vain. The Chinese gongs neither
attracted attention, nor alarmed. nor
exasperated the imperturbable Southern
men, it was designed to excite. The
red-rag had no effect. The Southern
bull neither paved, beloved nor
gored. In the meantime Northern
sentiment began to crystalline in favor
OF an honest count The attempt to
exasperate the South, extort bitter
words, and thus arouse the passions of
the people North, was an utter failure
What Southern men did say. was said
with dignity and well Their admirable
conduct has extorted the admiration of
the Northern people, who are tired of
the OLD. old story o. Southern outrages.
A conspicuous evidence this wasof
shown to day by the election of George
r Hoar, by the Legislature of Massa-
chusetts, to the United States Senat.
over George s. Boutwell,. The country
will not soon forget the splendid perora-
ton OF Mr.. Hoar in his speech as one of
the managers ofthe late impeachment
trial, in which he denounced fraud and
corruption in high places, in words of
burning eloquence. nor will the South
soon forget the reckless denunciatiou of
our whole people, running back for
years, by Mr.. Boutwell,, and il win
further be noticed that Mr.. Hoai was
one of the special committee on the ele,.
torai count. The cry of the people from
every quarter for an honest count |
caused the appointment Of special com |
mittees in the Senate and House to |
devise plan for securing this most i'm. |
portant end. The committee appointed |
by the Senate was exceedingly able |
Three Of the Republican members oil
that committee. Edmunds, Conkiine |
and Frelinghuysen, are able LAWYERS |
and able men. Thurman aud Bayard /
from our side). ere too well-known az
lawyers and statesmen to need cem.
nent. The personal integrity of every
member of the two committees on both
rdes is beyond question From the day
'f their appointment have not doubt
ID peaceful solution. In Senate eau
'us of our friends, regarded this a. the
rue way to settle it, just as | did last
ession. Their report. (and accompany
ng biii) was made yesterday. l send