The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1877-03-17

Great American Republican Union, has at length
been brought to a close, and one Of the two rival
candidates for that important Office, kingly IN
all but the name-bas been finally declared to
be duly and Iegitimetely elected. This result
appears to have occasIoned a universal feeling oil
relief, not only in the Union itself, but in all
countries of the civilized world. Indeed, at the
very time that the great Republican people OF
North America have just been celebrating their
first Centennial of Independence, this question
of the legitimacy Of the election of a Head to
the State began to create a lively alarm for the
peace and unity of the entire Confederation and
another fratricidal strife, even more sanguinary
than the recent civil war, was regarded by
many people as almost Inevitable. Judging from
what has occurred in other Republican Confed-
~erations and United Republics ON similar occa-
sions, where differences Of opinion arose about
the legitimacy of the election of the Head OF the
State, it was By no means astonishing that this
apprehension of a new civil war in the North
American Union, assumed daily more important
proportions; so much SO, that the enemies OF
Repubiicanism were beginning to point their
finger triumphantly at the jeopardy of the Union
and exclaim with a sneer See what must IN
eyitably be the end Of all Republics-dispates
about the election of the Head of the State cul-
minating in civil war. Indeed the example Of
all the other American Republics only gave too
much apparent grounds for concluding that.
sooner or later, the Anglo-Saxon Republican
Confederation of North America would fall into
the same deplorabIe anarchy on account of dis
puted Presidential elections, which even now
unhappily characteristics all without exception of
her Hi~spano-American Sister Republics. But
the very difference of race appears to have been
the salvation of the enlightened people of the
great Republican Union. Fortunately for them
selves, they come of gentle blood their ances-
tors were the glorious Convenanters of old,
sprung from the grand Anglo-Saxon race, whose
good sense and GOODNESS ever formed a striking
contrast to the mad fury of the excitable
Romantic stocks. When the case arose in the
American Union, of so close a tie between the
two rival Candidates for Presidential honours,
that it was really very doubtful which of the
two was legally elected, owing to the difficulty of
determining how far the voting had on either
side been conducted upon constitutional princi-
plies, a dreadful suspense occurred, amongst the
people of the Union, and abroad while the ques-
ton was anxiously and universally asked what
Will " ~ Chu ! IL nd6 UNIV III ~ II
perhaps one of the most glorious episodes in the
already glorious history of the North American
Republican Union. Peacefully and quietly,
without any rioting, without any bloodshed, or
anarchy or civil war, a duly constituted body of
citizens has examined into the difficulty, and
pronounced its opinion upon the legality of the
election of one of the candidates; and forth
with this great Republican people, with true
Anglo-Saxon good sense and GOODNESS, have ac-
copied the decision of fifteen citizens-deter-
mined by a majority of one casting vote-so that
it may truly be said that the whole nation has
submitted to the voice of one man, duly author
lzed to pronounce in the case at issue. What
really astonishes people of other countries, is the
readiness with which the worsted party at the
Presidential Election have acquiesced in the decis-
ion of the majority of those fifteen citizens.
This is the grand, the sublime feature Of the
North American Republican Union. All states
men agree that the election of President, taking
place periodically, is the real danger to which
Republican governments are necessarily exposed.
AS has been already remarked, in the case of all
the Hispano-Ameriean Republics, it is a fruitful
source of civil wars, anarchy, and fratricidal
strife. But the Anglo-Saxon race of the North
American Republican Union have just trium-
phantly demonstrated to the whole civilized
world that they possess the good sense, the cool
ness, and self-restraint requisite to save them
from the dangerous rock upon which the Ship of
State in SO many of the Hispano- American Re-
publics has been shattered and wrecked. We
believe that the religion, which "our North
American cousins inherited from their fore
fathers, the old covenanters of Great Britain, hiss
had a great influence in restraining them from
the desperate excuses of bloodshed, anarchy and
civil war, into which other Republicans madly
rush under similar circumstances. In conclu-
sion, we heartily congratulate, even for this rea-
son, the great and enlightened people of the
United States of America, upon the rare, the
admirable and truly christian example which
they have set to the whole civilized world of a
Republican Nation settling their differences upon
a question of a paramount Importance for all, in
a quiet, peaceful, and b~rotherly way, without
bloodshed, without anarchy, without warfare,
thus proving to the world that they are worthy
each and every of these sensible citizens OF the
grand Republic-to occupy by the choice of the
majority of their fellow citizens, a position
second to none of the monarchs of this world.
Well may all the citizens of the Union be proud
of this glorious triumph of their own Republi
can principles and institutions.