The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-03-08
COUNTING THE ELECTORAL
VOTE.

question. Coming from a journal OF
large influence and one that has been
ardent in the support of Hayes and
Wheeler, it should command the
thoughtful consideration Of every Re-
publican in the land. 1t seems to US
that the truths presented by the led
ger should at least take away that
broad grin of satisfaction which now
illumines the countenance of a few of
the more reckless and thoughtless
men of the radical party. The sensi-
BILE men of the country must come to
the same conclusions reached by the
Leds er. The whole proceedings have
been a tremendous farce, a lie and a
cheat from the beginning. The very
object for which the Commission was
created has been defeated by the par
tisan rulings of the majority Of the
board and the nation to-day is disap-
pointed and dissatisfied. The decis-
ion reached is no victory over the
Democratic party, but a victory over
equity and fair dealing, over truth
and justice, over a law abiding and
peace loving people. If Hayes and
the Republican party can stand it, we
are very sure the Democratic party
can. But the great question with ev-
cry mar of honesty and fair dealing
is, can the country stand it. Read
carefully the following:
There is reason for the strong dis
satisfaction expressed concerning the
course of the majority of the electoral
commission. There is just cause for
complaint, not because they have
awarded the votes of Florida and
Louisiana to Gov. Hayes, but because
of their persistent refusal to inquire
into the truth of the certificates which
covered those votes. Thus far their
inquiries and their decision, when re-
duced to plain terms, amount to moth
ing more than this; that Stearns was
governor of Florida on the 9th of De.
cember last and that Kellogg was de
facto governor OF Louisiana on the
same date. 1t didn't require the crea-
ton of q high and extraordinary COM
mission like that now in sessionto in
quire into and decide historical facts
like these. They were beyond dispute
and were not disputed. ThecommIs-
sion was created under circumstances
of the utmost solennity to inquire
and decide whether such certificates
as those given by Stearns and Kel,
logg did actually certify to the truth
and whether the electors named in
those certificates were in. truth and in
law the electors who received MAORI.
ties of the lawful votes of Florida
and Louisiana. This the majority Of
the commission have refused to do,
and taking their stand on bare tech.
nicalities, have abdicated the ve.y
Jurisdiction and action they were
brought into existence to exercise,
Without the belief that they would
exercise it, the commission could
have had no existence. 1t was the
belief that made the appointment Of
the commission a possibility and
caused it's appointment to be hailed
with welcome and confidence through
out the United States.
This is said with profound regret.
1t is Notifying 10 be obliged to say il
in the columns of a journal which was
among the foremost in aiding to ere.
ate the commission and which, in fact
sketched its outlines long before the
law took shape anywhere else. We
certainly understood that the com
mission was to inquire into. the very
truth and right of the disputed votes
in Florida and Louisiana and that the
decision of the commission was to be
given upon the merits after that in
quiry and not upon bald technical,
ties. The law gives to the commission
all the powers possessed in the prem
Uses by the two Houses of Congress
and to take in view such evidence as
might be competent and pertinent
This portion of the law certainly
means something; it means precisely
what it says and was universally un
derstood to mean that the commits
sion was to inquire whether the pa
pers from Florida and Louisiana, pur
porting to be votes, are in fact vote:
or false pretenses, but the majorit,
of the commission have treated that
part of the law as if it means nothing
by refusing to make that inquiry.
This tribunal was, from the outset
trusted with the patriotic hopes and
honored with the fullest confidence o
three-fourths of the people of the q
S., in the belief that the solemn cir
cumstances attending the necessity
and the act that brought it into being
would cause all its members with
possibly three exceptions) to rise a
bove all party considerations in thu
discharge of their momentous duty
In the light of this antecedent hop
and confidence and in view of tn,
votes written on the record of tn,
commission, it is pitiable to observe
that every important question thu
far submitted to the commission ha,
divided the commissioners, 8 to Z, OF
strict party lines, accordingly as tn,
decision would help the case of Gov
Hayes; or hurt the case of Gov. Til
den. 1t was not believed by fai
minded, intelligent men that such
division could come about. The out
side adherents of each party mutual
ly charged this as a discredit on tn.
opposition members of the commits
sion. The jealous Democrats re
proach Republicans with their par
tisan votes of the eight Republican
commissioners and the jealous Re
publicans retort by pointing to tn
partisan votes of the seven Demo
Gratis on the commission. This il