The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-02-24

Among the conservative, non-partisan press
no one supported the electoral bill more earn
estly than the Philadelphia Ledger. What it
thinks of the manner in which that measure
has been most shamelessly perverted is shown
in an article in that paper of Monday. The
annexed extracts theretrom are both just and
pointed and may be said to fairly answer the
argument of the majority of the commission
in their report on the Louisiana case. Let
every impartial Republican read
"There is reason for the strong dissatistac.
ton 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 aud Louisi-
ana TO Governor 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 decisions,
when reduced to plain terms, amount to moth
ing more than this that Stearns was Goyer'
nor of Florida on the 9th Of December last,
and that Kellogg was de facto Governor o!
Louisiana on the same date. IL did not re-
quire the creation Of high and extraordinary
commission like that now in session to in
quire into and decide historical facts like
these. They were beyond dispute and were
not disputed, The commission was created
under circumstances Of the utmost sOlemnily
to inquire aud decide whether such certiti.
Gates as those given by Stearus aud kellogg
did actually certify to the truth, and whether
the electors named in those certificates were
in truth and in law the electors who received
majorites Of the lawful votes Of Florida and
Louisiana. This the majority of the commits
sion have continuously refused to do, and,
taking their stand on bare teehncalities, have
abdicated the very jurisdiction aud action
they were brought into existence to exercise.
Without the belief that they would exercise
il the commission could have had no exist.
ence. Ii was that belief that made the ap.
pointment Of the commission possibility and
caused its appointment to the hailed with
weleomeand confidence throughout the United
States.
This is said with profound regret. 1t is
Notifying to be obliged to say it in the
columns of a journal which was among the
foremost in aiding TO create the commission.
We certainly understood that the commission
was to inquire into the pay 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 inquiry,
and not upon bald techneaities.
This tribunal was from the outset trusted
with the patriotic hopes and honored with the
fullest confidence of three.fourths Of the PEG.
pie Of the United States, in the belief that the
solemn circumstances attending the necessity
and the act that brought it into being, would
cause all its members with possibly three ex.
cepions) to rise above all party considerations
| in the discharge Of their momentous duty. In
the light Of this antecedent hope and conf.
dence and in view of the votes written on the
record OF the commission, it is pitiable to OBJ.
serve that every important question thus far
submitted to the commission has divided the
commissioners, eight to seven, on strict party
lines, accordingly as the decision would help
the case of Governor Hayes or hurt the case
of Governor Tilden.
The seven voted in q way to promote the
great object for which the commission was
created the eight voted ia a way to make the
commission utterly useless for the principal
purpose for which it has any reason for being
IN existence ut all. The Senator, the Judge,
the presidential aspirant, the party that sup,
| poses the eyes Of the American people can be
closed to this vital aspect Of the matter is
making signal and perlous mistake. Tn,
American people know what is honorable
lair, manly and just and their ultimate de.
eisions always show that they not only know,
but that they act upon their knowledge.
| The single good influence resulting from
the act creating the commission is that the
process of counting the vote and arriving at q
result has been orderly and in pursuance o
statute law, instead OF turbulent, lawless anC
anarehieal as 1t threatened at one time to be
II the Democrats in Congress, who are nov
sore under their disappointment shall d,
anything as a party to induce faetious opposi
ton to the decisions Of the commission the
will make n dire mistake. The order an;
peace and exemption from factious proceed
ings expected from the constitution of tn,
commission should be maintained in goo,
faith, even though the majority of the com
mission have abdicated their duty
As another apt illustration of the palpabl
perversion of the electoral bill by the majorit
of the commission, aud the mockery of III,
people by its dry.bones decisions, the Wash
ington Union puts the case briefly thus:
"Suppose the electoral bill, as submitte,
by the committee to the two Houses, had con
tanned a clause to the following effect =:
provided, That in the consideration of ,h
said certificates, or papers purporting to b.
certificates, and the objections thereto, m
ertdeRce shall be received by said commissio,
dliHnde the papers opened by the Presiden
OF the Senate, in the presence Of the tw
Houses, for the purpose of showing that an
other persons than those certified TO by III
Governor on and according to the determine
ton and declaration of the board Of STAT
LII
that the persons SO certified TO had moi bee
appointed" -would such bill have receive
the vote Of single Democrat in ei,hq
House? Would any public man of e;tbs
party, who had any regard for his reputatior
have seriously proposed such bill as ii
basis Of an agreement between the two marie
of the two Houses ~