The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-03-07
Wednesday, March 7, 1877.
What Shall We Do!

the AmeElcai people quite AS IiluCii ao
its great duties and their high charac-
ter had inspired confidence and trust.
1t is not too much to say, that the
announcement that Mr.. Hayes and Mr..
Wheeler were duly elected President
has been received with q disfavor but
little short Of deep popular discomfort.
That this result should have been at
tanned by conceding to them a ma
jority Of but one electoral vote, and
that that vote should have been
awarded by a majority Of but a single
vote of the commission, are facts SO
startling as to excite ominous distrust
and bitter comment both by the
people and the press. This remarka-
BILE coincidence is made not only sus
picious, but even painful, by the coin-
cidence no less extraordinary that
every member of the commission
upon every question submitted to
them, however indirect or col
lateral, cast his vote with invaria-
ble conformity to his individ-
ual party afinities. The eight
Republicans and seven Democratic
members or the commission upon all
and each of the various issues that
were raised, with unbroken unanimi-
ty, cast eight votes on the Il side
and seven on the other, and invaria-
bly, in favor of the candidates of their
respective parties. Even the five
judicial members We're SO fortunate as
never to disagree or break the har-
mony Of their respective political
partisan councils.
The mysterious laws of chance
furnish no solution Of such won-
dcrful results. The diversities of
the human mind seem to forbid such
extraordinary condolences upon such
questions. One hundred and eighty
four unchallenged and incontestible
electoral votes had been cast for the
Democratic candidates, but a single
vote short of a constitutional majority.
The votes Of South Carolina, Florida,
Louisiana, and one vote from Oregon
were contested, and all the votes Of
these States were indispensable to
elect the Republican candidates.
Neither the Constitution nor the
laws anticipated such p contin-
gency as had arisen, and had
provided no method or tribunal
for the adjudication of such grave
questions. Agitation and excitement
shook the whole country, and thepub-
lie peace was imperilled. The sober
sentiment of the patriotic and virtu-
Gus me Of both parties demanded
that these grave issues should be
removed from the heated coun-
sells of Congress and submitted
to a tribunal that should raise
the questions involved above the
plane of mere partisan influence
and assure an honest and impair
ial decision, and quiet the clamor-
Gus and Incorporate %prctensions of
partisans and demagogues. A COM
mission Of fifteen members, composed
Of five Senators, five Representatives
and five Judges of the Supreme Court,
it was believed, would constitute a
tribunal equal to the magnitude of the
subject, and to the just eXpecta-
ton of good men of all parties.
This high commission was ap-
pointed, and ample jurisdiction
was committed to it. NOtwithstand-
ing such bitter and INSCRIPTIONS par
tisans as Morton and Garfield were
members, it was beiieyed that the five
Judges would ensure a determination
that would satisfy the public sense of
justice, and calm the public mind.
The event has sadly disappointed pop
liar expectation, and a majority OF
The American people believe that even
the judicial ermine has been be-
smirched and bcdraggled III the preju-
dices and the passions of party strife.
The saddest consequence, by far, of
the decision is the loss of confidence
in the impartiality and purity of the
the five judicial members Of the Com
mission. The Supreme Court has
long been regarded by thoughtful men
rs the last bulwark of Constitutional
liberty, and if five members of it lave
stopped, or fallen from the high emf
neuce to which it had been elevated
by Marshall and Story and fancy,
well may good and brave men despair
of orr liberties.
Whatever may have been the En-
rors or the unscrupulousness of
the Electoral Commission, how
ever their decision may he depre-
Gated, or denounced, it is yet an ac-
colnplished fact that Mr.. Hayes has
been made President Of the United
States.
What shall be done is now the press
ing tndthe practical question. Duties
await us and we must meet them. 1t
were bootless and unmanly to indulge
Ill lHIpOleiiC Ilcllace, anu ilalllllcSS VI
"tuperation. We must act, and speedily
must we decide, whether that action
shall be determined resistance, or
'decorous acquiesence. No Consti-
tutional or peaceful means of redress
of the mighty wrong which we believe
has been perpetrated upon the consti-
tuition and popular rights by this
Ubiquitous decision has been suggest
ed, or seems possible. Shall we resort
to the ultimate argument of an OPP
pressed people against wrong ?
Shall we fly to the desperate remedy of
revolution We answer, no-em
phatically 10. If not, then acquies-
ence is all that is left us. Shall our
acquiesence be graceful or shall it be
grudging? 1t seems 10 US that we can
not hesitate to accept the advent to
power of Mr.. Hayes, with that decor
Gus silence which becomes those who
are not hopeful aud yet unwilling to