Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-01-26
THE ELECTORAL BILL.

THE ELECTORAL BILL.
Elsewhere in this paper is given a very
good idea of the electoral bill itself and Of
the feeling in the country regarding it. In
a national point of view there are many
very strong objections to it, one being that
in itself it is a concession that our Republi-
can form of government is not capable of
standing without some extra-constitution-
al patching, but there are also some over
whelming recommendations to it. Above
all other things it removes the question of
the Presidency from the chance Of military
interference with the expressed will of the
people which would have been but a pre-
lude to civil war !; 1t takes out of the hands
of a gang Of conspirators in Washington,
of desperate fortunes and dissolute char
acter the power to plunge the nation into
internecine strife, and it is a peculiar exhi-
bition of the temper of the American peo-
pie, through their representatives, that in a
fierce struggle for the greatest prize of the
Republic, both sides believing they are
entitled to it, both should stop suddenly,
and calmly await the decision Of a commits.
sion which shall base it's conclusions on the
law.
From a party point Of view it is not sc
pleasing. The election by the people OF
SAMUEL J. TILDEN on the TIN of Novem-
Der is a fixed fact and just as fixed is
the fact that he received 2O3 electoral votes.
His election by laW was certain the day
4Io4 O,ooon aocf am xrofn for him on6 the
counting of that vote will stand the in
spection, as far as its legal aspects are con.
cerned, of any court in the country, though
nobody pretends that it was the wish OF
the people Of Oregon to give that vote.
Either in law or equity TILDEM is the
President elect of the United States and
the submission to arbitration of such in
conference.-the claims is the strongest al
gument that could be made for the patriot.
ism of The Democratic party and its un.
willingness to see the peace of the country
imperilled that it might obtain power
AS to the decision of the commission it is
impossible to foretell anything and specu-
Iatlons are useless. If the %corruptions OF
the Louisiana and Florida Returning
Boards are established it is impossible te
see how the commission can seat Hayes
If they decide they cannot go behind the
returns, then Oregon elects TILDEN. Will
the commission the matter stands just as
it did with Congress, except that the coun'
try believes the former will be actuated by
a desire to act fairly, while with the latter.
n ronr of aoncniratnrc in tho SQnafQ wit
GRANTS Cabinet were bent on seating
HAYES whether he was elected or not.
AS to the result. it will be acquiesced il
by the whole country no matter who is
seated. If TILDEN, who never seems to
have been rufied by an tile commotion
around him, is seated he will take the
helm just as if there had never been a
storm and with a cool head and stern hand
administer the affairs of the government
while if HAYES is seated he will be seated
CHANDLER, LOGAN u Co, and owing
them nothing but the debt of having made
a ludicrous failure in his behalf. will bt
guided by such men as CONKLING, Ed
MUNDs and the more national men of his
party, and the effects Of such a change OF
advisers would be promptly and plainly
felt in the South.
Of its popularity with the country WE
can only add that its reception has beer
an ovation, which has been promptly ie-
fected in the United States Senate, where
it passed yesterday morning, after an al
night session by a vote Of forty-seven t.
seventeen. By to. morrow morning it viii
have passed the House by more than d
two-third vote, and will be sent to the
President, who has expressed himself ia
vorably. and who will append his signature,
though if he withheld it it would be iu,-
material, as Congress would promptly pass
it over his head.
Under this bill the count Of the electoral
vote will take place in Congress mex;
Thursday, instead Of Feb. 18th, and t,e
Commission will Immediately thereafter go
into session Oh the disputed votes.