National Republican., 1877-02-28

VIC uellcNo tucIc Will Ut lOunu 70 ne the
same accord between his views and thoss
Of his successor.
DELlBERATIONs OF THE COMMISSION.
The objections fled against the count
ing Of the votes Of the HAYES electors In
South Carolina have all been passed upon
directly or collatsrally In the cases which
have preceded, and they are, therefore,
frivolous. under the rule Of the courts, and
not entitled to be orally argued. The bes,
evidence that the Commission does not re-
gard itself as clothed with judicial powers,
but only as representing the authority Of
Congress, Is that il tolerates . continuous
interposition Of pleas which, were IL Q
Court would be res judicata by repeated
rulings. No judicial body would allow its
time to be occupied by counsel in the dis
cussion of matters clearly settled by ante
cedent decisions, and which both judges
and advocates must feel are entitled TO no
further consideration. at the very moment
Of the hearing Yet in the greater part,
this has been the condition OF questions
dealt with by the Commission since the
disposition Of the Florida case; and its
judgments have been left open to attack
in consequence Of this course of proceed.
We, which. had such indulgence been re-
fused, would not have been possible. In
that case the decision was, in effect that
it was not competent TO 60 behind the
Governors certificate where found 10 be
5dsed upon the Official returns Of tie rotes
cast at The election.
Now, in logic, 1t is clear that the mega
tive finding in this case, is equivalent TO an
affirmative finding in q case where the
Governors certificate was not founded
upon the official returns: and that, in real
ity, the Oregon case was just as efectu-
ally disposed Of, on that point, when that
decision was rendered. as it was, afler
hours Of argument and final determine
tion in the case presenting the Affirmative
of the proposition. If ii was not conpe-
tent to go behind a certificate thus sup
ported, it is plain that it was competent to
go behind one not SO sustained. So to all
well informed persons the whole question
was put at rest and out of the way by the
negative conclusion at first given; and its
further consideration in argument only
served to mislesd tho unthipking public,
and 10 enable demsgogues to create the
impression that the Commission Was incon-
sistent in its decisions. aud shaped them
for partisan effect. II when It was pro.
posed to debate the question further in the
Oregon case, the Commission had de.
clined to consume time with il, there would
have been no misapprehension as to Its
merits. But when IL was afterwards made
the subject OF grave deliberation, and the
Commission permitted 1t to be seriously
argued in its presence, that they had dec
ded against going behind the Governor's
certificate in one case. aud were concluded
thereby, and debsrred fro n going behind
such a certificate In auy cass. the efert
was to confuse the public mind, and led
many to suppose there really had been a
show Of tergiversation; whereas, in fact,
there was the greatest hsrm,ny and Goa.
sistency throughout.
80 now In the case OF South Clrolina,
the same questions almost are considered,
and ct great length, as in that Of Louisi
ana. They only vary in form. To illus
trate: In Louisiana Il was said there was
no valid election because the Law under
which 1t was held was unconstitutional.
In South Carolina it is urged there was no
valid election because the General Assem-
bly, OF the State had neglected to provide,
as required by the Constitution thereof
for the registration Of the people entitled
to vote; and that without such registration
there could be no legal and valid election.
And the decision in the L LJuisiana case tha,
Congress was not authorized to enquire into
the validity Of the laws of State made for
the control ofits own internal Affairs, GOV.
cred both cases; for If it could not question
the sufficiency OF the action Of the State in
one matter Of local concern, ii could not N
another; and so there was an end of the
controversy, But notwithstanding the de-
cision, it is still debated as an open aues-
ton, and the Democratic masses are prc-
vailed upon to believe that instead Of a few
plain and hitherto conceded propositions
being decided in the only way of which
they are capable, q great number Of intri-
cate and contradictory questions are being
warped and fashioned In unnatural unison,
for an unjust purpose. But Il may be thai
ifthe Commission be regarded as a politi-
cal body, 1t is better that full latitude has
been given, than that feeling should have
been created that there was disposition to
render judgment without hearing.
THE INDIAN Foley.
One of the best aud most psrma anent
achievements Of President GRANTS sds
ministration is his human Indian policy.
Before he assumed the duties OF Chief
Magistrate. there was no established sys-
TEN of Indian treatment. Everything con-
nected with that important service was in
condition Of confusion, and the policy
was more rule of force than of humanity.
Since the existing plan was established the
material and moral interest of the In
dians have steady increased. They
have been lifted from a state o.
brutal savagery TO that Of semi, i,civili.stion.
They have to great extent, and especially
in the Indian Territory, forsaken their
nomadic habits and conformcd 70 the ways
Of civilization, and are rapidly progressing
towards that higher plane of eIistencs TO
which the Presidents policy aims 10 ele-
yate them This nolicv has racsivsd .nd