The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-03-01

termined. This was the sole object Of
that measure; otherwise there would
have been no necessity for either house
TO delegate its powers. Having failed to
examine into and decide those questions
by refusing to consider the most impor-
tant of them, the commission has nulli-
fed the object of its creation. Under
these circumstances / doubt whether Ell
ther house of Congress is bound, legally
or morally, to abide its action; and yet
while under no obligation | hope II will
not refuse to submit. II may be well ask
ed whether, where power delegated has
uot been executed, the duty of executing
it, as well as the authority to do 30, does
not remain in the original possessor of
itP lift we've true that the people of the
United States had doubt as for whom
or as for what candidate the people of
Louisiana and Florida has cast their votes
for President and Vice President, Ger.
tainly this doubt has not been removed
by anything the Electoral Commission
has done They are as much in the dark
on this question as before the commits
sion was instituted. This House had no
doubt of the fact when consentlng to this
tribunal, and so conidentwas 1t that the
electoral votee of these States had been
given for Tilden and Hendricks, it was
willing to defer the inquiry and settle
ment of the question to an arbitration
which in its character should be disin-
terested, impartial, Judicial and non par
tisan. 1t was such body that the House
of Representatives supposed it was trans
mitting its authority; but, sir, we have
been mistaken. This court has deter
mined the matter against lis without q
hearing. The integrity of the elections
as conducted and declared has not been
inquired into. The prima tacte case as
certified has been accepted as valid with.
out knowing whether the persons who
signed and transmitted the certificates
purporting to represent the votes OF those
States had been appointed electors ac-
cording to the Constitution and laws OF
those States and the Constitution and
laws of the United States. Without de-
string to express harsh judgment upon
this omission ola clear duty, as a repre-
sentative of the people am compelled
to charge that the commission has disre-
garded the law which gave 1t existence,
and disappointed general public expecta-
ton. 1t has proved itself to be partisan
in character andinsuficient in judgment,
and without those elevated attributes
and high moral sense which the world
had a right to expect from men whose
previous regulations justified their selec-
ton for this trust. The judgment of his
tory will record its condemnation Of this
strange conduct. Indeed, fear these
men will not have to wait long for that
decree. Itwould be charitable for them
to hope that posterity, and posterity
alone, would deal with acts like these
The present generation, so deeply inter
ested, will not and cannot omit its loud
condemnation. A voice will go up from
every extremity of this broad land in de-
probation and denunciation of those who
have thus ignored the rights and inter-
ests ofthe American people. The patri-
otism of this house, which induced it to
forego the exercise of constitutional
right in submitting to an arbitration by
which to secure justice, truth and inter-
nal quiet, has been treacherously rewar
ded by an act of public infamy as Grim
inal in character as it will be far reach
ing and universal in its effects, pro.
test against it. AS Representative l
denounce the treachery praCticed upon
me and my constituents. Fraud vitiates
all compacts, all contracts, all compromi-
ses, and all agreements, written, moral
or legal. God help our country. God
preserve our institutions, and God pro-
tect what is left of the blessed inherit
ance derived from the virtues and wis
dom of our forefathers.