Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1877-01-18

st VI RAIlOS sUF Mh-y -yT!LDES-AN tUN-
/ swERyING- -ADHERENCE To THE LAW
AND The PRECEDENTS Asked FOX.
WAsHINGros, D. c.. Dec. "a. 1876.
Uon. "A. X Golsaitt, Governor
Eject, AtLantst, Ga: s.
nv Dear Governor,-l do not 4
wonder at, your anxious inquiry. as
to the prospects of Mr.. .Tilien's in
auguration. [ believe him to have
been tairly. peacefully, cous,itu.
ltionally elected. Such is the lcoE'
| yiction, :hink, of the ccuntry-of
all Democrats, and of large body
of Republicans who supported
Governor Hayes.
How an unprejudiced man can
doubt it, or bow his inauguration
can be defeated with ary show of
cuInnliance with law, seems to me
beyond comprehension and to
plain people the assumption of the
Office of Chief Executive against
the cons,itutionally expressed will
of the people, would seem an act
of simple usurpation, and to mark
another stage in the history of an
expiring republic
OF course it is idle. in advance
of the report of the joint commit
tee of the two houses appointed,
for the purpose. to speculate as t.
the plan To he adopted for count
ing the elec oral votes, but it is
safe to say that 10 plan which
i finds support in the letter or spirit
of the Constitution, in the declared
opinions OF it's trainers, or in tue
! practice or precedents of the Gov
erpment, or what will stand the
test of time, can be adopted to
count in Governor Hayes. re-
peat that of all the plans for count.
lug in that gentleman which the
Republican press is suggesting.
and which take different hues with
each succeeding day rs Il party ex
igency or the public pulse seems
to demand, not o.e of them has
the least warrant Of law or sane
tion of commanding precedent
Upon any one construction OF the
Constitution, except that which
would confer upon the Wee Presl-
dent all the powers which Con-
, gress possesses to count or reject
the vote of States (aud that is no
construction at al), the result of
the counting must be the election
of Mr. Tilden
If, for instance, the prin2a fucie
programme, which was the Repub.
licnn plan until the action of Gov
ernor Grover. of Oregon, is to be
adopted, NJ. Tl!aen has 1875 votes,
aud is elected. IF, on the contrary,
Congress is to go behind the GER
tificates and count the votes rs
given by the people of the States
: Mr.. Tilden has 1876 without South
Carolina, and, of conrse, is elect.
cd.
Ii the twenty-second joint rul.
e is 10 be re adopted, allowing either
+ house to object to the counting o.
ii State, of course the House o
n Representatives will object tt
s counting Louisiana, Florida, apt
e possibly S nth Carcllna, for Gov
e erncr HAYES. It cannot be sup
posed that the House will eve
|, consent to have these States count
ed IA manipulated 10y returning
q boards, who have usurped power
not conferred by the laws of thos
y States, ana expressly denied b.
the courts in :wo Of them. Th
- result of .nat plan would be t.
Is leave MIR. Aay"s with only 16
=, :" votes, and Therefore not elected.
y II the bill of Senator Mor,or
- pow before the Senate on motto
II II Of Senator E,!munds, should h
of passed, requiring all votes to b
a counted from States which hay
sent mp bul one set of certificate
is or the one counted upon whlc
Il, both honses agree where there al
two returns, ,hen also would tt
es result be Mr.. 1ilden's election.
at Again, If that clause of the Co
nd stituiion which requires for ii
election of ii President mnjoli
on of all the electors appointed
'g' coEs rued to mean II majority
electors legally chosen, and Il
ne votes of one or more States shou
ie, be rel cted, it would leave l84
mojority, and Dir. Tllden is electe
Or IT the other construction
MS given to that clause-viz, that
lie, requires 185 votes to elect-th
e, is a majority of all the electo
'nt appointed, whether counted or q
'nt then, although there would
at, no election by the people in ca
lay any State were rejected, vet
,ne House would elect, and woul ell.
her Mr.. Iilden.
But suppose the joint commit,
should fail to agree aud he cou
md lug be left where the Constituti
ials leaves ito the two houses.
that case the vote If no State
which objection was made co,
be lawfully counted; because,
- counting is au atfir native act 10