Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-03-16

The great argument for the Electoral
scheme, while the bill for the Commission
was before Congress, was that it would set
tie the National dispute, ard give to the
candidate declared elected Ian unquestiOned
title" That WIS a result Of the utmost i'm
portance, and the hope fit doubtless recon-
conciled thousands to the stretch of the Con
stitution 1t did not seem to us, with such
knowledge of the case and of human nature
as We could bring 10 the case, that such a
result could be reasonably expected. We
said-we quote fr ON the FREE PRTss of JAN
uary 3lst-:
If this plan could give, in the words OF its
friends, ian unquestioned title" to either
candidate, We should lie tempted to over
look its defects but that seems to us i'm
possible. If Gov. Hayes is declared elected,
the mass Of the Democrats for four years to
come will declare, as now, that he was the
choice OF the minority and not OF the ma
jority and that his title is of possession
merely, not of right. They will recognize
him, as the White Leaguers have Gov.
Kellogg. in Louisiana. but only because they
are not ready for a new rebellion.
The plan became n law. The Commission
met ard declared the result That result,
though the providence which made the odd
man Republican, was the election of
President Hayes. And how has the Demo
cratic party received it? The Democratic
House met the declaration with formal
resolution, supported by the entire Demo
cratic party in that branch Of Congress.
declaring Mr.. Tilden to have been legally
elected. The Democratic Congressional
committee, adopted an address to the people,
declaring the election of Hayes fraud, and
that in his inaugural 1.-THE most Infamous
conspiracy of all history will receive its
crown" The foremost representative Of
Mr.. Tilden in Congress, declared that the
Republicans had placed falsehood in the
forehead Of the Nation The Democrats
of the Ohio Legislature, passed resolution
opening with the preamble: "Whereas, by
fraud, perjury, and the most despicable prae
tees known even to pickpockets, K. B. Hayes
has secured lS5 electoral votes, thereby
becoming the ruler Of disgraced nation"
The Rhode Island Democratic State Conyen-
tion, at Providence. last week, adopted reso-
lutions declaring that "thc world stands
amazed at witnessing in its greatest Repub-
lie the triumph of fraud over justice = and
that "the acceptance by Rutherford D.
Hayes ola position which rightfully belongs
to another, leaves no room to expect that his
administration will be either honorable to
himself or seryiceable to the country"
Declarations such as these, only in many
cases more violent, are the staple produc-
tons Of the Democratic Press. The New
York Sun says "A man whom the people
rejected at the polls has been declared Presi-
dent Of the United States, through processes of
fraud. \ cheat is to sit in the seat Of George
Washington. Let every upright citizen grid
himself up Tor the work Of redressing this
mohstrous iniquity." The Indianapolis
SeHfind says President Hayes SHOULD be
made to feel that he is only the more con-
sWcuonslya usurpcr Of powers and priv
leges, and that every movement only brings
into holder relief the infamous record of the
returning board soouncrelism and the de-
pravity Of the radical dcadiall Commission
which has clothed him with iufamy Us with
Il garment
And similar uttcrinces are echoed through
the Democratic papers of the entire North,
down to the poor Burlington Democrat,
which declares that 1.-The Bradley Tribunal,
IN MS inception, its creation. AMI its action,
has been nothing but a lawless, unconstitu-
tiOnal, invalid fraud and farce"
Gould the dispute be farther from
settlement? Could there be stronger question
ING OF title, short Of armed resistance,
Which has not actually been among the con-
llngencieS ? Tae Democracy acqLiosce in the
result because they are not ready for a new |
that is all. SO far as they |
ire concerned, nothing was gained by the
'esort to the Electoral Commission. 1t may |
&c that some Republicans feel as if President
Hayes holds his scat by a stronger claim. be-
ause oil the verdict of the Commission.
" e hardly see why they should so feel, for
he Commission simply reaiirmed the Re
publican position that Congress could not
. back oil the returns, and that Hayes and
v heller had received 1856 Electoral votes
nder the forms of law But ifany 80 ieel,
hat - the sole benefit secured by the Elec-
oral Commission. We may be very sure,
II Oi Us. that it has settled no DISPUTE.
The letter Of Mr.. Stanley Matthews to
10Y. Chamberlain and rho a,.5,-,o,,o. 81 |