The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-02-08
TEE VERDICT.

sci for the last fswDlsys, and the juds-
ment OF the Court 10 that no evidence can
be admitted to prove fraud in the Florida
election, or in other words they will not
20 behind the returns as laid before them
by the President of the Senate This
announcement will elste the hopes of
the RAYrs party, and correspondingly
let down those of. the TILDEN men, but
there is one feature of this decision which
will. be mortifying to the good men of
all parties, and that is it was gwen by a
strict party vote. There was q hope
that when this Tribunal was established
it would be composed of men of charsc'
ter, and q broad, comprehensive states
msDship, who could arise above party
and party considerations. This was
thought 10 be especially true of the
judicial branch of the Commission. But
those who entertained these high hopes
have had them blasted by the
first official action of the Commission
When men sit as judges on political ques-
tions, they are ppt to be governed by
political prejudices in rendering a deeis-
lon, and so it was that many deplored
the dragging of OF the supreme court in
to the arena of politics and soiliDg
the hitherto unspotted ermine in ITS
dirty cesspools. But the deed has been
done, the ermine has been soiled, and
hereafter the judiciary will fail to hold
that unbounded confidence of the .Ameri-
can people which they have heretofore
reposed in it. The ejudicisry was the
only branch of our government which
had retained its integrity and purity
intact, and now alas, that is gone.
1t does not necessarily follow from the
decision of the Court that the scale will
ultimately turn in favor of HAYES. 1t
must be admitted that the equities of the
Democratic case are eliminated and cut
of by this judgment of the Commission,
and the result will be determined purely
upon legal technicalities-a very unsat-
isfsctory way of settling disputed ques-
ton in which so much is involved. Yet
under this ruling the Democrats have a
show of getting recognition tor one Of
their certificates froW Florida, and of
the one Oregon elector. If the
court is consistent in its rulings,
we do not we'll see how they
are to accept the certificate of the Re-
publican electors from Florida and Louisi-
ana and reject the vote Of CsoNIN, unless
they mean to do just as the Louisiana
Returning Board did, be governed en-
tirely by partizan considerations and act
without law, equity or precedent, and
without desire to preserve consistency.
They may decide it just as BEN BUTLER
did the HAaANs. MARTIN contest in
Congress, "first find out which is our
man and then let US go for him." Ii
consistency is preserved BY the Court and
the one Oregon vote counted for Mr.
T1LDEN, the result will be unsatisfactory
to the country. We know that Mr..
TILpEn has been elected-he Is fairly
and honestly entitled to the votes OF
Florida and Louisiana-everyb body
knows that, and everybody knows that
he Is entitled 10 the Presidency. Yet
we know that while under the ruling Of
the High Commission he may have a
legal right to the one Oregsn vote, yet he
has not moral right to il, and the
Democratic party can better afford
to lose their President than to commit q
national wrong. For this reason, how
ever the Republican majority of the
Tripsrtite Tribunal may decide as to
Louisiana and Floridae, we hope that
every Democrat on that Commission will
vote to reject the CRoNIN vote, and let
il be counted for HAYES. lfthe nation
is TO be robbed, in the name Of Heaven
do not let the Democratic party be the
robbers.
Notwithstanding the psrtizsn spirit
exhibited BY the court, We yet have
an abiding confidence in the sense OF
Justice prevailing among the American
people, and believe that there will be
such q moral influence brought to boar
upon the Court that it will be forced
70 render . final verdict in accordance
with the will of the people as expressed
through the ballot box, and that Mr.
TILpES will yet be declared President
II our confidence be misplaced and our
hopes are blighted in this particular
then. but not till then, will
we admit the failure OF repubii.
can institutions, and shall be pre-
pared to witness speedy downfall Of all
our bcasted greatness. 1t makes the
heart sick TO contemplate such de-.
struction ard all true citizens are willing
enough 70 keep it shut from. their sight
as long as possible. with hope, however
faint that hope may be, that an over
ruling Providence will turn aside the
Vaccinations Of the enemies of popular
government, and that we may yet be re-
stored to our original status OF Consti,u-
x,oos IL frao1ap