The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-02-24

had not soiled the pure efmine OF oui
judges. Tho law now 10 the same thai
he pronounced IL to be. Title acquised
to any kind of property by fraud
whether 10 lands or tenement, goods OF
cbattels, or title acquired by fraud to
the office of justice or judge constable OF
governor. are SIMPLY void, and none OF
them could stand for . moment u 2
court OF Justice; but title acquired, ssys
this Commissions, TO the Office Of Presi-
dent of the United States BY fraud. no
matter how plainly that fraud may be
proved, no matter how infamous may be
the character OF the men by whom 1t is
perp-trated, and no matter how enor-
nous that fraud may be, is perfectly
valid title 10 be observed and respected
by all men, and the fraud is to be sancti-
/ fed and embalmed in the political his
tory of the country.
Sir, as an American citizen, spurn
such a doctrine and trsmple this base
and infamous decision under my feet. l
voted against giving it the approval OF
! this Hou:e, for if voted otherwise l
! could not look my honest constituency IN
the face.
Had this commission heard the facts,
as they were ordered to do, according to
my understanding OF the,bill under which
they were organized, had they taken the
evidence offered TO them and then deci-
ded upon that evidence, / should have
felt cor strained to give my scquiescence
to whatever conclusion they might have
reached; but the fact that they have re-
fused TO hear any evidence what
ever, together with the systematic
partisan votes upon every proposition,
has satisfied me that their conclusions
had been reached before they were quail
fed as members of the commission.
The leaders of the Radical party may,
through such means enjoy temporary
triumph. They will probably insugu-
rate their candidate but his seat will not
be an easy one, for the receiver OF stolen
goods is as bad as he thief and an honest
people will visit the men who have thus
outraged law, right, Justice and honor by
such measure of retributive justice as was
lever yet experienced by any political
party on the face of the earth.
The Supreme Court of the United
States has ever been regarded IN this
couatry and Europe as conepicuously
wise, dIgnitied and impartial tribunal. 1t
has been looked up TO as almost sacred.
When the country learned that the Elec-
torsl Commission was TO be in part
composed OF judges taken from that
court, Joy and satisfaction filled the
hearts of the people, and the coDspira-
tors shrsnk with fear, believing that jus
tice and hight were about 70 triumph.
The belief was universal that those
judges would give the great questions to
be submitted 10 them IS members Of the
Commission su elevated, conscientious
considerations; that if fraud existed it
would be exposed and condemned; that
3 conclusion would be reached which
very man would be compe lied to scknow-
ledge honest and equitable. But to the
surprise and disgrace o! the country that
belief, that saBguine expectation has
proved a delusion, and the fact is sppsr-
ent that the decisions Of the Commission
have been partisan and mercenary.
1t is the merest mockery to assert that
the electoral vote Of Louisiana was right
fully cast for Hayes and Wheeler.
Every intelligent man who is at sil con-
verSsnt with the history OF the late cleo
ton in that State knows full well that
their claim 10 that vote is unfUunded |
3 fraudulent. As we'll might it be |
said that the vote of Msssachu- !
setts had been cast tor Tilden or thst |
tue vote OF Maryland had been cast for |
HAYES. The result of the election in |
Louisiana was clear. decided Dem =
cratic majority. The vote was the larg. |
est BY 1900 ever polled in the State. !
A greater per cent of the population |
voted on the 7th day Of November last |
in Louisiana than IN any other State in |
the L MON. This is to some extent TO be |
accounted for BY the illegal votes cast |
through the fraudulent msnipulstions of |
Republican supervisors but the chief
reason why the grest body OF the people
voted is obvious and undesirable. They |
were impelled by sense of wrong, OF
injustice, snd of an oppression which had
taxed their iorbssrsIce TO the utmost ex- !
uernity. \ drunken Judge by his mid
night order in cause IN which he had |
10 jurisdiction had forced upon them q |
governor who hiss since been kept in |
power against their protest By the mill
tary arm OF the government.
Ii does not lie in the mouth of the Re- |
publican party TO charge that murder, |
no, and Intim dation prevented tree
and fair election. That party had tull |
control o. the Stale. An extreme radi- |
cal Governor was a. the head Of affairs,
"A tool in the hands o: vicious advisers,
and WAS ever ready to do their bidding
and carry out their petarious schemes.
He was sided and sustained By the State
cons,abulsry. and they were backed up |
by United States soldiers. In addition
70 this force United States deputy mar
shals were scattered sll over the State,
eight hundred or more being on duty in
New Orleans alone. But this is not all.
The courts Of the State and their officers
were in the hands of the Re-
pub!jcans. They had full power
and authority to make arrests,
institute prosecutions, aud secure
the conviction of guilty parties. II the
various otfsnses of which gentlemen talk
so eioquenty on this floor have been
committed. | demand to know why the |
Offer ders have not been arrested; d. |
maud 10 know why the records fail 10 |
show that prosecutions have been put on !
foo, for their punishment. The imputs-
ton this, Democrats have by inumids- |
on. riot, and murder prevented peace
ful and far election falls to the ground,
3 malicious SANDER upon the people OF
that unhappy and outraged Common
westh.
No: only did the Republicans have
control Of the civil! and military power OF
the Stsie. bat they had con-
troll Of is entire election mschin-
CIV also. The Governor appointed the
supervisors OF registration and election
for the several parishes, snd We have
the authority OF the special committee of
which Hon. VIM. K. Morrison Is chsir- !
msn. for the statement thst many OF the