The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1877-01-24
THE PRESIDENTIAL QUESTION.
Characteristic Ectter from szOn.
II s.. Slack.
g WOE TO THEM IF THEY BETRAY Us By A
BASE SURRENDER
From Washington Union.l

From w aShlnStOn Unlon'I
EDITOR UNIoN-SIR: / hope you will
publish the inclosed letter Of Mr.. Sweat;
but omit the first paragraph. where he speaks
of me in way which nothing but personal
friendship can justify.
You know the writer. of course, and his
honorable career in Congress. do not be
leve that the country contains another cltl-
zen whose sentiments are a better index or
the general feeling. His words, fifty spo
ken, are like apples of gold set in pictures
Of silver" Let them be received by our
chosen leaders in Congress as solemn
warning that the Democracy must not be
trified with.
MIR. Editor, look at the situation. Mr..
Tilden's election by the vote Of last NOvem-
Der is as certain in fact and as regular in
law as Washington's was in 1888. The de-
NAL of his title to the office is based upon
fraud so transparent that any child can see
through it. Mr. Chandler might just as
well have employed his clerks 70 fabrlcate
vote for Louisiana in the Interior Depart
ment as to get it done at New Orleans by
Kellogg, Packard. and Wells. 1t could have
been managed here as well as here by SINH
lar promises of money and troops. and the
abolition Senators and Representatives who
| travelled 30 far to aid the crime and comfort
the criminals might have done their nefa-
rious work aC home.
Everybody understands perfectly that the
| State of Louisiana did not appoint Hayes
! electors by the vote of the people. Ihat
| the opposing Tildcn ticket was chosen ny Il
! large. decisive, aud clear majority OF the
| qualified citizens is & fact which no man OF
any party has the hardhoed to deny. 1t
| follows necessarily that the attempt to over
| bear the legally expressed Will CT the ma
ton by counting Louisiana for Hayes is a
naked and most palpable fraud.
But, say our opponents, fraud Is as
good as a truth if it be clothed, as this one
| IS, in the forms Of law There is no such
rule ii, the code of any civilized people.
Fraud makes void whatever is brought into
contact with it The corruption that would
vitiate deed, a Judgment, a pardon, COM
mission, would nullify the certificate OF an
| electoral vote Indeed, If any kind OF cor
ruption is worse than another, it is the fab
rication of election returns, tor that SapS
| the foundation of free institutions. You
NAV make tOlerable argument in favor OF
murder, theft, Or perjury, but you cannot
even debate the morality OF talsifying the
vote of free State. n vote or certificate
of a vote known to have been cOncocted in
willful fraud is no vote at all. IT has pre-
| cisely the force and effect OF a forgery-nO
more and no less.
In the face of these plain facts and in the
| teeth of these undeniable principles the
| proposal is made to compel the House OF
| Representatives to count the fraudulent
votes sent up from Louisiana. They are
/ false to be sure they are not votes author
lied by the State: they are the mere spawn
of a corrupt conspiracy: they are no better
than confessed forgery but here they are
in ''the forms of law," and you must count
them all the same as if they were true and
genuine. The President OF the Senate
wants them counted; the Senate itself
would like to have them counted, and they
may therefore force them down the throats
of the House against the stomach of its
sense"
No, sir, the House has great duty to per-
form-it must ascertain whether Presi-
dent has been elected, and if not it must
elect one from the three highest. To that
end it must count the notes.-the votes mind
you-not the frauds and forgeries. L. must
ascertain what are genuine votes and what
are spurious papers, and in doing this il
must be controlled by its own conscience
and act according to its own convictions
To oppose its judgment by military force
will be treason to circumvent it by strata
gem will be to conspire the overthrow OF
the Government,
wish, Mr. Editor, that you would lift up
/ your trumpet and ring out blast that may
| be heard from sea to sea. Tell the people
that their institutions are in the most immi
nent danger. Tell our representatives that
they hold the citadel of American liberty,
and it is a burning shame even to parley
with the foes that beleaguer it. Woe to
them if they betray us by base surrender.
Yours, truly,
j. S. BLACK.