The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-11-02
THE ELECTORAL FRlUD.
Judge st-onu's Remark able Letter.


Frum me rLRidcphb, Tia,'. OF 81
In rHE SUN of yesterday there appeared
letter from Mr. George ". Jones of Tonnes
see. II prominent Congressman from that state
before the war. giving the points of n letter he
addressed to- Judge strong Of the United States
supreme Court during the sitting NJ the Elcc-
toral Commission. and Judge Strongs reply.
Mr. Jones served with Judge Strong in Con-
gress; their relations were those Of intimate
friends and they were members OF the same po-
itical party He therefore felt ut liberty 10 write
to Judge Strong with freedom. and he gives the
substance OF his letter in the following para
graph:
Whom Won ard were in CONGRESS together. You were
c,c tt the people o Louisiana c,cWd or VOTE Tor the
Hayes electors
To this pointed inquiry Judge Strong an
s,trred on the 2Gth Of February by the follow
ing remarkable letter:
w,smsaros Feb 2G 1877
Ny peW Sm wasa Democrat WHEN you aud wcr"
al tie opuion. ic state RIGHT. n,mocrat, have always
held, and which the Acknowledged leaders the pdfty
navc aN"",I ~ 10 d" rre-on wihicr-nevcr more clear
Tion not believe ,ni CONGRESS has any constitutional
ri.h inquire into state elections Tor state electors
win thc stale. The Electoral comm .."r Ia, 80 More
lower iian Coi- rcs- has an hunk 1t would be- most
have right 10 TO- cugc what tear was great
buufN
cannot douit nat such viii he YOUR opinion when
You reflect to what the as rum ol such power would
dc ch'ce Of cacor. at Tie mercy OF The Federal G"v
'rnn'nt aud be thc greatcst stride ever made toward
n lirr .qtr q present evil than ofcn such door bet
" sfnoSG
Judge Strong's letter cannot fail to provoke
very general criticism. but it must do much
moro. 1t will ricall the country to the renewed
a Of l II - Al Ia.
torN Commission. and cause a more searching
inquiry than over before into the influences
which procured u solemn Judgment against tho
verdict Of the nation and gave the high sanction
of law To- the great wrong of tho Louisiana r.
turning Board." WhnJnd..o strong Iudicialdc-
livrran,.e ia the Louisiana case. the country had
schoolrd itself to tolcrabc content. because of
the general appreciation Of the faithful judicial
qualities which brought him to his d., ision.
however mistakenly they may have been eV-
crcised; but his letter to Mr. Jones oxhinits IL.
special pleading of The politician, amt pr'srnt5
him in tir uii"s. onahr at .tult OF having gwen
one reason inr h,s alignment in On" most 'm-
port ant ea-o he has eyer decided. Will in point
OF fat. he decided it on essentially different
Judge strong WIS once n Democrat In good
standing IN ia" party. AS such nc was ri' t"l TO
-ylyania: hut he rrvltel against all
the lnipns thu state n gliis D"mo rats
opinion ia favor ~ the conSi iuuonNhy, "i ne
national couscri piion act. In ihat Ease h" took
i--ue 9itl his Demo ratio associates. TIA. then
{ u"l Ju-tl'" L. wri" aud mo lnter ni"t insti'c
Woodward. and los that acton separated him
s'lf from The Dcmoeratic party on the dlstin I
issGr pi oi position 10 the opinions # the state
| kish's Dimu.rnts." HIS hostility TO the do,-
| trinn of ~;ite Rights made MIN subordinate tho
-uN -rcent, 81 ''nns yi'ania 10 tie r"r- r pi"n
act of tho rlriul Government, in direct nm
| ttLuu.-in to the t,uchihgs Of the Democracy.
| ana h. rutricd i u Els logical conclusion ~
| voting for the li'publi"an candidate" Tor Gov
| the bench. Ihrncrforth Judge Strong WIS
! never regard ii as u Democrat by either party
| and when President Grant called hun To- in'
| supreme Court OF The United states he was
Judged. alike by his political and Judicial
| re- ord and 10y all his political professions and
nct-. NJ Hn earnest opponent ot every phase OF
All the opinions tie State Rights Democrats
have always held.
| nat, for the Supreme Ju iicinry of o.. nation
and unfortunate for the country. that tn. letter
| WAS ever written aud published. II must deeper
TIE already deep distruSt o! tne people IN ON
| highest judicial tribunal and irriiat' the sleep
lo,s unrest thnt has fingered over the forma
! sanction given To the great wrong OF tn
Louisiana returning Board 1t will be
sorry explanation to g out To the civilLe'
! wurll ia irfen' Of what tn emil -htonod judy
mont oi All nations has condemned ~ mon
Str"us Judicial wrong ana when II L. Judge,
J., j. stripped Of tn" few qualities which mad
men respect il. If Judge strong sincerely -tuo'
ON the opinions. the state Rights Democrats
iliNf' iiWsNN iii'Ait H'iNf' Pitf ~ ~" t'f
iiSpu'. INT 10 count ~ electoral rote for IteH 10
the then admitted lawful authority Of the stat
had so certified ~ in ohcdi"nc 90 to the iudgmcn
of the courts iutu. ir ilnal Interpretation oithei
own state laws. the path there was So plain
from the stat Rights fiiih tllnt there could b
no hesitation. mo- doubt whatever; and IN" sam
| doctrine wnud have made him sanction
gr"W wrong In oregon and count hut tw
ol"N toru votes ior Hay, Wacn tn" people ht
honestly elected thrae. or al REASONS glven D.
| EXCUSE for the judicial sanction of the Lou
i-inun fraud thar ri ,lrvotlon to The do.irine q
stat" Rights i- the least pluus ihlr and itprov,
how utterly without substantial excuse WIS Oh
a ''l~lun in favor ot the Hayes electors in tui
sat" pou' u, - Judge Strong nryer intend"
or nNpH'tri that the ltuer should he given
hen,l"-sn -. and il comes inopportunc!y as IN
uuhiddrn guest. and must =, main n a PEI
p'tuHl skeleton III the Jul.rial hous chold Of ia
nation.