The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1877-02-22
The Electoral Tribunal.

h NO. he mas been elected ana
! ought to be inaugurated, but the
wrong is in the plan that is fallen
upon by Congress.
Q. What harm in that, if it leads
| to the same result
!. A. We have a Constitution, which
is the ripe fruit and crowning glory
of our Government, and all members
Of Congress are sworn to support it.
The plan, as you call it, is not in ae-
cordance with the instrument.
@. Wherein does it clash?
A. By the Constitution the quail
fications of electors are determined
by the several States. Before it was
adopted there was difference in re-
gard to the qualifications, six months
residence being sufficient to confer
the right of voting in some cases,
while years residence, an ability
to show tax receipt, or some prop
erty qualification, were necessary in
others. The words of the Constitu-
ton were chosen in accommodation
to this diversity, and the rights of all
the States are fully recognized.
Q. l have never understood that
the Republican party were great
sticklers for the rights of the States.
A No. They have not been able to
keep company with the Democratic
party. They never acknowledged
that State has right to secede, or
prevent the operation of U. States
law within State limits but they
have uniformly maintained that the
States, and each State for itself, has
the constitutional right to determine
the qualifications of its own electors.
@. Summers bill, as it was call
ed, intended to give the right to
vote to the colored people of the
South. Was it not so?
A. The fact of that bill shows
the sentiments of the Republican
party. It failed, and was not even
passed to second or third reading.
The desired result could not be secur-
ed, except by an amendment to the
Constitution. That was the iudg-
ment of the Republican party in
Congress.
@. Well, we don't deny the right
of the States to regulate their own
elections.
A. Youdo practically, for you will
insist on founding tribunal whose
decisions may override the will of
the people.
@. No, we only insist on "a fair
count"
A. If that is all, why not permit
the counting, as it has been done
for more than eighty years7
Q. Do you mean to let the result
be announced by the President of the
Senate
A. Yes; just as Breckenridge, the
traitor, announced the election of
Abraham Lincoln, the patriot.
@. We Democrats are restive, 1
admit, under any exercise of the "one
man poaoer.
A. Yes, but you will have to
stand it, or give up Republican gov
ernment. The President of the Sen
ate has nothing more to do with the
zone man power than a citizen has
in casting his vote at any public elec-
ton.
We have numerous illustrations of
the important significance of single
votes. A Democrat was elected Gov ,,
ernor of Massachusetts, by the ma ,
jority OF single vote. A Mr.. Stone, {
of Cincinnati, was elected to the ,
by single vote. Mr.. t
Stones one vote was necessary in .
the Legislature to elect Thomas Ew- .
ing to the U. States Senate. Mr.. {
Ewings one vote caused tie in the {
Senate, and enabled the Vice-Presi-
dent, Calhoun, to cast the deciding ,
vote on the question of approving ]
the nomination of Martin Van Buren e
as Minister to England.
Q. Let us come back to the point.
If there is safety in multiplicity of :
as we are taught, it is better {
10 have fifteen men than one man to 4
20 decide the question. I
A. No, not in this case. 1t is
lecision by the some man po,cer" .
Itter all. Seven of these men are C
Democrats, and will vote for Tilden, p
jeven are Republicans who will vote t
or Hayes, and the result will de-
bend upon the zone man power" of q
he fifteenth man. s
@. As the fifteenth man is a Re S
publican, you suppose that Hayes will 0
,e the man? y
A. Yes, unless the fifteenth man o
proves to be weak in the knees. The il
Senate has backed out of its strong a
position, where it was fortified by Is
he Constitution, and the usages of a
he past. The manner of the De- f
nocracy has been like that of a rob- '
,er, who exclaims, "Give up your "
,urse or die J" !, !,
@. You seem to think that the 4
principles involved will not be con- c,