Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-01-03
From the New York Tribune.
The Simple Issue.

The Simple Issue.
Practically, South Carolina, Florida,
and Oregon are out Of the way. In South
Carolina, it appears, even the House Com
mittee unanimously admits that there was
majority for all the Hayes electors, on the
face of the returns. In Florida the Board
Of Canvassers has made two counts, one
with exercise Of judicial power, and the
other at the command of the Supreme
Court, according to the face of the re-
turns. and both result In a majority for
republican electors. In Oregon the dem
ocratic case is SO weak and flimsy that
the democrats who have respectable
ty and good sense admit that they cannot
expect the Cronin certificate to be accept
ed as having any validity whatever. Even
if it should be, the Senate will be pre-
pared to show that at least three OF the
votes cast for Mr.. Tilden in other States
were cast by persons consltutionally incl
igible. Thus the Presidential contest mar
rows itself to very simple issue: Does
the republican certificate from Louisiana
represent the legal vote of that Stale
The evidence, is exceedingly conflict
ing. But the democrats are no longer
able to deny that there had been many
horrible murders committed prior to the
election, and candid men will form their
own opinion as to the purpose and effect
Of these crimes. They will remember
that in the State Of things existing then,
every man who gives important evidence
against the democrats does so at the peril
of his life, while the members of that
party are able to guarantee full protec-
ton to those who testify in their favor
The difference which this fact ought to
make, and does make in the credibity at
tached by candid men 10 the evidence
gathered by either party. is incalculable
1t gives the best possible reason for be-
lieving that every fact calculated to help
the democrats can easily be proved, and
that abundant testimony can also be man
ufactured on that side with great ease,
tending tofsupport statements which are
not facts. On the other hand it is not
easy to believe that any motive can have
been brought to bear upon the thousands
OF Witnesses on the republican side strong
enough to induce them to swear lie, and
thereby to incur the vengeance of white
democrats and invite speedy death. Be-
yond dispute. it must be exceedingly diff
cult TO get witnesses on that side who will
establish all the facts. The feelings of
just and humane men all over the land
will be touched by the incident reported
by telegraph as having occurred on Thurs
day. A colorcd witness before the SEN
a.e's Committee detailed several acts of
violence, and gave, with great reluc-
"tance, the names of the leaders, and in
conclusion asked the committee what
protection would be given to those who
come here to testify" Senator Melon
aid told hun ii any person molested him
to report to the committee and they would
be punished. The witness replied, "If |
Ego home and get Killed, / cannot report
"to the committee Senator Wadleigb
"said," That is hard case, but we have
mo power to help you" What honest
man does not feel that great part of the
truth must remain improved under such
circumstances ? Is it strange If witnesses
hide in swamps until the inquiry is over.
rather than leave home and family at the
summons of the committee to tell the
truth, with the conviction that they NAV
never be able TO return at all or alive
Yet the evidence is overwhelming to prove
that such state Of terror does exist. VINO
can believe, 10 the face OF such proof
gathered under such difficulties, that there
was free and fair election?
This is the Louisiana case, as il appears
thus far. On the decision in that case
the result of the Presidential election now
depends. Democratic blusler and demo-
cratic claims ought to count for nothing.
Until recently. that party has clustered
loudly about South Carolina demanding
that those must be considered scoundrels
who would not count its vote for Tilden.
The unanimous conclusions of their ow,
committee prove that these who set m
these impudent demands were really the
scoundrels, for they were trying to steal
the vote of State and 10 rob the people
of the United States of the RICH! to choose
their rulers. Even now, though family,
the democrats buster and demand about
Florida, and yet they are defeated when
the board inquiries into the validity of re-
turns, and equally defeated when it acts
upon the face of the returns. AT first the