South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1877-01-19

usAs Gan unucrtake 90 say that dE-
fsrsns result would hare ban esacAsd.
except Tor such fraud ~ iaHaaldsslos.
or "a TACT. how they can roacA Any COS.
ciuston except from The fstnrna shoWin6s
tho number Of notes actually ensA, Icsn
not understand. Once grant this pow.
az to cauvassing hoardGI and no means
arc Ion 10 the people 10 ckauzu the ON.
Gers Of their government II spch boartls
can rightfully say what legal votes they
will count. and what they will exclude,
there seems TO DC little usc or any cleo.
ton the result will depend on the will
OF the canvassing boards. and not upon
that OF the voter; and elections become
an idle ceremony. To me. II seems ma
absardity TO say that board or officer
can rightfully and legally reject votes
which have been rightfully cast IL yotos
are legal the canvassinv officer has moth.
ing to do but to compute them. Thero
Is not particle Of difference between
rejecting voteat the polls aud exclud.
ing 1t from the computation In making
mp the aggregate Of the votes cast, tho
effect Is precisely the same; II 1t IL
wrong to reject legal vote nj tho polls.
then It cannot be right TO exclude &c
from the general count. The same vote
cannot be both legal and illegal, at the
same time, in the same State, an under
the same constitution and laws. When
citizen entitled TO the right Of suffrage.
exercises that right by putting his vote
into the ballot box, ingenuity can devise
no lawful means OF getting rid Of it,
ms ballot may be given at an obscure
polling place In remote district or
louisiana. still 1t must appear and he
allowed TO have its due weight in all OF
the election machinery from tho incipi.
ent act of placing it In the ballot.box.
TO the dnsl act OF declaring the result
by the Congress or tho United States.
This is the real point In issue in tho
present controversy, but II has received
little attention in the excited discussions
that have taken place. If intimidation
has been used. the proper thing to do.
is to punish the parties guilty of il, but
not 70 deprive the voter OF his legal
right by rejecting his vote, because, or
the misconduct OF others. To ovarawo
voter and deprive him of his freedom
OF choice. is wrong. but TO deny him
his freedom or choice, by rejecting his
vote, Is greater and moro exasperat-
ing wrong because done under tho forms
OF iaw-the one is an open act OF vic.
lence. the other n covert fraud.
The will Of the majority OF the peopla
expressed at the polls must be respected
and obcyed. and the. right OF each State
TO manage its own internal affairs must
not be infrjnged-any departure from
these principles is we'll calculated TO n
waken grave concern and anxiety a.
mong tho people.
This unhappy controversy can he de-
cided by Congress alone, and no solution
can be had except with the consent of
Congress; 70 Congress therefore do tho
people look with confident expectation
OF lts amicable and just settlement
Well established principles and preco.
dents, nearly rs old as the government
Itself are land marks for it's guidance:
AMI It will do we'll to follow them, disrs.
gardiug all bubbles and cyasivc sub.
teringes 10 march to conclusion accord.
ing to the very right Of tho matter. I
Will not presume TO intimate what course
OF proceeding Congress ought adopt;
THIS IS TO some extent left to its dtscro.
ton; and am unwilling to believe that
IL VIII ignore fundamental principles
ana OLD precedeBts. for the purpose OF
declaring any citizen 10 be Prcsidcn.
who has not been rightfully elected.
sincerely hope. therefore, that Congress,
with the proper appreciation Of its dig.
nifty and responsibility. will reach a re.
suit honorable 20 ITSELF just in its bear.
ings on all parties. and conducive to Ito
best interests OF the country. Let this
be done. and In the future we shall look
back upon the present political a2ita.
ton rs an ephemeral excitement. and
shall cite il as strong evidence OF the
vlgor OF our institutions and their abiIi
ty TO bear the severe strains by which
they were tested.