Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-02-19
WHAT THE COMMISSION has NOT
DONE.

country will be no more satisfied
that he is entitled to it than before
The Republicans have ceased t.
claim that he was elected or tina.
there is any merit on his side. /
is simply a question ef brute force.
Out Of fifteen men, all the same
size, eight will weigh more on a pail
of Fairbanks scales than seven
Such is the position occupied by
this great party, the leaders o.
which are willing to place them.
selves in the status Of receivers q
stolen goods for the sakeof another
term Of Office. 1t was expected
that the Presidential difficulty
would be settled upon its merits.
and as a preliminary step the
facts would be taken into
consideration. The Republicans
who do not live by ofice-holding
were as much interested in this as
others if they could emily diyest
themselves of qartisanship. The
country is to have a government
for all time to come, and the course
of this commission will be referred
to as a precedent, and have an in
Ruenee on politics long after the
people have ceased to have any par
ticular preference between Hayes
and Tilden. The contest will soon
be over, but its blight will remain
in a diminished respect for the ju-
dietary, the law, and all who are
charged with its execution in a
lack Of faith in public men and a
skeptical feeling in regard to In
stitutions we hare been taught
to revere. The Supreme Court
viii be regarded as a packed jury,
the tool Of party and administers
tons, as much as ever a military
commission was regarded an agency
to carry out the wishes of a general
commanding an army, and there is
no telling where it will stop. Nc
tribunal will command the respect
it should no position, however
lofty, give the occupant immunity
from the suspicion Of m%ercenary
or one-sided motives. 1t is moi
merely that Tilden is thrown out
and that the will Of a majority o.
the American people properly ez'
pressed is set at naught, but thai
good faith and the principles 0.
truth and honesty have beer
violated by the highest commits
sion that can be created by The
law. The Republicans cannot con.
ceal their joy at the fraud. They
speak Of it as a ,uere game Of cards
at which the sharpest player wins
The conspiracy which vas Matched
in Washington months before tht
Presidential election has about
reached the climax of desperate
nope, and its success, like the
Louisiana returning board, seem;
about to be legalized. This may bC
done, but the action of the majority
has not secured the permanent
respect and confidence of mankind
II is well that such a political ma.
chine should not be perpetuatet
by law. The necessity for changing
the manner of electing the Presi
dent and Vice President of til,
United States will be more appar
emit than ever to all thinking men
The commission is a substitute 70
the two houses Of congress to settl
an unfortunate difficulty whicl
arose under our complicated cleo
toral system. The arrangement
WAS agreed to because Che peopl
expected judicial fairness and i'm
Partially. AS well might eigh
Hayes electors and seven Of Tildcn'
electors been appointed to settle th
question among themselves. Tn
merits Of the case have not beel
reached Or touched, and while til
decision will doubtless remain, a
far as we can see now, it con
vinees no one and settles no ISSUE
unless it be that wrong is right an,
right is wrong. Henry Clay ono
said: 81 would rather be RICH
than President" He was right, a
Tiiden is, and is revered in tn
hearts of his countrymen, althOug
he was never President.