The news and herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1876-1881, 1877-01-18

p"1alon speak the untruth, the pre-
else rovorsc Of the verdict rendered
by u majority of her people. Sena
tor Gordon concludes as follows
But lot us go furthor. Suppose
the House of Representatives should
nbdicate and consent to go through
the more form of counting those re-
turns which in the doubly certified
Stntos were clothed with the forms
OF law. This would be to ignore its
constitutional power to examine in tu
the correctness Of tho returns. But
o'uld Governor Hayes bo counted
III even upon that plan ? The Re
publicans could thus capture, ot
course, these three Southern States
but ny the same rule tho Democrats
would OF necessity capture one vote
from Oregon. For, if the Hayes
Electors III Louigilna, for instance
arc certified by the Governor of that
State, 30 is one Tilden Elector in
Oregon certified by the Governor OF
that State. If it be suiu that the
popular vote of Oregon was over
one thousand against tho Ti,len
Electors, the reply is that the popu
lar vote of Louisiana WAS moro than
eight thousand against tho Heyos
Electors III the Governor of Ore
gon, supported as he is by the de-
cisions of the highest courts and a
long array OF legal authority,
be said to have committed blundor
IN denying certificate to Hayes
Elector, who, though elected, is ineli-
glbic, certainly y the returning board,
supported by no law, anl violating
the very law by which it was created,
has committed not only u blundcr,
but crime against the people of
Louisiana, tho people of the United
i5tates. and, if allowed to decide the
Presidential election, against liberty
itself, by refusing certificates to the
Iilden Electors, who were both
elected and eligible. So thai upon
t. ls Ian, also, Mr.. Tildcn must be
deoiarei elected and inaugurate1,
unless We arc to witness the remarlSl-
bic spectacle Of tho 1epe scntatives
Of Il great pooplo attempting to
settle one of tho most momentous
questions which concera their
welfare and their liberties by some
strange procedure, which is to be
vigorously enforced when it subs
serves the purpose Of one politica,
party and be unceremoniously ir
norcd where it's enforcement would
opcrn;e to the advantage of another.
l group these diff, :ent phases Of
the Electoral problem together that
You m. y clearly sec how very diff
cult it is to defeat Mr.. Tildon by
any method OF counting which is
likely to receive the support of nom
partisan men. In reply to the
question as to whether Mr.. Tildcn
will be peaceably inaus,lrated, an
almost ready, in view Of the consid-
erntlons | have given you, to say
yes. 1t is proper, however, for mo
20 arprise you of the belief prevail
ing here, that the more duling loa l.
crs Of the Republican party are dis .
posed to take the risk Of inlusurAt-
ing Governor Hayes in spite OF MY.
Tlidcn's election, rclying upon the
supposed prclisposition of the peo-
pie to make no armed resistanco in
nny event, and tho belief is no
less general that, if constantly IS
sured beforehand of pcaccable ac-
quieseHcc, these desperate men will
ruthlcssly proceed to carry out
thoir purposes, however fatal TO free
clcctione and to political liberty.
Such, l say, is tho apprehension
prevailing here. But whatever may
be the designs pf this class
of Republicans, I cannot be-
hnve that a majority of the Sen
ate will eyor sanction so lawloss a
proceeding or SO hazardous an ex-
pertinent. I hayc faith that the
power Of truth and reverence for law
will control such a body us tho Uni.
ted States Senate. It is no secret
that there arc Republicans in both
houses of Congress who will never
consent that the Vice President of
the United States shall exercise tho
extraordinary and dangerous powers
which the extremists seek to confor
upon him and I know of no other
method by which Mr. Hayes can be
counted in. The very act of ,ap-
pointing a joint comO1ittoo to report
a plan would seem to be m abandon
ment Of such q scheme and'a recog-
milton Of the constitutional power of
the two houses Of Congress over the
entire subject. I havo thus endeav-
ored to show you that any probable
plan which may be adopted, short of
vesting the President pro tempore
of tho Senate with dictatorial power,
must result in the legal inauguration
of Mr.. Tilden. Nothing, / think,
can prevent this, unless the extrem-
lists, emboldenod by the promise Of
popular non-rcsistance, should at
tempt, by sophistry. to eyade the
logic of facts and law, and to deny
tho constitutional rights ofthe House
O. Representatives. It will be
seen that tho constitution provides
for all contingencies which haze