Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1877-07-25

PVsisiohi oh tho hibh Brouhu Vi InOrhih
and of right, for doubtful contest
over merely legal issues. II has had
some experiences and has learned
some useful lessons. No well.informed
and candid man in this country to day
believes that Mr.. Hayes was chosen
President by majority of the Ameri.
can people or by an honest majority Of
the Electoral College; but it is both
absurd and mischievous to deny that
as matter Of fact he is now the CHIEF
Magistrate OF the Union according to
the forms Of law. Technically speak.
ingis he not only the de tacto but de jurt
President, If we restrict the latter
term, as We ought to do, to its legal
and not TO its moral sense for he holds
the office and performs its duties,
while nobody has disputed bis title in
the courts, and no body in his right
mind dreams of so disputing it. He
did not literally steal the Presidency,
and it is silly as we'll as scandalous TO
charge him with doing so; he did not
actually buy it he did not captureit by
iorce. What he did was TO receive il,
although he had no adequate assur-
ance Of his right to it, at the hands of
the two houses OF Congress, acting
after what they had deliberately de.
clared was q constitutional method of
deciding upon his claims. In what
sense, then, can he be properly de-
scnbed as fraudulent President ?
The answer is simple. His title is
fraudulent, when morally considered,
because the electoral votes of Florida
and Louisiana, which were actually
given to Tilden, were dishonesty Ger
tilted for Hayes. This was the basis
of his claim to the Presidency, and this
was the foulest piece of political knav-
cry in our annals. The plot through
which 1t was consummated was con-
trived and carried out by the Republi-
can leaders, and Mr.. Hayes, if not m
actual accomplice in the villainy, as
there is no reason 20 suppose he was,
at least looked on consenting where a
high.souled and selfrespecting man
could not have failed Indignantly to
protest. His title is fraudulent. when
morally considered, because the wrong
full conversion OF the electoral votes in
Florida and Louisiana was made effec-
tive through threats of revolutionary
action, which resulted in forcing
through Congress the compromise
known as the Electoral Commission.
The radical Republicans announced
their determination to maintain by
force if necessary tho right of the
President of the Senate to count the
votes for President and Vice President,
and troops were concentrated at Wash.
ington to give meaning to their threats.
A few OF the more conservative Re.
publicans, who were committed as
lawyers against such absurdity, and
who are patriots dreaded its evil con.
sequences, sought an alliance with the
Democrats in Congress, and with their
consent and help formed the Electoral
Tribunal. We earnestly opposed the
formation Of this alliance at the time,
and plainly warned the Democratic
party Of its almost inevitably result,
thinking it the part of men to meet
wrong and repel it when its coming is
plain, rather than TO reserve protest
and indignation till the evil thing has
been consummated, and the interest of
great communities have adjusted them
selves TO the condition Of affairs which
it creates.
1t is bu. just to say, however, that
the mischief done by the Electoral
Commission is traceable not so much
to its theoretical defects as TO the con
duct Of the men who were put upon II
by it's Republican authors. In the
composition Of this body the Republi.
cans secured a majority, which voted
steadily on party basis, and it is this
majority which is responsible for the
final action Of the mmission. The
Republicans selected men who were
expected to decide and Who did decide
that the United States had no power
10 inquire whether Mr.. Hayes had not
obtained the votes of Louisiana, Flor.
ida and South Carolina by fraud, or
whether sundry electorsin those States
and elsewhere had or had not any con.
stitutional right TO vote all. The effect
Of thh decision was 10 maintain that
an unlnvestigated title tainted with
allegation Of illcgality and fraud was
or good as any other. This decision
every Democrat on the Electoral Com.
mission opposed, and every Democrat
in the House and Senate voted TO re.
ject Il. Every Republican on the com.
mission sustained Il, and every Repub.
lican in the House and Senate save
two voted to accept It. Thus the whole
Republican party is clearly responsible,
In the first place, for the perpetration
OF the frauds on which Mr.. Hayes
based his claims and clearly rcsponsi.
bic, in the second place, for maintain.
ing those frauds responsible first for
transgressing right, and then for per.
verting the law to justify this trans.
gression. Tho moral guilt of Mr.
Hayes himself consists in accepting
the once Of President with the kncwl.
edge that no fair trial had been had 10
a