The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-22

tne supreme court OF the lnlte0 StateSi t0W
this anchor was safe and strong within the veil
of any future that might impend over the
Union that 1t would hold our ship Of State iast
and steady against any leeward drift upon dis
astrous beach or breakers.
IN spite or rock and tcmrcsts roar
In spite Vi false lights on the shore.
Every thoughtful American. for these many
weeks of the recent past. must have heard the
thrcaenings Of the storm and seen the false
lights Turing to n lee shore. He must have even
felt the drift thithcrward of our ship of State
But he has looked with confidence TO the great
anchor of the nations hope within the veil
which should be to that hope like the holding Of
an eternal rock Never in history did people
put higher and more revercnt trust In Il human
tribunal than Americans in their Supreme
Court. They have held it in reserve for these
many years against some Unprecedented emcr-
gency rs if 1t were too sacred power to invoke
until all other resources should fail We'll. in
this supreme hour Of national peril. does II sat
isfy the hope or the conscience of the nation
Or does the great anchor we believed so fast
within the veil begin TO drag in the cddics and
quick cross currents Of these stormy events
II is probably too soon for the great. invisible
but listening Jury Of the vicnagc" to make
known their impression Of the decision of " The
High Court If Arbitration" in the Florida case
That is the name and purpose OF the court in
the mind Of the American people. 1t may los
called the Electoral Commission, but that title
does not limit nor modify the expectation of the
great public in regard 70 what it WIS to be- and
do for tho nation in this momcntous crisis
The peoplc believed that It was 10 drbUrd'e on
the questions on which the public mind was
fixed with such intense anxiety; that IL would
rise 20 the level ~ tho great argument Of right.
justice and patriotism in it's deliberations and
decision II was impossible to dctach the heart
and hope of the country from this purpose and
issue Of the extraordinary tribunal. For who
ever heard Of a case Of arbitration 10y one indi-
vidunl or by hoard that did not enter into the
intrinsic merits of the question? Who ever
tried to conceive Of an arbitration bound fast in
the moshos Of the legal technicaltics and acci-
dental informalites that rule in court Of nisi
Irius;
Well tho revelation has come at last. Not
only all the thinking millions on this continent.
hut A. many on other continents We're watching
the American mountain Of law and justice, as IL
It were kind If Sinai in labor 10 bring forth
justice and judgment in voice rs near Ike
Gods a. any ever uttered from Il human tribu-
nal The world has heard the judgment
and the argument on which IL II based.
The world at home and abroad has not
yet spoken It's mind for It may have been sur
priscd into silence and establishment at the de-
cision. II has been revelation which may we'll
as'ound all patriotic Americans If il has un-
covered our most trusted defenccs and revealed
our only reserved resources against the most
perous crisis i'm the life of the nation. then this
! sudden and startling evidence must saddeu the
heart of every man who loves his couniry's
honor prosperity and peace better than the
| temporary asccndancy Of political party.
What are the aspects II this decision which
must first STRIKE the mind that considers it as
| comtra-tnd with the expectations and hopes Of
| the great majority OF the people What is the
most pronounced and special revelation Of this
/ iudgm mt ~ eight against seven? 1t is the
WIDE decr and unbrdged gulf between law and
/ equity. Eight Of this high court Of arbitration
planted their feet ON the law side Of that gulf.
| and refused To- have II spanncd by "a foot plank
on which the moral right and merits Of the
case could b. admitted into their deliberations.
| They eliminated the quality and function of
equity from their Judgment. and rendered it to
| the waiting world On legal technicalitcs and in
formalltics which would hardly clear culprt
in criminal court. They rejected the most
conclusive and positive evidence that the State
| OF + 1rida could bring into the court 10 prove
that the Hayes "lertors were not appointed 10y
the people. and had no right to vote for him or
| any one else. But all such evidence was una
vuilng and worthless before tribunal on
which the nation had fixed its hopes for truth
| right. and justice
II IL We're not for Tho iuhorn instructive senti-
mont and perception of what Justice means and
requires. which cannot L., shaken out Of the
| heart ot IN" people. on might Justly fear that
thec.ahpratr pleas If some Of the most learned
and eloquent counsel in America. made to insu r,
this decision, would blind and dcmoralze tn,
| conscience Of the nation. This was the begin
| ming, middle. and end Of their argument. II
| mater"d not how stecpel and tainted with
| fraud and corruption the transaction might BE-.
| II it complied with certain te'hnicalitics and
| was not reversed before II certain hour. no
| power in the State or in the nation could change
orsct tasde. NJ argument in those astuts
pleas was made to show that the at was not n
fraud; their host logic and rh torir wont ne
furtarr than to prove that il WIS covered rs a
lngal Pigment rs unlkc to justice and moral
right as Sntyr - Hyperion. Thu. this act in an
the bald lcaiur., of it, guilt. r. brought in am
set up before the grand ~ and whit ~ throne
of Annr an justice" mud pronounced n truth
ROBBED in the crmine of law and empowered with
it, authority.
There are many otlNr 0spo'i- Of This decision
viii IA open up II vs. and un"Np 'atnd reNrai. pus
not only To TIA" great. sn.;lr-mindrd. and hon
est masses Of the people. hut to tho President
Congress and the leaders Of both political par.
tics. Nothing is more evident than the tact that
they all assumed and expected that the simple
prn plies of justice and moral right wore 90 en-
Ter into the question and canyas, OF electoral
vof IS iu fln doubtful on contested Sttn- Gen
Grant WIS ono ofthrnr-t tours' a fair count. .
and invit a several loadn. mon pNlsit thc-,
Snt"s AMI -"r That Il was fairly made. Both po
litcal parties s.ut their Representatives for In.
suun utirpn-a \,lD,lV h.liavnl that tho II i'm ,,l.