The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-01-24

(the Senate concurring) that the follow
ing memorial be signed by the Presiden
of The Senate and Speaker Of the House
and copies transmitted to the Presiden
of the Senate of the United States, ant
to the Speaker of the House of Repre-
sentatiVes.
Re8olUed, That our Senators in Con
gress be, and are hereby instructed, anC
Representatives be, and hereby are re
quested to favor the object of the memo
rial, and that copies of the same be for
warded to them.
THE MEMORIAL,
The following is the memorial:
10 the Senate and House of Representative
IN Congress Assembled;
Yonr memorialists, the General Assem-
bly, of the State of Maryland, represent
that by the terms of the act of the Forty
fourth Congress establishing an EleCto
raj Commission, it was provided that nc
decision of the Presidential election un
der that act should preclude a judicial
decision of the question; that the obvious
intent of this provision was to assure the
people that it should be determined on
its merit by the proper judicial tribunal
in the event the Commission should
hold itself incompetent to render such
decision; that by its proceedings it fully
appears that said Commission held that
cit was incompetent to inquire whether
the formal returns of the several States
which were submitted to it were true or
false; that in consequence of this deCis.
ion the present incumbent of the Presi-
dental chair was seated in virtue of re-
turns which were nOtoriously false and
fraudulent; and 80 in effect admitted by
Mr.. Justice Strong, whose vote seated
him and also by the incumbent himself
in disregarding those returns as respects
State officers whose titles to office were
also based upon them, and were in ev-
cry respect identical with his own; that
whilst the reputation of those returns
by the incumbent for all purposes save
his own election, is an admission that it
was fraud to use them for that purpose,
the motives which induced this partial
reputation greatly aggravated his Of
fence;
That by the published statement of
Mr.. John Young Brown, which has re.
mained uncontradiCted since April, 1877,
it appears that this reputation was the
imposed by said Brown and
his associates then holding the balance
of powerin the House of Representatives
upon which alone the incumbent would
be allowed to be counted into office upon
these false returns;
That this condition was accepted for
The incumbent by Messrs. Stanley Mat.
.hews and Charles Foster, then and since
mis- closest friends and most authoritative
representatives;
That said Brown and his associates had
been elected as advertisers ofthe incum.
bent, but separated from the great body
Of their political associates in the House
of Representatives to carry into effect said
That at the time of entering into it
hey were advocates of bill then pend.
ng in said House to grant large subsidy
% the Texas Pacific Railroad Company,
% which the President elect was known
o be opposed, and it is a just inference
rom all the circumstances that whilst
hey were willing to defeat his inaugura-
ion for this reason they could not ven-
ure to act with political opponents for
hat object, if such cooperation involved
.lso the surrender the local government
# the States in question, as well as of
heir electoral votes, to their political OPP
That to remove this obstacle it was
tipulated in effect that the incumbent
hould treat returns as fraudulent 80 far
8 they affected the local governments
# said States, by Withdrawing United
jtates troops, the presence of which
lone, it was known, gave them any
orCe;
That it thus appears that the constitu-
ional question so gravely and elaborate
Y detailed in Congress, before the EleC-
oral Commission and in the public press
8 the question on which the Presiden.
ial contest hinged and with which the
ubliC mind was 50 long exercised, has
10 part whatever in determining the
ontest, but that it was in fact determin.
d by body of men elected by one par
y. but openly acting with their oppo-
ents in the interest of certain railroad
orporations at the decisive moment;
That every interest of the country is
realty prejudiced and it's most vital in
erests are put in jeopardy, by suffering
be people to be superseded as the polit-
cal power and substituting for them such
noneyed organizations as will pay for
them;
That in the opinion of your remon-
trants the continued prostration of the
BUSINESS Of the country is largely due to
he fact that the confidence of the people
n the conduct Of public offices is shaken;
hat an irresponsible Executive admins
ration has been installed which has not
he support of the country or either ofits
reat political parties; that this conflicts
With the whole theory of our institutions
nd those Of the mother country whence
hey were derived;
That to carry on, as to get possession
f the government, the incumbent must
eek support from those elected as his op.
,onents;
That this relation is itself corrupting is
hoWu by all experience;
That no useful public service can be
endered by an administration whose IT,
lie to power rests upon fraudulent cleo
ion returns, manufactured by its own
'artissns and made effectual by an agree
nent with subsidy and jobbing men Of
he opposing party;
That the indispensable first step to any
eform of the public service is to restore
he government to the people,
That it is only by men who have been
Ilected by the people and who are free
rom all entangling alliances with job
ling interests from which all the great
buses have sprung, that any reform can
,e effected. Your memorialists there
ore pray that needful legislation may be
'dopted to ascertain judicially who was
elected President at the recent election
md togiVe effect to the will of the peo-
Ila and will avaP nraU &o