Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-06-17
THE Presidential TITLE.

Ihe House OF Representatives did very
polite though wholly unnecessary act on
Friday by passing resolution affirming the
fnality of the verdict Of the electoral COM
mission as regards the Presidential title. It
was polite because it has wholly disarmed
the mendacious and grossly dishonest Re-
publican newspapers and public men, who
have seized upon the inquiry instituted by
the Potter committee to raise howl of revo-
luton and Mexicanization. It was unneces-
sary because no sane man has honestly be-
ieved that there was any such purpose at the
bottom of the inquiry, and the House could
have afforded to let the lie remain uncon-
tradicted, with the consciousness that time
and circumstances would fully indicate the
wisdom and patriotism of their course.
The insignifcat opposition to the passage
of the resolution in the House furnishes a
complete refutation of the charges Illuminated
against the Democratic majority. Even
those who voted against it did so from
other motives than desire to overthrow the
Hayes dynasty by other than legal means.
An honest difference of opinion can exist be-
tween men equally patriotic, equally opposed
to resort to any means having even the
color of revolution. It would therefore be man
ifestly unfair to charge the fifteen members
who finally voted against the resolution with
desire to adopt illegal means to restore the
people to the rights of which they were de-
prived by fraud. And indeed it is by no
means settled question that the decision of
the electoral commission can not be revised
legally. In the absence of all precedents
bearing on the case there is room for differ
ences of opinion even among the most astute
students of law. Few, however, will
dispute the wisdom of the course of
the House in view of the great advantages
that it will produce, for it is an emphatic
declaration that the Democratic party will
not attempt to unseat the President except
by means about the legality of which there
is no question, and leaves the Republican
party without a battle-cry and in position
supremely ridiculous.
! The passage of this resolution does not in
the least alter the status of the Presidential
qucoUAoA' IL uOcS uOC uoUdf tuo house from
taking such action as may be warranted by
| the developments in the pending investi-
cation to impeach and remove Mr.. Hayes
from office for high crimes and
misdemeanors both before and after
he assumed the Presidential chair. If il
shall be proved beyond question that Mr.
Hayes was privy to the infamous system OF
bribery, perjury and intimidation which re-
suited in the counting of the electoral votes
of Florida and Louisiana for the Republican
candidates, and that, knowing this he re-
warded the perpetrators of the villainies witt
lucrative Offices in his gift, nothing can save
him from the consequences, which will be {
prompt impeachment and removal from
Office. And if he continues to tamper witt
the witnesses summoned before the commit
tee as he has begun to do, thus preventing 6
full exposition of the truth, he cannot escape
the indignation of the people of the United
States, which will make itself felt with sucl
force that he will indeed be callous to every
sense of shame if he does not at once retire
from the position he disgraces by his pres
ence and conduct.