Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-05-24
The fraud" Question.

THE renewed agitation of the Presi-
Dental question of 1876 is unfortunate
in every aspect. 1t is one in which
the country is not interested, and which
it does not demand. Every public and
private interest, indeed, requires relief
from the wretched strife of party and
personal aims which are the sole sup
port of the movement. 1t is exclusive
ly political job. The fullest and most
prolonged investigation could prove
nothing more than what everybody al
ready believes, that both parties in GER
tain States at the last election were des-
perate and INSCRIPTIONS. That has
never been doubted; and it was that
conviction, with the further persuasion
of the danger of civil war unless some
method were discovered of deciding the
dispute by common consent, which pro-
duced the Electoral Commission. 1t
was supported by the votes of both par
ties, and it is very probable that the
Democrats hoped and believed that it
would secure the success of Mr.. Tilden.
But whatever the motive of action, the
commission was created, its decision
was accepted by Congress, and the
quarrel was happily and harmoniously
settled. That decision cannot now be
reversed. The President is constitu-
tionally installed, and he can be consti-
tutionally removed only by impeach-
ment, or by the method provided by the
Electoral bill.
The bill creating the commission pro-
vided that when objections were raised
. to the reception of vote from any
State, the objections and all the papers
should be submitted to the commission,
(which shall proceed to consider the
same, with the same powers, If any,
now possessed for that purpose by the
two houses acting.separately or togeth-
er." 1t further provided that the de-
cision of the commission upon such OBJ
iections should stand unless the houses
should separately concur in ordering
otherwise. The decision of the COM
mission, as finally rendered, was rati-
fled by Congress, and stood, therefore,
rs its act. Mr.. Hayes was thus declared
to be President, in perfect conformity
with the Constitution. He was consti-
tutionally inaugurated, and the sudden
the. patriotic wisdom of his course, in
stantly tranquilized the country. If an
investigation into questions which Con-
gress, through the commission, decided
that it could not investigate, should
now take place, the only possible result
under the circumstances would be fruit
less excitement and trouble. No vote
of this Congress could set aside the de-
cision of the last Congress accepting
the electoral award. If the Judgment
of the Congress which is intrusted with
the duty of ascertaining the result of
the Presidential election may be re-
versed by Il subsequent Congress, there
will be no stability in the Government,
and the country will be at the mercy of
revolutiOnists. A vote of this Congress
therefore, that Mr.. Hayes was not duly
elected would be merely an expression
of opinion. Its only conceivable prac-
ticable result would be disturbance of
the public mind, and the industrial loss
and injury that always accompany such
disturbance. Such declaration of
opinion could not affect the constitution
al title of Mr.. Hayes, nor of itself effect
anything toward his removal. Nor
would it effect any change in public
opinion. The moral aspect of the case
would be what it has always been.
There was intense party feeling on both
sides; there were violence and fraud;
there was no legal method of settlement
accepted by both sides, and settle
ment was happily devised. 1t did not
pretend to adjust the questions of force
and fraud involved. 1t held that they
were questions beyond its jurisdiction,
and it was agreed upon all sides that
when Mr. Hayes was declared to be
President it was declaration in pur-
suance of the sounGest and safest prin-
ciples. There is nothing in the econ
fessionsh which affects those principles,
or which throws any more light upon
the fact of the real wishes of the voters
in the disputed States.
A mere expression of opinion, there
fore, upon the part of Congress as to
the Presidential title is to be depre-
Gated as most dangerous precedent.
A Congress which should deny the law
full right of a President to his position
might be fairly expected to refuse to
recognize him. In the present case
the whole question having been opened
before the commission, and the COM
mission empowered by Congress to ex-
ercise all its powers upon the subject
having decided by what limits of in
quiry it was bound, and its decision
having been accepted and ratified by
Congress, and the President having
been constitutionally declared and in
augurated, the refusal of a subsequent
Congress to recognize him as the law
ful Executive would be simple revolu-
ton and anarchy. That is the COM
nonsense view which is undoubtedly
held by the great mass of the people of
the United States and if the action of
the present Congress makes it an issue
in the election for the next Congress
those who hold that view will very will
ingly accept the contest.-Hdrper'
Weekly.