Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-06-11


tsan committee, ing n sham investigation in
to the Southern elections, preliminary to report
declaring that the returns were fraudulent, is not
a re opening of that question. The report is to be
as everybody knows, that Florida and Louisias a
should have been counted for Tilden. aud that re-
pott which will be adopted by the House. is all
that it is possible for one branch of Congress to
do to cast faint upon the Presidents title, vio-
lent and
REVOLUTIONARY MEASURES
excepted etthis party, then now controlling
the House OF Representatives was pledged rs far as
it could be bound. under the circumstances, to an
unreserved acceptance of the results of the cleo
toral commission, and to a treatment Of the ques-
tons decided by tina, commission as decided for
ever.
The idea of the commission may have been rst
suggested by a republican, its authorship is not
quite settle d. but its details were as much the
work of democrats as republicans. Only one
me mber of the joint committee, which WAS dyid-
ed equally as to politics. opposed the bill that
reported, and he was a republican. In the Senate
there was but one democratic vote against the bill,
and only one Senator of the party was absent. 10
the House there were l6l democratic votes in favor
of the measure to nineteen opposed,-nore than
eight to one. The republicans, on the other
hand it is not said to their credit, gave but y
meagre majority of five in favor of the bill in the
Senate, and were more than two to opposed to
it in the House. These facts dispose absolutely of
the idea that the electoral commission was Ie-
pu blcan trick Again,
THE DEMOCRATS VOTED FOR THE BILL
with the full knowledge that the finding of the
comm ssion was doubtful. In the Senate January
23d, 1877:
Mr.. SHERMAN.-Can ysu tell me how they will
decide
Mr.. TuuRMAN.-No. If could, should not
cote for the bill.
In the Senate, January "a:
Mr. BAYARD.-But in the present case we sub
init the decision Is TO the matters IN question to q
certain tribunal, and command them to do
nothing but exercise their own judgment. What
that judgment mil be ace cannot JoretsH and ue
haze no right TO ask.
In the House, January 25:-
Mr.. HEwITT.-No man can predict who will
become President by virtue of its operation, buI
all men can predict that IL giH be the man toho is
lawfully entitled TO be President.
January 90
MIR. LAMAR repeat, this bill avoids the me-
cesslty Oh Oh the defeated party to
what IT may consider either fraud or force The
result Whdteper IL may be, WH hare been
reached By The patriotic consent Of both parties.
MIR. NATrEKsoN.-But / sDsIi vote for the bill
with the tut consciousness that the action of The
commission may bitterly dissppoint me and those
who think and ieel with me.
Scores of citations might be made to show that
while the democratic members protested an un-
shaken conviction that Mr.. Tilden had been elect
ed they also fully aware that the decision
might be against them, and that they were in ia
vor of the measure nevertheless. They were still
more unanimously outspoken in declaring their
COMPLETE CONFIDENCE IN THE COMMISSION,
and their full assent to the proposition that who
ever might be declared elected under the form of
the law then on its passage would hold office by
an unimpeschable title. There was not one
member of the House or of the Senate, SO far as
we have been able to discover, who even limited
at the possibility Of a re-openng of the case and
most of those who spoke took occasion to express
decidedly their belief that the settlement would
mind of men of both parties out of Congress,
who took part in the numerous public meetings
held in all parts of the country in support of the
hill. The spirit in which the proposition was re-
ceved everywhere was neatly expressed at the
Fanueil Hall meeting, January 20, 1877, by May
or Prince II have my own strong opinions and
convictions in respect to the merits Of this con-
troversy. but under the paramount obligations of
duty, | put them aside. The conclusion
reached by a tribunal go constituted must satisfv
the country"
We have, then, the word OF the chairman and
the secretary of the Democratic national com
mittee, and of the aDlest and most trusted lead
ers of the party in both Houses of Congress-
North and South Ess, and West,-that the re-
suit was doubtfuh but that
THE DECISION WAS TO BE FINAL
Yet the whole party as represented in the House
now violates the pledge then given, and engages
| IN work which has no other purpose than to
/ impesch the Presidents title. 1t ha. no power to
dspossess him, but its violation of plighted faith
l. just as clear and obvious IL il had the power
and frankly svowed the purpose to enforce it.
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