The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-04-24
Testing the de factO Presidents
Title


Tile
4 member Of the House Of Represen-
talives from Maryland pursuant TO the
wish of that State as expressed through
her Legislature has introduced bill to
test Mr. Hayes title to the Presidency.
and to determine who was lawfully eject
ed 10 that office A contemporary epi-
tomizing the bill says that 1T authorizes
and defines proceedings to try and de
termine the title Of any person holding
and exercising the office of President or
Vice President of the United States,
when his election to such office Is denied
BY one or more States of the Union, and
also to try and determine the title OF any
claimant to such office whose election
thereto is claimed by such State or
States The action is to be brought IN
the name Of the State denying the elec
ton of the person holding the office IN
question, and the grounds for the denial
are to be clearly stated. The trial Is to
take place in the Supreme Court Of the
United States. The defendant IS al
lowed forty davs to answer the com
plaint. and when the issue shall have
been made up, the court is to set day
not later than two weeks, for trial, un-
less BY consent of parties, a longer delay
be determined on. The court is to try
the whole case, unless one side demands
a Jury; if jury be demanded, it lssto be
selected in the following manner: The
names of the Chief-J Justices of the high
est courts in the States are to be placed
in a box, and twenty four of them
drawn out; from these twenty four
twelve are to be chosen by lot, on the
day of trial, and these twelve are 70 be
the Jury. The investigation Is to be
limited to the validity of the action
of the canvassing or Returning Board Of
any State by whose determination the
appointment of electors was declared to
have been made in receiving, rejecting
and counting votes returned to them,
and the competency or eligibility of any
person declared to have been appointed
an eIector, or appointed to fill sup
posed vacancy in the Electoral College,
to act as such; and in such investigation
the court shall receive evidence tending
to show the forgery, falsity, invalidity,
error, OF any certificate of any Govern
or. canvasser, or other officer whomso-
ever" The judgment Of the court is to
be rendered within ten days after the
verdict OF close Of the argument. If the
defendant be adjudged not entitled to
the Office. 'he shall be excluded from it;
and if the claimant be adjudged to it, he
may, Immediately Oh taking the re
quired oath, enter upon the execution of
the office"
The bill was referred to the judiciary
Committee under the rules and escaped
the observation of the Republican lead
ers who are eager to prevent the villain
Gus practices by which a fraudulent
President was installed from being eX-
posed. but they were wide awake and
their wrath exploded subsequently when
the memorial of the Maryland Legisla
ture on the subject was presented. Gar
field and others of the visiting states
men and their accomplces even went to
the extreme OF proposing That the me-
mortal be rejected without reference, or
other respectful consideration: and re
sorted to disreputable tactics to that end.
Convinced that the partisan tribunal be
fore which the case would be tried
would decide in favor of the fraud and
thus fortify the guilty parties who are
behind it, as we'll as assure |
an advantage to the participators in the
crime, we have opposed the
re opening of the subject The only |
that we could see likely to
result from it would be a still further
revelation Of its revolving features. The
very eagerness of the Administration
lenchmen to avoid agitation, is evidence
If their crime.