Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-06-21
A GREATER FRAUD THAN THE
ELECTORAL COUNT.

ELECTORAL COUNT.
The greatest fraud attempted by the Re-
publicans since they stole the Presidency
Two years ago, has been the attempt to
give the investigation, entered upon by the
Democrats, revolutionary character, and
to present that party to the world in the
light of disturber of the peace. The
party which, rather than plunge the Union
into war again, gave up all, has been por
trayed as desiring to Mexicanize the coun-
try, and the charge has been put before
the people with shameless persistency by
it's orators and it's press. And this in the
face of the fact that every Republican pre-
cedent was in favor of the investigation.
In 1869 the Republican House of Repre-
sentatives, on the petition of the Union
League Club, of New FORK, appointed
select committee of seven to investigate
alleged frauds in the State of New York,
affecting the election of representatives to
Congress and electors for President, and
the report of the committee, recommend
ing this action, which was adopted. con-
tanned this declaration:
This duty is one of the highest political Importance.
Irregularities and fraud in the election Of Represen
tatives to Congress and electors of President and
President cannot fail to excite just alarm inthe
minds of the people. Unless their will can be fully
and fairly expressed in the election OF officers who
are to make and execute law, the vital principles
upon which the Government rests are set At defiance,
and soon we may follow the fate OF France, where
imperial power was welcomed as the only means OF
peace or the anarchy OF contending factions so fatal
to Mexico may close tecareer of our trepublic
If Congress or the people could be insensible Of
Indifferent to- the evils of fraudulent elections it
would not argue well for the permanency of our
nationality. If the electors chosen by fraudulent
votes the duty imposed by the Constitution is not
complied with, and Congress may not only regulate
and provide for this but may devise mode OF as
pertaining what the actual result Of election has
been.
In the face of this solemn and impress
sive setting forth by a Republican House
of the vital necessity of Investigating sup
posed frauds in the choice of Presidential
electors, when the Potter resolution for
investigating the frauds of 1876 passed, a
general cry went up from the Republicans
that it was revolutionary" New York
could be investigated quietly, and with
no disturbance, as ga duty of the highest
Importance but, when it was to be done
ten years later in two other states. where
the world knew that while soldiers kept
the people down with bayonets, thieves
robbed. them of their franchise, it
became Revolutionary" and a circular to
that effect was promptly issued by the If
repressible Chairman of the Republican
Campaign Committee, which was echoed
by the Republican papers. To the credit
of the Democrats they went steadily on,
except two or three congressman who were
frightened out of their self possession and
joined the Republican cry. Mr.. Stephens
of Georgia, and Mr.. Key the Democratic
Postmaster General, were the most prom
inent opponents. The pretense of the Re
publicans was wholly inexcusable because
they knew that there was no proposition
before congress to impair the title of Pres.
ident Hayes that could get corporal's
guard to support it. The resolutions OF
Montgomery Blair to open the title were
laughing stock, were not part of the
Potter investigation and we're repudiated
by the very men who from sense of cour-
tesy introduced them. No informed man
believed that there was to be any attack
on the Presidential title or that there was
any ground for it. The hunt was for men
who perpetrated the wrong and, as was
expected, the first men struck were John
Sherman, the Secretary of the Treasury.
and Stanley Matthews, q. S. Senator. The
party cry of revolution" was gotten up
to save these men and was not sincere. If
it had been, a!Republican Senator, Spencer
of Alabama woull not have very shortly
after introduced the resolution inquiring
into ssbargains,'' which he said was to
9'catch Hayes"
Unable to excite the country by false
appeals the Republicans resorted to anoth-
or artiflce. Last Friday Mr.. Burchard of
Illinois, Republican, with the hope
that the Democrats wouldn't swallow the
word Revolutionary" intro duced the fol
lowing resolution:
Whereas, Atthe joint meeting of the two Houses
Of the Fortyfourth Congress, convened pursuant to
law and the Constitution, for the purpose of ascer
tanning and counting the votes for President and
Vice President for the term commencing March 4,
1877 on counting the votes Rutherford B. Hayes
declared elected President and VIM. A. Wheeler was
declared elected Vice President for such term there
fore
Resolved, That no subsequent Congress, and neth-
er House. has Jurisdiction to revise the action at
such joint meeting, and any attemptby either House
arising therefrom, would be revolutionary and is
disapproved by this House.
To his intense establishment and disgust
the Democrats voted for it promptly, the
vote being 215 to 81. Hardly had the Re
publicans gotten over their modification
at the disastrous venture of Rurchard
when the Judiciary Committee, of which
Mr.. Harris is chairman, reported on the
Montgomery Blair resolution, as follows:
Resolyed, That the two Houses of the Forty fourth
Congress having counted the votes cast for Presi-
dent and Vice. President Of the United States and
having declared Rutherford B. Hayes and William
A. Wheeler to be duly elected President and Vice
President there is no power in any subsequent Con
gress to reverse that declaration, nor can any such
power be exercised by the courts of the United
States, or any other tribunal that Congress can
create under the Constitution.
The Democrats as promptly passed this
resolution by vote of 234 to IA.
How does all this read, holding in your
hand at the same time the official assurance
of Hon. Eugene Hale. Chairman of the
Republican Campaign Committee, in his
circular of May 9th, when he says of the
-, (Ion fhof.
Foremost among their schemes, the opposition
already announce their intention to attempt the re-
evolutionary expulsion Of the President from his
Office
Hon, Alex. II. Stephens, of Ga, having
notified Che Democratic Congressio nal
Committee Of bis district, that if he does