The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-09-30
Ctr 99ailg Argns,
ROCK ISLAND, .1LL1No1s
A Republican Spectre


Some of the Republican papers are inst
now occupied with what they pretend is a
Democratic scheme to secure the election
OF the next president by unfair means.
The Cincinnati Commercial says: The
Democratic programme is unquestionably
to use this congress for the control of the
next presidential election The confeder =
ate caucus counts the electoral votes. and
proposes to count in the Democratic can
dldate irrespective Of the popular vote. "
And 1t claims that the investigation into
alleged frauds in the congressional election
in Young's and Butterworth's districts.
Ohio, and the outcry of the Democrats
against the employment of federal super
visors and marshals at the polls are parts
OF and preparations for the scheme, Let
US look into the matter.
The present congress, which is Demo-
cratic IN the senate and barely Democratic
in the house. will count the electoral votes
IN the next presidential election 1t will
count them under rules and practices pre-
pared and followed by the Republicans
during their eighteen years ascendancy.
Are the Republicans afraid of those rules
and practices? Do they apprehend that
they will become in the hands of their op-
ponents the taciIe instruments of
fraud and wrong? Are they alarm
ed lest Republican rules and devices
shall be employed to elect a Democratic
president? If so, why did they invent
these rules? If it Is wrong that either
house alone should have the power to
throw out the electoral votes of a state. or
the electoral votes OF any number of states.
why did the Republicans devise regula-
ton giving this extraordinary and wrong
full authority to either house? 1t never
existed and was never claimed prior to
1866. 1t is a dangerous authority; but
how strange that the Republicans never
recognized its daDger-nay, that thew
thought it very fine thing, during their
term Of power, and only detected the peril
that turks 10 it when congress ceased to be
Republican and became Democratic!
The controversy that followed the presi-
dental election Of 1876 opened with a dis.
pute about whether the Republican presi-
dent of the senate should count the cleo
toral votes himself, or should do it with
the assistance Of the Republican senate
and the Democratic house. This point
was not settled then, and is en- open ques-
ton yet. But ii il shall come up again at
the next election 1t is certain that the
present congress will not decide in favor
Of the one man power contended for by
the Republicans; it will decide that the
congress Of the United States, and not the
president of the senate. Is to count the
electoral votes, and incidentally determine
which are the electoral votes Of state
sending in two returns. Three years ago
congress was divided; the senate was Re-
publican and the house Democratic Now
both houses are Democratic The major
ity in either house is smali-toO small to
be relied on to do a great public wrong,
but strong enough to prevent a repetition
OF the great public wrong which the Re-
pubIicans did not Scruple TO Commit in
1877.
Their deliberate and fraudulent setting
aside Of the popular decision 10 1876 still
haunts the Republicans ike an uuquiet
spectre They fear that what they did
then'their opponents will repeat in 1880,
and this l. all the warrant there is for
their present cutlery But The country
may rest 10 peace Whatever other fault,
may be laid to the charge ct the Democ
racy, it has never attempted 10 lay an evi
hand on the presidency. It has been I
victim OF presidential trsud-ncver The
author Of it. And if the Republican:
shall fairly elect their presidential candi
date in 1880 we venture to assure then
that both houses Of the present Demo,
cratic congress will make DO attempt t
defy the popular will by installing de
feated candidate.