The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-04-09
Gen. Butler on the Presidential Count

Nen. Is. +. Butler, a member Of th
Potter Investigating Committee. sub
mltted a report signed by himself alone
which, coming from Republican. anc
an opposer Of Gov. Tilden in the Presi
dental election, is worthy Of special con
slderation. From the various conclu
slons drawn from the testimony in ref
erence to the Presidential count We
submit the following declarations, to the
effect that the Democratic candidate
was elected and that the Presidency was
stolen by the Republican leaders:
First-That in 1876 there was no full and free
election By the whole body Of the electors of the
/ state u Louisiana, and that the electoral vote
81 that State ought not, therefore to have bern
/ counted in favor Of either candidate for tb.
| Presidency. ~ ''l'
Sgcond-That if any legal election was held
! IN LOUISIANA, then the majority OF the vote.
/ actually cast IN the State were for the TiIden
! electors, and Tor Governor Nichols
| Ihlrd-Ihdt IN case the votes Of the States are
counted at all, the votes of the bulIdozed par
| Ishes, as they were called, were within the fair
ana just exercise OF the Jurisdiction of the. Re
turning Board, to be rejected in the proper ex-
ercIse Of their judgment, with the exception
! 81 some Few polling precincts not material to
/ the result
Fourth-That in the parts of the State other
| than said bulldozed parishes, where d full cam
| paign was made by both political parties, the
majority Of votes are cast for Packard for Gov
ernOr and portion OF the Tilden electors, leav-
ing two more Hayes electors unsolicited.
Eltth-Ihat such count and return (fOr
which alone there seems any authority in the
the Board would have given full expression to
the viii oil the people in such parts Of the State
a. were not affected by coercion and violence in
favor OF Packard and against two or more Of the
Hayes electors which would have given the
Presidency TO filden, as would have been the
ease If the whole vote OF the State had been re-
jccted by both Houses.
Sixth-The declaration by both Houses of
Congress that under the circumstances the State
OF Louisiana should not be counted for either
candidate would have been the best possible re-
suit to the country, because it would have
taught lesson to Over-zealous partisans-that
elections cannot be carried either by force and
intimidation at the polls or by fraud in the re-
turns, so as To avail the successful candidate
and II so carried by either, the votes would be
rejected by the final counting tribunal. On the
contrary, under the rulings of the Electoral
Commission, if they are accepted as the COVER
ming law, every encouragement is given TO reck-
less, strenuous partisans to carry their State
either by force or by fraud.
Seventh-Ihat the Electoral Commissions as
constituted, has afforded practical solution Of
the Constitutional difficulties attending the
count OF electoral votes in disputed States, and
that an exigency again arising like that of 1876
Will surely lead to revolution.
Eighth-Ihat the appointment fsuch Electo-
raj Commission to have anything to do with
counting the votes returned for President and
Nice-President of the United States whatever
Is IN so tar an abdlcation OF the Constitutional
powers and duties of the two Houses, is wholly
beyond the outside of the Contitution, and It's
determination ought to have no legal force or
effect.
Ninth-Thot the appointing of the Judges of
the Supreme Court upon such political forma-
ton has done great harm to the cause of JUS
tice, by impairing the reverence that the peo-
nile have aIVyuvS iustlN had he iurp of
the decision of that court of causes between
parties, and in undermining the popular estimate
of the stern impartiaIity of the court that in all
questions 1t viii do equal and exact justice I'M
der the law TO every citizen and in view of its
III success, the experiment ought never to be
tried again.
Eleventh-That the counting in Mr.. Hayes
was obtained by series of gross and unjustifa-
bic irregularities and frauds, which cannot be
too strongly condemned and reprobated.
Twetth.-That if any title to the Governor
ship of Louisiana resulted from the late election
in that State to any one, it to Governor
Packard, who was legally elected. duly qualified
and inaugurated, and had a right to the support
of the General Government against domestic
violence and iusurreCtion, by which the State
and himself were equally deprived OF their Just
political rights.
Thirteenth-That the act of Mr. Hayes as Pres
ident Of the United States, in appointing and
sending the McVeagh Commission down to
Louisiana, for the purpose and under the IN
struction to act under which it was sent, was
an act wholly unauthorized by the Constitution
and not within the power or scope of the Exec
utive, and especially reprehensible, its pur-
pose and motive was to carry out a corrupt po-
litical arrangement, agreement and compact on
his part, made by his friends with his knowledge
and acquiescence and consent, the fruits of
which he is still enjoying without right and
against law
Fourteenth-That there neither is ought
TO be any indefeasible title to any executive Of
fee which cannot be reached, reexamined and
decided by proper proceedings, authorized by
Congress to be taken and heard ultimately be-
fore the Supreme Judicial Court.