The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-05-07
THE PoPUL1R Minority

Our worthy friend Of the Denver
Democrat is greatly exercised over the
discussion of the assertion Of that pa
per that the republican party is trying
to rob the people of the right of suff-
rage and trial by jury. Upon u call
for the proofs, the Democrat replies as
follows:
In answer TO the LEADERS denial of
the fact that the republican party is
trying to rob the people of the right of
a free ballot and a fair trial by jury,
we would call attention to circum-
stances more potent in argument than
measureless assertion. A man now
exercises the prerogatives of the presi-
dent of the United States, who was no.
toriously defeated at the polls by an
enormous majority.
Right here 1t is well to observe that
as the republican party is in the mi
nority in congress it cannot make any
laws that will rob the people of any
thing. The people have not so far been
robbed, and it is beyond the power of
the republican president to make laws
authorizing himself to do SO, even were
he so disposed. Thus disappears the
force of the arguments against the re-
publican party. But we will have to
follow the Democrat through its maze
of assertion, though it lead to destruc-
tion-of itself.
1t cites as n potent argument that
the president was defeated at the
polls by An enormous majority There
1t goes again. Doesn't the Democrat
know that this point was killed early
in VI and decently buriedp No re-
publican ever denied that Tilden had n
majority of the popular vote. But
every man of sense knows that the Sc
lection Of a president is not determined
by a popular vote. The Democrat must
remember that Kentucky's 5000 ma
jority for Tilden counted no more than
a majority of one, so far as the election
of the Tilden electors is concerned.
The representation in the electoral col
lege determines the selection for presi-
dent. Nor is Mr.. Hayes the only presi-
dent who did not obtain a majority of
the popular vote. Lincoln received
$50 of the 1903 electoral votes in go,
and yet he did not obtain a popular
majority. Hayes received a majority
Of one electoral vote in '76 and he did
not get n majority of the national vote.
Other presidents there were who also
lacked in a popular majority, but that
fact did not weaken their title. Nei-
Their does it hurt the title Of President
Hayes, and the silly talk about his not
being legally elected should CEASE.
There are certainly other things on
which the democratic press may harp
to their hearts content. and not appear
so unwise.
Until the Democrat proves that citi-
zens entitled to vote legally, have been
defrauded thereof by the army or the
supervisors, we cannot consider its
mere assertions. States and cities that
uniformity have fair elections never
complain of interference. 1t is only
the guilty who cry out. The demo-
cratic party, in our judgment, should
not be given credit for tying the hands
of the government so that it cannot
prevent the intimidation of the weak
at the polls. The object of the pres
ence of troops in a bulldszed district is
not to prevent men from voting, but to
insure the privilege to the blacks as
well as the whites, and. to republicans
as well as democrats.