Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-10
THE ELECTORAL COUNT.

The Albany Argus expresses solicitude LETT
Congress shall adjourn without taking action
on the pending bill relative to the counting
of the electoral vote, and fears that if it
shall do 30 there will be danger that the
frauds Of 1877 will be re-enacted next Feb
ruary, when Congress shall proceed to count
the electoral votes of the States. The drqus
apparently overlooks the fact that circum-
stances have greatly altered since the last
count was held. Then one house of Congress
was in possession of the Republican party,
and it had the power, under the law as it ex-
lists at present, to reject the vote of any
State. Now both houses of Congress are
controlled by the Democratic party, and it is
not at all probable that the electoral vote of
any State will be rejected except by the con-
currence of both houses, and therefore it is
impossible to repeat the fraud.
OF one thing the country may be assured:
The days when the electoral vote of any
State shall be thrown out of the count except
for good and sufficient reasons have passed,
and there will be no more extra constitutions
al electoral commissions. Under Democratic
administrations in the past there has never
been any attempt to thwart the expressed
will of the people, and that party remains
to-day as it ever was, the devoted champion
of the right of the people to govern them
selves in their own way. The measure now
pending in Congress providing that the vote
of no State shall be rejected except by the
| concurrent action of both houses is proper
one, and should be passed, but if time should
| not permit of its enactment there would
still be no danger of the repetition of the
iniquity of the last electoral count. The
people have confidence in the honesty of
their representatives, both in the Senate and
House, and know they will perpetrate no
wrong through which any part of the citi-
zens of the country shall be disfranchised.
The next electoral count will be an honest
one. All the votes cast for the Republican
candidate will be placed to his
credit; all the votes cast
for the Democratic candidate
will, be duly recorded. The campaign
will be fought mainly on the issue of fraud
raised by the last Presidential election. It
would i'll become party protesting against
wrong in its opponents to perpetrate SIM
liar wrong. 1t would, besides, be stultifca-
ton of its past record which would forever
after stamp it as unworthy of public conf
dence
Fraud in Presidential elections will be
made odious during the pending campaign
$50 odious that no man who possesses the
slightest attribute of decency Will have the
hardihood to defend the right of Mr.. Hayes
to the Presidential Office or of the RepubIi-
can party to control of the government dur
ing the past four years. The Democratic
party is determined that the injury wrought
in 1877 shall be atoned for in 1881 by the
Inauguration of President elected by. the
people, who shall be Democrat. Thousands
Of Republicans agree with the Democrats
that fraud was perpetrated, ;but by promising
never to 90 SO again hope to retain the pub
lie franchi es. But there can be no guaran-
tee of osty from convicted thief. AL
professions of repentance will be distrusted
The people will prefer to repose their trust
in party with pure record in the past and
adhering to principles of we'll established
wisdom rather than apologizing for the er-
rors or misconduct of the past. The Re.
publican party is now on the defensive, and
it will continue to be so up to the close Of
its career now fast approaching.