Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1880-07-08
FROM THE CHICAGO NEWS.

u6SpcfdIc SUBTITLE 10 MAKE the election
of Gen. Garfield certain. On Tues
day last a telegram was sent out from
Albany n. Y, limiting of q purpose
on the part of Gov. Cornell to call an
extra session of the New York Legis-
lature in order to enable it to change
the mode Of choosing Presidential
Electors. This vague and dis
Greet rumor was taken mp on the next
day by the Post and Tribune, of De-
troit, and, in an article of something
more than a columns length, a writer
urged the choice of Electors by the
Legislatures Of the various States,
and assured his party that in this
manner 1913, or an absolute majority
of the electoral college, could be
secured. To- day the strain is caught
up by the Chicago Tribune and Times,
and substantially endorsed
This plot is based upon the second
section of the second article of the
Constitution, which provides that
Each State shall appoint, in such
manner as the Legislature thereof
may direct, number of Electors
The following reasons are assigned
as justification:
l. The firm conviction that repub-
licans will not be allowed to contest
any southern state, and that that
section will give Hancock 1873 Elector-
al votes. They do not doubt that
whatever is necessary to secure this
result will be done.
2. The knowledge that Hancock S
nomination has quelled the Tammany
rebellion, and that the trained repeat
ers of New York City will unite in
November to roll up whatever Dem
ocratic majority may be deemed
necessary to carry that state.
3. The belief that the persistent
nibbling Of Congress at the National
Election laws has weakened their
force and rendered their execu-
ton more dificult-a situation which
they feel certain cannot fail to yield
up Democratic advantage.
4. The further belief that the
failure OF Congress to pass any law
regulating the Electoral count and
the peculiar record of the majority in
Congress on that question indicate
that the Senate and House propose
to ''count i'm Gen. Hancock as the
next President on any convenient
pretext, no matter what may be the
result of the contest before the peo-
pie.
The southern Rifle Clubs, the New
York repeaters, the weakened safe
guards about the ballot-box, and the
alleged supreme control of Dem
Ocratic Congress over the Electoral
count-these are the real sources Of
hope which persuade the Democrats
that victory cannot escape them.
Now it cannot be doubted, from
the manner in which this is pressed
upon Sho attention of the country.
that there is deliberate purpose to
test public sentiment upon the subject,
and, if found practicable, to thus
make choice Of Electors. What will
be the result of such an attempt it
is impossible at this stage of the
contest to determine. That the
threat comes from the men who but
two months ago were so wrought up
over the idea that the third term was
an infamous violation Of the unwriten
law of the country but adds proof
of the reckless character of that class
of men, and gives additional reason
for the fear that they may attic mpt to
enforce their revolutionary threat.
The above is fair sample of the
writings of one Of the self-styled
"Independent" journals Of our coun-
try. Should New York or any other
state desire to change their form of
choosing electors. they have but to go
on and do so being entitled to such
right by the constitution. We would
advise them to do just what the Neaos
Is pleased to call revolutionary, should
they deem it necessary. New York
state is an overwhelmingly republican
state leaving out that vile sink of
iniquity, New York city, where poll
tics are run as they arein the southern
states. If we must have a solid south
we will give the democrats solid
north.
We firmly believe our next presi-
dent will be GEN. J. A. GARFIELD.
Our democratic friends and sInde-
pendent advisors can call such things
revolutionary or not. We advise
no one in doing anything revolutionary
only sustain them in doing that which
is authorized by the constitution.
The reasons as above enumerated arc
sufficient in our Judgment to warrant
the republicans in New York, in par
ticular, to change their mode of
choosing electors.
49, L..