The daily gazette., 1880-02-17

rom private information II in Mexi-
CO a Peru or Central America .
candidats should be put on the ground
that be was man who would stand
no nonsense, who had no onstitution-
al scfuples, but would take the officen
if he considered himself chosen, we Of
the United States would shrug our
shoulders in contemptnous pity, and
declare that "those Spanish-speaking
people will never understand Tree con-
sstutional government" And here is
the most Eealous supporter Of the ex-
President demanding his nomination
on this very ground.
Ii would be ridiculous and laugha ole
IL it were not shameful 1t would NOT be
worthy Of notice il the same cry for q
s.stIong man, because be may be counted
on TO defy and violate the Constitution,
were not beard in 50 many quarters from
90 many Of the supporters Of the ex-
President Do they really mean to
nominate the ex-President, contrary TO
the whistles Of the Republican party, be-
cause they believ the mere nomination
will be enough for him, and that he will
stake the ofhee,n ss they say? ThA, Is
plainly and definitely what they are
saying. We advise him TO make haste to
iepudiate these people and their alarm
lug threats. He cannot remain silent
while his chosen and intimate friends,
protesting to speak from information, set
up this Ronstrous and revolutionary pre-
tension. This is lot Peru or Mexico or
Venezuela IL the American people once
get it into theirheads that the ex-President
is TO be renominated because he agrees
with these followers Of his in despising
and defying constitutional methods aud
limitations, thai will arouse q storm Of
indigDalion and alarm which will very
prop riy sweep 10th him and bis party
into disgrace.
Meantime we beg our contemporary to
calm its pertur3ed spirits for a few
minutes aud read over q section or tgo |
of the Constitution. That instrument
prescIibes accurately the way in which |
the people shall elect their President, |
and, what conc rms our contemporary |
yAgaries more nearly, in which the in |
c,ming man shall 'iake the ofics."
Curiously enough, the Constii utiOn |
nowhere says that . candidate shall grab |
the place If he thinks he was elected. IL |
it hsd, Mr.. Tilden would have done that |
tor undoubtedly be and much the greater
part Of the country believed him elected |
in 1876. No; by an oversight, which 1
apparently too many If the ex-President's
friends are regetting, the grab game was
entirely left out Of the Constitution.
There is not . word there about a car
didate ''calling to his side half million |
sol4iers.r
Under the Cons, tuition, the candidates
have nothing, absolutely nothing. to do
in the premises. The Electors meet in
their several states, vote and for . ard
the certified record Of their votes to the
seat Of Government. There, at an ap-
pointed time, the President ofthe Senate
opens tie packages in the presence OF
the two houses, the votes are thereupon
Fublicly COUNTED, and the person havug
the greatest number Of votes for Presi-
dent shall be the President if such num-
Der be a majority Of the whole number
of Electors appointed" That is all, ex-
cept that it belongs under The law 10
the President then being TO Inducl the
incoming man into office, aud see 10 ii
that be takes the oath, which oath con-
talns no, q word about 'scalling to his
side half a million men" If be should
happen to think himself elected, or any
revolutionary nonsense Of that kind.
IT is a great mistake. Neither
Gen. Grant nor any other man would
be supported by even one thousand
soldiers, under the pretence that he
was elected should Congress declare
that another man was elected. Should |
Gen. Grant attempt ITO take the
Office" he would find difficulties
arising in his path that would be far
more dangerous to life than were any
Of the Confederate armies that op-
posed his march on Richmond.