National Republican., 1880-06-17
WHERE THE RESPONSIBILITY Is.


speeches elsewhere,
WHERE THE RESPONSIBILITY Is.
The attempt to hold the republican
minority to accountability for the con-
tinued dangers incident to the failure Of all
legislation to provide for future electoral
dlsputes,is too plainly unjust to succeed.
That we are to enter upon another contest
under precisely the same laws rs governed
the electoral count in 1876 is undoubtedly
unsatisfactory to the conservative people of
the country without regard to their party
affiliations. Thoughtful men will seek TO
find where the responsibility justly lies. 1t
is plainly the fault of the democrats in con-
gress. The record shows it.
In response to the demand of country
just relieved from the strain of an awful
anxiety committees were appointed in both
houses ofcongress as soon as they assembled
after the electoral struggle of 1877. There
was republican majority in the senate,
and to that body Mr.. EDMUNDs submitted
an adequate bill, which was thoroughly de-
bsted and finally passed by the senate. The
tee and there it died. Nothing was pro-
posed in its place because the leaders knew
they would control the senate at the next
session, and hoped to be able to hold the
house. In this they were successful, and
since then until the very last week of the
session they have shown entire indifference
to the subject
The joint rule proposed by Mr.. MORGAN
we have shown before to be wholly made
quate to meet the just demand of the coun-
try. 1t simply asserts the right of congress
to reject the vote of state for any reason
or for no reason. 1t would have given
semblance of law to the wrong which the
majority are already determined to commit
if they have the chance. In order to do
this the majority have agreed to trample
upon all their theories of states rights and
have voted down every proposition which
gave to the states, acting through their
highest courts, the power to decide what
was the true vote of the state.
When the two houses assemble in De-
cember the election will have been held
the exact number and character of the elec-
toral votes of the states will be known, and
unless the election is put absolutely be-
yond controversy the democratic house and
senate will proceed not TO count the vote,
but to appoint president. Unless the re-
publcans mean to send in a practically
solid north the time and expense of an elec.
tion might as well be spared. The dread
Of disputed election, the fear of new
democratic conspiracy TO break up the gov
ernment, the horror of threatened civil
war, will go far, we believe, to secure the
result we desire. But republicans should
be alive to the dangers of the situation and
should lose not an hour in organizing anew
for fight for the preservation Of the union
"
THE population Of Belgium on the 31s
Of December, 1879, was found to be 5, ,47603s
WE really must be excused Our supply
of campaign songs is sufficient to last us 81,
months, while the campaign is only fo
four months. When tempted to write one
don't
IT is pleasant to know that Mr. ELIHU
B. WAsHBURNE's second choice for the
Chicago nomination was General GAR
FIELD. The first choice of Mr.. WASH
BURNE is still in doubt.
By the will the late Mrs. CATHARINE
RADCLIFFE, the New York society for the
prevention of cruelty to animals has re-
ceiyed fifty thousand dollars in bonds and
cash. Mr.. BERGH was made executor of
the will, and has received the proceeds of
the bequest.
THE congress just adjourned has been
made conspicuous by the failure Of the ma
iority to control its legislation, With nine
majority in the senate and twenty in the
house, nothing beyond the routine work ha,
been accomplished, Every political mea,
sure proposed by the majority has been de.
Ieated by the superior skill and disciplin,
Of the minority.
A DISPATCH from Fort Keogh says that
Eve hundred Of SITTING BULLS band Of In
dians have surrendered, and that they wer
fed and cared for. 1t was all right to fee,
them, for we would not Willingly let even
Sioux die Of starvation, but we protes
against keeping them on this side of tn
line. They should at once be escorted t,
the British frontier and ordered to remain
on the other side of it, The Dominion
authorities ought TO look after their In
dians. We have had the example Of tn
British commended to us fOr years a
humane and successful. SITTING BULL
and his Sioux fed 10 the protection Of th'
queens forces, and was received and pro
tected. A foolish attempt was made by
our Indian department to induce the gentle