El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-10-31


the first and only failure of the cleo
tiOn machinery, provided by the
american constitution, to perform its
functions. The extra constitutional
method resOrted to in order to decide
the election, demonstrated how par
tisan considerations will influence the
judgment Of men. This was so pro-
nOunced as to cause senator Dawes 10
remark that if any situation like that
OF 1876 should. again arise, neither
party would accept the methods en-
plOyed in that contest, and the gov
eminent might be wrecked over sue
cession.
Not one Of the Is men who consti-
tuted the electoral commission voted
otherwise than according to the de-
sires Of his party, and the outcome as
remarked by one senator, was the re-
suit of the blind chance in the seIec-
ton Of the fifteenth member Of she
commission 1t was thought. when
the bill creating the commission was
passed, that the fifteenth member
would be David Davis. of Illinois
Davis had been Lincoln's campaign
manager in 1860, and in 1872 he was
considered for the Liberal Republican
nomination Tor president Now he was
one OF those who had gone into the
Democratic fold. Some charge that
his election to the United States SEN
ate by the Democrats, with the aid Of
Republican votes, was a scheme TO get
him off the bench and prevent him
commission. At any rate, II IS general
~ agreed that If he had remained on
the bench he would have been the III
teenth member and would have re-
versed the final vote, making it eight
in favor Of the Tuden contention and
seven for Hayes, instead Of eight for
Hayes and seven for Tilden.
Congress Blocked Third Term Boom.
The events leading up to the final
issue before the electoral commission
n of inf
end of his second term, was urged BY
some of his friends TO stand for
third term, just as all the other two
term presidents had been-W ashing-
ton. Jefferson, Madison, Monroe and
Jackson But unlike them he did not
spurn the suggestion; on the con
trary, he welcomed it. When the
Pennsylvania state Republican con-
ventiOn pronounced against a third
term, he wrote its presiding officer,
Gen. Harry White, that while ne did
not care for a third term, the time
might come when il would be unfOr-
tunate to make a change al the end OF
eight years. He added that only II
denomination came TO him IN such
way as to make il his imperative duty
to accept it, would he do So rms was
generally construed as permission &c
his friends TO invite national call
for him
A little later the house Of represen-
tatives took a hand in his ambitions,
and passed resolution, which 70 out
OF the IS voting Republicans favored
This resolution declared that it would
be "unWise, unpatriouc and IrauShr
with peril to our free Institutions
for the third term precedent TO be ig-
nOred. The total vote was Pa for the
resolution TO is against ii. This e.
fectually ended the Grant third con-
secutive term boom.
Nomination Of Hayes.
The support of the administration
#n 1rnrrL- n
, Oliver P Morton. Blaine was the anti
administration candidate When the
convention met ne had more votes
than any other two candidates, and It
became a case Of the field against
him. Although an Investigation into
some of his financial transactions
was then being made, he nevertheless
was the favorite in the voting up TO
the seventh ballot when the conFen-
ton swung to Rutherford B., Hayes,
who was a dark horse up TO the fifth
ballot Even then he was but little
bGGind HAYES, who had the nOmina-
ton of the seventh ballot with only
six votes 10 spare
The Republicans broke the unit rule
In this convention Four Pennsyl-
vania delegates wanted to vote their
own sentiments and the chair sus
tanned them Its decision was ap-
pealed from. but sustained. Four years
later an attempt was made to enforce
it again, but it failed, and ever since
the Republicans have refused to rec
ognize this rule
Query Turned Tide.
The Democrats held their cOnven-
ton in St Louis to which the Tilden
supporters went with a majority con-
ceded TO them Tilden was nominated
with his leading opponent. Thomas A.
Hendricks, as his running mate.
The campaign that followed was not
a bitter one. Hayes was a somewhat
cOlOrless candidate and no one fore
saw anything but a smooth finish TO
a somewhat Indifferent campaign The
night the returns came in everyone
conceded the election tOi Tilden, and
but for chance inquiry 1t might nave
gone that way. But this inquiry, com
ing from the Democratic headquarters
to q Republican newspaper, indicated
doubt and chairman Chandler, of the
r e u blican national committee.
promptly capitalized that doubt with
orders to his aides to claim every
thing. And they did.
Tilden received the greatest popular
majority ever received by a defeated
presidential candidate, having more
than quarter of a million votes in
the November election than Hayes
But by claiming the votes Of several
southern states. South Carolina Louis
lana and Florida, the Republican can
didate could count 1S5 electoral votes
to 1S4 for the Democratic candidate.
The Democrats insisted that tile votes
belonged to them, and with a Demo
cratic house and a Republican senate
there was no possibility OF either &C
cepting the view of the other.
Controversy Threatened War.
The outlook for the settlement OF
the controversy was dark There was
danger Of civil war. Senator Ed
munds afterward drew a graphic pie
ture of the situation as it threatened
to be. He said that a Democratic
house would have declared Tilden
elected and a Republican senate would
have pronounced Hayes the successful
candidate. Each would have tried to
assume the reins Of government, with
his partisans behind him. Hayes could
not have performed the functions of
the office, because the Democratic
house would not pass the necessary
appropriation bills permitting him to
carry on the administration. on the
other hand, Tilden would have been as
badly handicapped, as a Republican
senate would have refused to confirm
his appointments, and the government
could not be manned by adminlstra-
tive officers.
With each taking the oath OF office
and attempting to exercise its duties,
the solemn ceremony of taking the
oath. and the inaugural pageant
would have been put the prelude TO
an awful tragedy of anarchy and civil
war which would have continued un-
til the next election and perhaps