Year: 1877

w nateVer may De thought OF the de-
cisions Of the Electoral Commission in
some respects, it has effectually stamped
with the seal of infamy the Oregon fraud
and all connected with it. The idea that
the vote of the bogus Elector, Cronin,
would be received and cOurted and be
the means by which President would be
foisted upon the people, is one that should
have never been given a serious thought.
Nor do we believe that outside Of Tilden
himself and the little coterie which sur
rounded him, or those who expected to
reap some benefit by his Presidency,
there was any considerable class Of Dem
ocrats who believed, or hoped that the
fraud would be successful. Doubtless
there are some, among whom may be
classed the Great Reformer himself, who
would not have hestated to accept a po-
litical victory, totally regardless of the
means by which it was secured, but the
good sense and Difference to law which is
characteristic Of the great body OF the
American people revolts at the thought
of overcoming the manifest will of the
majority by any such questionable means.


The theory that minority candidate
can be elected is one not tenable in the
light of the many decisions upon that
point, which have been rendered by the
various courts, when the question was
brought before them. 1t is repugnant to
every sense Of justice that man who has
taken his chances before the people and
been by them repudiated, should yet, by
some qAirk Of law usurp right he bad
been denied. The principle applies as
well 20 presidential elector rs to any
other officer, for the people elect him to
perform certain duties, and if he fails to
do so, he is faithless. Mr.. Cronin, in the
organization Of bis bogus college seems
to have had some faint, underlined idea OF
.his, for his two Democratic friends
doubtless by his directons), cast their
votes for Hayes and Wheeler. Cronin
knew that Oregon had indicated, by a
majority Of more than one thousand, the
desire Of her people that the three votes
Of the State should be cast in that way,
but as he had already, doubtless, the
$4,000 in his pocket, he felt that he must
earn it, and did SO by voting in direct
opposition to the expressed will of the
people. it was proper for Cronin to
vote as he did, it was equally proper for
the others to follow suit. No doubt they
would have done 50, had three votes, in
stead ofone been necessary to the triumph
of the great cause Of Reform" AS it
was, the little Democratic farce was play
ed for all it was worth, and that was Just
nothing. But it is satisfaction, ney-
ertheless, that II tribunal Of Democracy's
own creation has efiectualIy set the seal
OF condemnation upon the attempt to
force a defeated candidate upon a people
1t is true that the Commission display
cd the partisanship of its Democratic
members By their vote to utterly distran-
chi>e the people Of that State, by sup
porting proposition to reject the vote OF
Watts.


For the part he took in this nefarious
transaction, Governor Grover was feted
and held up by the Democracy Of Cali
fornia to public admiration. Our own
Governor went SO tar as to declare that
had the opportunity arisen he would have
set at naught the expression of the popu-
lar will of California, as Grover had done
in Oregon. How these lcll-spttles will
take the decision Of the Commission on
the points for which they went out OF
their way to place themselves on record,
is easily guessed. Fortunately the 'peo-
pie Of California are forowarned, and will
hardly give Mr.. Irwin any opportunity
to thwart their wishes rs he seem, to de-
sire.