Year: 1876




Florida completes the list the official count
giving majority of over 900 to the Republi-
can electors. On the face of the returns the
majority was less than fifty, and. correcting
errors, only one majority for one of the cleo
tors, but the power of the bsnrd to scrutlnHe
the legality Of the vote at the different pre-
ciDcts has been exercised, and certain precincts
have been officially excluded from the count.
Attorney General Cooke, who has been sup
posed to sympathize with the Democrats,
voted in favor of this exclusion, and the
action of the board was unanimous. In
this case, as in South Carolina, it cannot be
claimed that the decision is unjust, for If the
canvassers had acted upon the returns alone,
they would have declared elected the same
persons to whom they now give certificates
after investigation. The result in Louisiana
alone has been reached by the exclusion of
returns from precincts in which, it is decided,
no legal and fair election was held. The
Justice of that decision will be doubted by
some and affirmcI by others, but it is the legal
decision of the only body empowered under
the laws of the State to canvass the
votes. Unless it be overturned by further
investigation and competent authority, we are
bound to accept that decision. Moreover, it
cannot be set aside by the wild clamOr OF
partisans. Abundant proof has been presented
to satisfy every reasoning mind that there was
no legal election In many precincts OF Loulsl-
ana but, on the contrary, state OF unre-
strained violence and unspeakable brutality,
and a reign of terror which rendered free
election impossible. The doubt, in the minds
of candid men, is not whether such cOndi-
ton existed in many localities, but whether 1t
existed so generally, and with such effect, as
TO warrant the decision of the board Evi-
dence on that question will be accumulated
for months. Meanwhile we have nothing to do
but to accept as the legal and presumably the
lust decision, that which the board has rem
dered.


Public opinion would be very much less in
clined to that course but for two facts. Ever
since the votes were cast the Democratic
leaders and Journals have shown disposition
to take advantage of any technicality, any
trick, any fraud, or any act of violence what
ever. in order to succeed. They have openly
avowed the hope that the will Of the people
might be defeated in Vermont, Nebraska, and
Oregon; have resOrted to glaring Judicial
usurpaton to defeat it in South Carolina and
the gathering of the armed men at Colum-
ba showed n readiness to prevent the cast
ING of the votes by force. These things have
gone far to turn against them that just pubic
opinion which was, at the outset inclined
rather to apprcheRd wrong from Republican
managers. Moreover TO the end the Demo
Gratis have claimed as perfectly legal the en-
tire vote of the parishes in which it is most


aIa hpl0-ln
East Feliciann, for example, where not single
Republican voted out of more than 1000
registered The natural feeling is that men
who want to win by such means are not en-
titled TO confidence when they claim to have
been wrOnged.


But the great fact in this case is that the
Republicans have not relied upon vague and
loose assertions of Intimidation as they did,
either in neglect of public opinion or from
inability to do otherwise, on former occasions,
but have submitted a mass of proof which i'm
presses very strongly those who have examined
it, The most cautious witnesses who have
investigated the matter at New-Orleans, with
no predilection favorable TO the Republicans
are staggered, and some, including Mr.. Red
field of The Cincinnati Commercial, completely
convinced. by this array of testimony. Now
the question is one of fact, and peculiarly
difficult one to decide. Prof. Lowell, whose
fairness and independence have lately been
acknowledged by his opponents, has very
Justly remarked that this question did not
seem to be one which could be answered
thousand miles away. If those who have in
vestigated it most thoroughly on the spot find
the Republican case exceedingly strong, there
is, at least, all the presumption in its favor
which an official decision gives. That decision
may be reversed, or the full evidence may
show that it was incorrect, but the only
legitimate and proper presumption at this
time is that it was based upon evidence which
few persons have yet had opportunity to
examine.


We should greatly rejoice to know that
Messrs Hayes and Wheeler had been duly
elected, with such strict regard for law and
Justice that fair men could not dispute the re-
suit As yet we have only a less gratifying
assurance that the official decision n their
favor il legal and just in every State but one,
and in that State though still open to doubt,
is supported by strong presumption and by
a mass of proof which unprejudlced investl-
gators treat with great seriousness and respect.