Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-11-21
FLORIDA.

THE MOST HIGH-HANDEB PROCEEDING YET.
TALLAHASSEE, November 20.-There is
reasonable ground for believing that Govern
Or Stearns will assume that the State board
has no power to canvass the electoral vote,
but that this power resides in the governor.
This assumption will permit the governor to
decide all issues pertaining to the canvass,
and issue certificates to whichever set of
electors he decides are elected. His assump-
ton is based upon the fact that the act
creating the returning board does not use the
word electors in giving the list of officers
whose vote the board shall canvass The
power to canvass this vote not being specii-
caliy conferred upon the board, he contends,
resides in him, as he Is required by a United
States law to issue electors certificates, and
must canvass the vote in order that he may
decide who are entitled to certificates. The
Democrats are astonishcd that this claim is
set up, and contend that the word electors
is not used in the act referred TO, simply be-
cause electors are included under the head of
State officers, which expression is used IN the
act. The Democratic committee waited on
/ the governor and notified him that if be con-
templated such step they would ask per-
mission to file protest He stated that they
! should have an opportunity to do 50, and this
morning informed them that he should be
pleased il they would forward in writing
whatever they had to say upon the subject.
| This is considered an intimatiOn that he in
tends to move in the matter without delay.
| Elaborate opinions are beng prepared on
! both sides of the question There is some
movement ordered in military circles to-
night; precisely what it is cannot be ascer-
/ tanned. 1t is supposed that troops are going
! to some OF the contested counties.
OF THE COUNTRY.
New YORK, November 20.-The Times
furnishes the following document to the agent
| Of the Western Associated Press:
TALLAHASSEE FLA, November 20, 1876.
! To Hon. Zachariah Chandler, Chairman Republican
National Committee, Washington, D. c.:
We have been frequently asked to give the figures
of the electoral vote of the State claimed by the
! Republicans. We have declined to do so for the
| received from thTty-twO counties out of the
thiTty-nine, and until all are In We are unwilling
figures because OF the possibility OF the figures In the
Democratic counties still behind being sufficiently
changed to alter the result. We do not necessarily
| impute TO any one Il design to commit fraud, but
l 1t is enough that such d thing Is possible
/ and not unknown here or elsewhere, as
| In the case OF the election frauds In the
| city OF New York at the Presidential election of
| 1868 and the WellknOWn Tweed circular In further
ance thereof, in 1872 In this State: The raising Of
the county returns Ill FAVOR OF the DeOcTdtc stale
ticket nearly one thousand votes was discovered at
the last moment, and only cOunteTacted by the eX-
traOrdinary efforts which were made to obtain the
original precinct returns We feel entirely Justified
In refusing to give any information which shall even
In the rem0teSt degree render any such fraud posi-
bic Or desirable. The delay In beginning the can
YISS arises from three causes:
! First-An uncertainty as to whether the governor
alone the general board OF State c;.nvlSSerS are
! the legal canvaSSlng officers of the Presidential
| vote The Democrats have asked to be heard on
this question, and it is now under consideration.
! SecOnd-All the returns are not In, which, 1t Is
claimed by many, is legal prerequisite to the be
ginning OF the canvass and II il were otherwise, yet
Tor the reasons above stated ii would be unWiSe to
begin it until the returns received Not unfre-
| auently the returns from remote counties do not
reach Tallahassee for three OF four weeks, and the
law allows the general board of State canvaSsers to
walt thiTtytge days for them. In some counties the
county canvass even is not required 10 be made ul.
! til twenty days from the election.
Third-Frauds or Irregularities in certain precincts
charged by each side against the other and Is
desirable and proper, If it shall appear that such
questions are TO be gone Into that both parties Shall
have ample time II they desire 1t, to procure proofs
BY the law the general cdnvassing board is clothed
with full powers TO correct frauds and irregularities
in the several polls. A provision of law emnently
! wise and needful in thny settled country where
elections are sometimes not conducted with that or
der and regularity so generally observed in older
communities. In 1872 the vote of this State would
have kbeen given to the Democratic ticket had
| not the general board of canvaSserS under
| its judicial powers corrected the fraud by
I which the Jackson county CANVASS made SHOW OF
q Democratic vote of some lotr hundred more than
| was shown by the original precinct returns ThOS.
| BlOxham, the Democratic candidate for governor,
| received q:}7 votes but the returns were made 10
show that he had received 1899; Wills the vote of
| Hart his opponent, was reduced from 100 to 7O4.
Walls Republican candidate for congress, received
| IIOS votes, which was altered TO lQS This Is
the county IN which a Republican majority
of 300 al the last election Is claimed to
| he converted Into Democratic majority of ninety
eight this year II view of this Democratic fraud,
so lately attempted and nearly successful and Of
well known frauds elsewhere by that party, we think
that the Democratic assertions that fraud is con-
teInplated By the Republican members of the State
board of canyassers or the governor, should he be
legally the canvaSSng officer being made as they are
without the slightest proof and respect to men Of
honorable and untaTnished character are WantOn
and made with no fair or honest purpose. and they
Should have no weight with jusl ami honorable men.
The power OF this bOlrd to correct frauds and
wrongs Is mdlspuied by any one They will act
openly and will be subject to the scrutiny Of the
whole country and one can ask anything but that
their decision shall be based upon such facts will
carry couYictlQa to any impartial men, and upon the
we'll settled rules OF law anu eEiuence appllvauIu 81
such cases and such believe will be the action OF
| The GaiSaSaeI-
'FRAACtS L. BAkLOM, OF New York
J. n THORNBURGH, OF Pennsylvania
W. T. CHANDLER, of New Hampshire
EDWARD +. MOVES, of Ohio.
". II. ROBERTSON. Of New York
d. q. ROLLINS of New York
}. p. EMMONS. OF Florida.
LEW WALLACE, of Indiana.