Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-11-21
The Florida Returning Board.


The florida Returning Board.
The Tallahassee correspondent Of the New
York Herald gives the following account OF the
ucrsonuei Of the Returning Board of Florida
The Board is composed of Mr. Cooke, the
Attorney General; Mr. Congill. the Comptrol
Ter, aud MIR. McLu, the Secretary of State.
Mr. CJcke is geo.leman of bilious tempera
meu, who has already distinguished himself
by caping one Of bis colleagues 90 the street
and deuouucing the other roundly in the nrws-
PAPERS | do uot think be is ou speaking terms
with either. l am certain that he processes
the most sovereign contempt for both. Mr..
Cooke is the ucm Der cf the Board upon whom
the democrats rely for an honest count.' lie
was for loug time democrat, and, bOltlog
III. Greeley uOn!n.tlon, took Grant. Appoint.
ed by Governor Harl, he did not serve long
before he commcuc. d dcnouucing Stearns. who
succeeded TO the GoverDorshlp upon Hart's
J.atn. He supported Drew very heartily 10 the
cdmpaign Just closed aud was, 1t was said quite
s,roug T,ideu mao He denounced S.earus
in the most unucs>ured terms lu the public
prints durug the race. He is handsome,
peasaot-laced, gray b .red maD, with stroagly
marked Scotch features. He has the scholars
s.uup in bis shoulders, aud as he walks up
aud doWn his spacious, sunny Office IN the old
Capitol, rubbing h!S haGds care!css:y together,
oue would not suspect that ne was the head
stroug, Cumulative, rough. .and-tup Bile sort or
antagonist that he is. He Is "a pallah lu the
Capitol. | doubt if liiere is single official in
the Whole oullolog That would speak to him; |
tcei certain there is 30! u siugle official ln the
whole building that ie would speak to. He is
eogagei ir bitter and uDrclent!ng hgh: against
them ALL and the democrats may rely upon 1t
that be will stand by tn III just as long as he
has the shadow oi d piece ot law 10 stand On.
He is an able and cultured msD, and has equip
ped hiuselt at all poluls Tor the contest.
| called on Judge Cooke on yesterday and
was heartily welcomed by the doughty Attor-
oey Gsnelal He vas just s"eD engaged in
pointing out to 4 eentcman, who bore con-
spicuous likeacss 70 Gov. iideu, the cowardlcc
OF Governor SlcaIG, 10 demanding troops tor
the State.
What contrast to Henry A. Wise ~ said
he. "When the FlrgiuaGs had captured John
Brown Henry Wise raised q regiment, went
with 1t up to Harler'> Ferry. President Buch
anau, to my knowledge, sent for him and told
him that a RAID was oejpg organized 10 Peor
syvacia to rescue Bcowu, aud offered hlm
hoops i do Tot want them. Sir ! We can
take care Of ourselves john Brown shall be
haoged Oh Virginia soil, by Virginia hands aud
10 tLe pres"uce Of VirgiuanS ! And DOW see
Stcarns pit,fuly begging for the protcc.
tloo of the troops. He is an unmltigat
ed scouutrel. sir. this Governor OF ours
is. But" turuipg suddenly on your cores
poutcut, you want some Information IN re-
gard to the probable action OF the Retufnlng
Board He lhen proceeded to give Us his
views on the power and functions OF this Board.
he believes that the Board has juoiclai tunc-
lions beyond it's mere ministerial capacity. He
has prepared an elaborate opinion SUSTAINING
this view, from which, it is proper to say, the
de,nucra,s as general thug dissent Ha
thluks the Board has the right to discuss and
aet upon aoy returus that my come before il,
rejecting or approving or changIDg them just
as II seems prvper While be says that he 10
tcuds he CANVASS shall be tair and impartial
one as far as he is concerned, 1t Is enough to
see that he is bending every energy be has to
checkmate ceraG fraudulent schemes that be
suspects his republican, colleague OF cherlshing.
lie differs al several :ipts with them on the
construction Of the law, aud WLeD We add his
ditfcreut Interpretation OF the facts and his co.,
tempt Tor the witnesses they will offer. III is easy
t. see that he will make prolonged and bitter
fight.
He is man that money or place could not
buY nor bayouets scare. Not the wealth OF
America nor its armies could tempt or deter
mc from opp slug these fellows TO the nllter
eud" He has arranged for careful! aud de-
,ermined fight 10 the Board This will be made
In the best way that the circumstances Otfer.
Ii he is oyerrlden there aud the facts dlsre
yarIed he will make appeals to courts, Con
grcs, aud people. H. will become the most
persistent and distinguished minority report
mau that this couutry cvel saw.
1t may seem strauge that l can write IN ad-
vance of what will be done IN This Keturning
Board, that has not yet met, 10 regard 10 testi-
moDy that has not yet been co!la,ed. But let
me- say Just one thing 10 explanation. Inc
luaas ,nat will comc before that Board are al.
ready made up The testimony. or warranted
samples ui what it will all be, is already knoWn
to the public The constructions that will DE
put upon the law and The facts by the mem
tcrs OF the Board are perfectly plaiu to every
maa. So ultimately Is the partisan passion
woven Into this matter that it is knoWn how
the members stand. I'VE can count o1
Cocke,' say the democrats we Just neeo
one more vote" do not mean to convey tue
Idea that either size OF the Returnlog boara
has pr.judged the case, or that either slue
would allow lis prejudlces to staud 10 'he
Way OF square aud pateut Justice meau
Smply to say that, knowing the views OF the
three ueu ou leading po,uts at issue and the
relative weirht that will be given 10 the tcsu
mouy, the Board stands fatty dlvlded-one
democrat; two republicans.
As Tor Mgssrs. McLin and Cougil whatever
We're to say OF Que Of them might reasonably
De said about the other. They are SIMPLY Two
average Southern republican politicians. WINE
neither may he probably bad, neither IS not
ably good Unless the whole contest should
become blind, brutal affair, 10 which the ma,
lorty would simply trampe over the minority
without heed Of protest, l think the democrats $
have the advantage. even III the composition OF
the Board. | consider Cooke worth more a. as
champion, than both the Others. His abll,
~, his equipment, his determination, his nerv',
much outweigh the simply numerical advant