The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1876-11-29
TIE ADDRESS FROM FLORIDA.

F
FLORIDA addressed to Secretary Chan
dler is the broadest joke OF she POI
litical season. These gentlemen say
that they shave been frequently ask
ed 10 give the figures OF the eiecto-
raj vote Of the State as claimed by
the Republicans They have de-
cIined to do so. for the reason that
Official returns have been received
from only thirty-tao counties out of
the thirty-nine, and until all are in.
we (they) are unwilling. and think it
unwise, to give our understanding
of the figures, because of the posi-
bility of the figures in the Democrat
ic counties still behind being suffi-
GENTLY changed to alter the result
They feel entirely justified in re-
fusing to give any information which
shall, even in the remotest degree,
render fraud possible or desirable"
And yet little further on they say
that 1.-The Democratic assertions that
fraud is contemplated by the Re-
publicans members of the State
Board of Canvassers or the Gov
ernor X
are wanton and made with no fair,
honest purpose, and they should
have no weight with just and reason
able men,"
In other words, first, they with
hold the returps from thirty-two out
of thirty-nine counties, and by keep
ing them secret. subject themselves
to the plain and inevitable suspicion
of intention to commit wholesale
fraud; secondly, they make the
shameful charge against the entire
Democratic party of Florida, includ-
ing its candidates for Office, who are
all honorable men, that they want
this information in order to help
their fraudulent operations with the
vote yet unreported; third, they
meet the charge of intended fraud
made against them by the Demo
Gratis, which their own suppression
of returns has excited, by saying, in
a grandiloquent way, that it is wan
ton, and made with no fair and hon
est purpose!" Indeed Which par
ty is most open to charge Of fraud!
the party which admits that it is
suppressing all returns from thirty
two out Of thirty-nine counties, or a
party which is suppressing none at
all? Which charge of fraud seems
most wanSon--that made against a
party which is merely trying to find
out all the returns from the whole
State, or that party which ackDowl-
edges that fortnight after the cleo
ton it is concealing, and proposes
to go on cohcealing, the returns from
three-fourths Of the State? Which
is the most ''wanton charge OF fraud
that made on a strong presump-
ton OF intent to defraud, or that
made on no basis at all? This adj
dress is the most impudent, and at
the same time, the least skillfnl
manifesto of the campaign.
1t is good sign, however. for
Democratic success, that the Repub-
fcans are yelling "fraud" so loudly
in Florida. 1t probably means that
even these men see now that the
State has gone against them. Their
suppression of the returns deprives
them Of all standing before the peo-
pie, for such a confession could only
be made by men who had committed
fraud. or were about to commit it.
1t is enough to excite suspicion of
the strongest kind, and enough in
itself to warrant the Democrats in
taking every lawful measures to see
that they are not cheated out of the.
electoral vote of the State. Florida
casts four votes for Samuel j. Til
den.