The New York herald., 1876-12-20
THE VOTE OF FLORIDA
Mr.. MANToN MARBLES VIEWS OF THE FLORIDA
RETURNING BOARD AND ITS WORK.

MR.. MANTON MARBLE VIEWS OF THE FLORIDA
RETURNING BOARD AND ITS WORK.
To THE EDITOR HERALp:-
The minutes the Florida State Board Of Canvassers
published December Is; the letters Of General ,. c.
Barlow published December Is and December II, and
the letter OF C A. Cowgirl, ono OF the Board, to Gen.
eral Barlow. published in tho Times OF December Is.
taken together, Handsomely invalidate the pretence
that Florida her votes for the Hayes electors
l. General Barlow demonstrates that, II tho Can
vassIng Board had the wide powers they claimed and
exercised, powers which unbroken usage and the law
In every other State in the Union except Louisiana
confer upon judicial tribunals only, even thon just
and scrupulous exercise Of those powers results In
finding majority for the Tden electors
2 The minutes OF the Canvassing Board demonstrate
that the county returns upon their faco show ma
jorty for the Tilden electors.
no DOUBT rILDxs MAJORITY
Privately loan to the belief that for a month past
not one honest in Florida Of competent discern
ment has inwardly doubted that the Tden electors
had clear majority oi all the votes actually castshat,
too over above the ballot box stufng by Governor
stearns conodcrales and fraudulent by
appointecs, the election officers.
But what majority could not . determined CANVASS
ing board overcomos
At the North however Il has been possible hitherto
10 excuse . candid republican, ignorant OF the details
OF the for doubling the Hayes electors might
not have majority In Florida But the publications
above mentioned deprive every such person OF foot
hold for hope.
A COMPLIMENT A RRPUnLrcAx
Tho candor and the courage OF General Barlow In
reaching and avowing judgment adverse to tho
wishes he shared with his party will command the
respect they deserve For my own part have been
very sensible OF tho difficulty OF preserving judicial
attituae OF mind In the circumstance and apprc
ciato General Barlow's the that he has
not to divide It's honors with any other distinguished
republican visiting Louisiana South Carolina or Flor
ida, 10 s'witness q lair count"
But, while agreeing with General Barlow that just
and scrupulous exercise OF the wide powers claimed
by tho Florida Board Of CanvAsscrs would have
resulted In nnding majority for tho Tilden electors
aud whilc holding that the majority found Is oven
larger than he admits, suppose 10 be q sound prop
ostion OF law that the functions and powers OF the
Board arc clrcumscrbcd within narrower limits
BIDDLx's ARGUMENT.
The snboincd argument upon this point, not hereto
fore published prepared by the most eminent
momber OF the Philadelphia Bar, George W. Biddlc,
and had the entire o all the distinguished
lawyers whose names thereto subscribed. IL
would be unbecoming in mo to do moro than invite At
ecnton 70 its reasoning and conclusion.
But observe that Is established by the minutes
OF tho Canvassing Board, which It's two republican
mombers have since published not merely that the
county returns upon ineir face show clear majority
or the Tilden electors but that those two members