The New York herald., 1876-12-18
General Bariow's Statement Relat-
ing TO the Florida Election.

General Bariow's Statement Relat-
ing TO the Florida Election.
1t is scarcely necessary to invite attention
to the clear and candid letter of General
Barlow printed in another column. 1t is
sure to be read with deep interest in every
part of the United States. General Barlow
is gentleman Of integrity and intelligence,
republican in politics, citizen who
has been honored with importent
public trusts and of the highest standing
for TRUTH honor and social responsibility in
this community. He visited Tallahassee to
witness the action Of the State Canvassing
Board, and was present throughout its pro-
ceedings. In the interesting letter which
we publish this morning he makes
succinct statement of the chief facts
on which the result in Florida hinges,
that he thinks the State fairly belongs to
Mr.. Tilden by a slight majority. He does
not state this distinctly as his settled opinion,
but the facts he presents will hardly bear
any other Interpretation. The paramount
interest of the country in this matter is to
know the exact truth, and the public should
be grateful to General Barlow for his candid
attempt to state it.
We hope like spirit of moderation and
candor may be manifested by gentlemen
on both sides who have undertaken to in
vestigate the facts connected with this cleo
tion. Whether Mr.. Tilden or Mr.. Hayes
received a majority Of votes in any State is
question of fact which there should be no
difficulty in deciding after a fair investiga-
tion by intelligent and competent men.
Whether votes returned from particular
counties or precincts for one candidate or
the other have been rejected and thrown
out contrary to law is also question which
honest and intelligent men can easily decide
with the law and the facts before them. 1t
is absurd to pretend that there is anything
intricate in such inquiries. A cavilling and
perverse ingenuity may create difficulties
where none exist and throw doubt on we'll
attested facts But in the hands Of fair men
the returns of an election and the testimony
which accompanies them will afford
means of reaching the truth. Every
State, county and township in the
United States has canvassers in ses-
sion every year, and in these myriads
Of cases there is seldom any doubt or dis
pute as to the real result. We believe that
the truth can be clearly ascertained in all
the doubtful States if the examination is
made by honest men, with q sincere pur-
pose to do justice, without favor or antipa-
thy to either party. But if the examiners
seek to count in one side instead of seeking
to find the simple truth there will be no
difficulty in raising bubbles and befogging
people at distance If the Congressional
committees of investigation shall prove to
be os fair-minded as General Barlow the
true result will be ascertained and acknowl-
edged, and the final count in the presence
of the two houses will be embarrassed by
no exciting controversies In any honest
result the whole country will acquiesce, and
the defeated candidate, whether it be Mr..
Hayes or Mr.. Tilden, ought to feel what Mr..
Clay once SO nobly expressed, 81 would
rather be right than be President"
We have had in this State in former times,
and doubtless have now, public men whom
no party advantage could seduce from the
path of rectitude. Perhaps the most signal
instance was that furnished by John Jay
when he was Governor of this State. When
the early elections of the year 1900 had
shown unexpected democratic successes and
it seemed certain that New York would vote
for Jefferson, Hamilton wrote strong pri-
vate letter to Governor Jay asking him to
call the federal Legislature together to pass q
law requiring the Presidential electors to be
chosen by separate districts, which would
have given the federalists votes enough to
turn the scale. Governor Jay took no
notice of the request After his death
Hamilton's importuning letter was found
among his papers, with this Endorsement, in
his own handwriting Proposing a meas
ure for party purposes, which, think, it
would not become me to adopt" No act of
that illustrious mans life reflects greater
credit on his character.