The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-01-11
Republican Sentiment ia Florida.

The Jacksonville Union, one of the or
gaus of the Republican party ia Florida,
aud largely owned by Governor Stearns,
recently contained an editorial sharply
condemning the action Of the Board Of
State Can yassers, in which it says:
"The Board Of Canvassers is composed
of, we may say, three lawyers, we'll COM
petent it may be presumed to perform
the duties devoling upon, them. At the
first canvass they deliberated carefully
and with moderation, and the differences
between them seemed to have been mere
" legal differences, devoid Of any purely
partisan coloring. They decided that
Governor Stearns and the balance Of the
Republican ticket had received a major
ity of all the votes legally cast. Bo h
parties were represented by eminent
counsel, and considerable latitude for ar
gumeut was allowed. We believe that
their action then was sound and logical,
if they had possessed the Judicial powers
assumed by them, and that, though tech
uically illegal, it WAS in conformity with
the evidence aud the right. But the &C.
ton of the Board in this SECOND canvass
seems to Va To be untenable, and stuacka
too much of political purpuse-a pur-
pose bnth improper and unjust, aud Que
which the Union cannot indorse.
Governor Hayes caunot afford to, nor
can the country afford to, hsve him 60
into the White House BY the electoral
vote of Florida, unless it be conclusisely
proved ths, be is honestly aud fairly en-.
titled to that vote; aud we Do not be-
|lieve that Governor Hayes, who is -au
honest aud upright man, would lend him
self to any such proceeding. We want
the readers Of the Union to distinctly un.
derstand that We do not acknowledge
that Governor Stearns has been defeated.
We only frankly and openly say that the
State and national tickets cannot be sep.
arated in the manner attempted with
such finsy lever 40 the Baker county
return, reversed. That the defeat of one
means, morally, the defeat Of the other
in this State. We do not see how any
other result can be arrived st, aud no
such result as the present will prove sat
isfactory to the people at large: They
will not be satisfied until the Supreme
Court, which is non.partisan in its char.
acter, adjudicates upon the matter in all
its bearings. The returns, With all afi-
davits, argumenss. evidence and aE mat
ters pertaining to them, must be brought
before the Supreme Court, snd they must
s;ft the matter to the bottom.
This is something that has reached
moren gigantic proportions than q mere
Stale quarrel. It commando the atteu-
ton Of tie whole United States. and we
might say, in some dsgree,j of the. civil
lied world. It has passed out of our
hands into theirs. It. Is common proper.
| ty now, and they have an equal right
with sin demanding that its settlement
shall not be tainted With fraud :. that
both parties shall now stand aloof and
let that, august tribunal, which 10 the
fnal tribunal 10 this State, that knows
no politica or party, pass upon the equity
of all proceedings connected with the
election, aud render its decision without
fear or favor. Whatever that DECISION
| may be, whether favorable or unfavora-
EbIe, We propose to yield quiet obedience
Ito it. We shall counsel no unreaxoning
resistance, connive at no, attempted fraud,
and give to the incoming administration,
whether it DO Governor Stearns or Gov
| ernor Drew, that hearty support which
its actions may seem to merit. True to
its political principles the Union waged
q bold, lopen land manly warfare upon
the opposition during the last campaign.
The contest ended We can see no sense
in continuing any warfare against it,
save whore the intsrests of the State are
concerned. State is higher than party,
the interests of the people higher than
that of politicians, and the Union does
not propose to throw any obstacle in the
way of anything that may benefit tho
people or tho State"
The manuer in which the Board o
State Canyasser. haze performed theii
work in ,hi. secoud canvass uf the vote
of the State Of Florida will prove very
unsatisfactory to majority of the think
ing people of this State and to the coun.
| try ut large. It is in some degree a self
qualification and IN implied confession
of previous ignorance or wrong. In thu
| original canvass two returns from Bakcl
county were presented to the Board, ont
of them giving q Democratic msjority
| and the other a Republican majority
The one showing majority for the Dem
ocratic ticket, with scarcely any discus
sion, was admitted 10 be legal in all it
sspects, and the votes borne upon it were
canyassed and allowed. Now, in the
second canvass, the vote Of Baker county
rejected at the fisst count as not being th'
true return, is accepted, and the face o
all the returns is made to show MAORI
ty for the Hayes electors. As was before
said, this will satisfy nobody worth salts
flying. If Marcellus L. Stearns was fairly
and henestly defeated in the recent elec
ton, then 80 far as the electoral vote o.
Florida is concerned, it belongs to Sam
uel J. Tilden. There ia no getting ovel
1 &1,sn ~