Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1877-02-27
DEFERRED ARTICLES.
A Republican Congressman Comedies
that Tilden Carried Florida.

- SS>~@A~s
In the debate on the report of the Com
mittee on the election in Florida, il the
House of Representatives, Mr.. Purman, Re-
publican, of Florida, said of the election in
that State:
"Free speech and free locomotion were en-
| joyed to tho fullest extent by the speakers
and managers of both sides and at no time
during the campaign or from any portion of
the State came up any cry of Intimidation
| With one or two minor exceptions it was
without exception the most peaceful election
over held in the State, and not one case of
violence or disturbance on election day has
come to my knowledge.
1T seemed the peculiar privilege of the Re-
publcans to win under all these circum-
stances, but it is fact, sir, which l cannot
stand upon this floor and deny, and which
every man, woman and child in my State
knows, that Florida was lost by tho Repub>
lican rarty in the late election, and that the
Democratic Governor and the Tilden electors
were truly elected. / make this declaration
now under the most solemn scnse of public
duty, and from an irresistible feeling of OBJ
legation to the people of my State, who have
right to expect that, however partisan their
representative may be in his political faith,
he should at least, on questions of public fact,
be an honest man :; but, sir, l would not be un.
derstood in making this declaration as laying
claim to any unusual amount of honesty
But facts plainly expressed carry with them
their own just weight, while jugglery per-
formed with a number of facts only increases
the task of explanation without changing
their character or relative weight"
The speaker then went into an exhaustive
explanation of the election laws of Florida
and the action of the returning board, expos
ing its jugglery and rascalities, which are al
ready familiar to tho public. The speaker
stated amongst other things that he violated
no personal confidence in making the states
ment that Comptroller Cowgirl, one Of the re-
turning board, was personally consulted upon
fraud having been committed in Alachua
county, whereby 219 votes were fraudulently
counted for the Republican electors, and that
he gave his assurance that ifit we're plausbly
covered up before the case came before them
tor adjudication it should suffer no scrutiny
or discount at his hands, and this fraud was
perpetrated. An honest count of the vote of
the State would have given the Tilden elec>
tors 7O9 majority. The will of the people
was overturned by bold, unscrupuous and
dishonest returning board. This fact is
ackEoWIedged by all parties in Florida. The
| speaker predicted that neither Packard in
Louisiana or Chamberlain in South Carolina,
no matter who is inaugurated President, will
be able to maintain their authority, whether
rightfully entitled or not.
| BALLoU's MONTHLY MAGAZ1NE.-Av very
interesting and delightful number is BalIou's
Magazine for March. 1t opens with an elab
crate illustrated article on Japan, and then
follows several other engravings, and then
comes the stories. just what will charm
household. There are charming love stories,
| some nice adventures, one capital sea yarn,
and poetry well worth reading. For only
$3.50 per year, or Is cents per single copy,
an immense amount of reading can be OBJ
tanned. Published by Thomes & Talbot, %
Hawley Street, Boston, at Sl.5O per year,
prepaid.
CLARKE ITEMs.-From the Clarke Courier
we copy the following items:
The case of the Corporation of BerryvilIe
against e. V. Kercheval, involving the title
of the former to a street through the grounds
of the latter, was tried before the Circuit
Court last week, and resulted in a verdict for
the defendant.
David, little son of Mr.. r. K. Ogden of
this place, narrowly escaped from a serious
injury last week. He fell in the road and
the wheel of two-horse wagon passed over
his thigh. but fortunately for the child the
weight of the wheel was broken by a stone
| lying by the side of the child.
COUNTY ITEMs.-Fromth the Shepherdstown
Register we copy the following items:
The Texas fever has laid hands upon a
good many of our citizens.
A number of chickens were stolen from
| Mr.. Lorenzo Etchison, miles north of town
one night last week.
A very interesting meeting has been in
progress in the NJ. f. Church of this town,
Rev. j. W. Smith, Pastor, during the past
week.
Ex-senator Carpenter, of Wisconsin, en-
poyed by the Democrats to appear before
the Supreme Judges, made the following re-
marks on Tuesday, to the electoral commission:
To relieve some little anxiety that exist
in some parts of the country, let me occupy
one moment in stating for whom 1 appear
here. desire to say in the first place that
l do DOT appear for Samuel J. Tilden. he
is gentleman whose acquaintance [ have
not the honor of, with whom have NO sym
pathy, against whom I voted on the 7th of
November last, and if this tribunal could or
der a new trial should vote against him
again, believing as L do that the accession
of the Democratic party to power in this
country to- day would be the greatest calami>
ty that could befall the people except one,
and that one greater calamity would be to
keep him out by fraud and falsehood.
French potatoes, novelty in the New
York market, are arriving in moderate lots of