Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1877-02-08

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We have now about the same
certainty Of daily exposing a
new Republican fraud in Lou
isiana that we have Of seeing
the sun rise. 1t was not posi-
lively shown yesterday that the
President OF the Returning
Board offered to sell the Elec-
toral vote of the State to the
Democrats for one million dol
lars, but the testimony leaves
that impression on fair minds.
There seems to have been an
agreement between Wells, Pres
ident Of the Board, John r..
Pickett who few years ago
sold to the government certain
Confederate Records, and one
or more others, by which, on
payment Of certain sums of
money aggregating a million
dollars, the Board should be
gradually reorganized in such a
way as to become subiect TO
Democratic control. The pay
Imcnts were TO be made as fast
as the changes in the Board
were Accomplished. No doubt
Wells was in the agreement,
but there has been no evidence
that Pickett had authority to
offer the money. Itlooks much
like a speculative partnership
between Wells and Pickett to
make what they could out of
the vote Of Louisiana, and the
failure seems TO have come
when Pickett found himself
unable TO get the money from
the Democratic party. The
more Wells record islooked up,
both in politics and in conncc-
ton with the cash claims he is
urging against the government,
the more people will be inclined
to believe in this or any other
Ivillainy alleged against him.
In fact, the appearance of the
members Of the Returning
Board, all under arrest here,
and their own testimony before
the committees of Congress,
have gone far to dissipate any
faith that honest men may have
had in their acts.
The Electoral Commission
meets to-day. 1t will go on
smoothly, it is supposed, until
Florida is reached. The main
contest will be on that State.
The same promiscuous influ-
ences that have sought to make
| it appear that Louisiana voted
| for Hayes, have been used to
create the same impression re-
garding Florida. Unscrupu-
lous State officers have disre-
| garded the votes Of the people;
have thrown them out here and
changed them there, and have
disobeyed orders Of The high
est court in the State regarding
the count. There is hardly a
possibility that the august Com
mission to act on the returns
from Florida will give its vote
f., to Hayes, but if it should do so
the contest will be renewed on
the vote Of Louisiana, where
the facts are substantially the
same, but where the proofs Of
fraud are more abundant.
The Commission has decided
to admit spectators to its pro-
ceedings to the number of about
twelve hundred-all that the
room will hold. The transcen-
dent Importance Of the pro-
ceedings has attracted the at
tention Of persons from all parts
of the country. Tickets, of
course, are in demand and from
day to day will have an increas-
! ing value in the MAJ ket, and
will be bought and sold as free
Ily as cadctships were by carpet
Dagger Congressman a few
years ago. 1t is not thought
the proceedings of the Com
mission will occupy more than
five or six days. The session
will commence each day at 2
P. NJ. 1t is noted that the coun-
sci selected by the Democrats
are men Of ability and lifelong
legal training and none Of them
given to "gush."
In Congress yesterday and
the day before, little business
was transacted. The interest
felt in the initiatory proceedings
of the Commission was too alb
sorbing to allow Of attention to
other matters. There was de-
bate in the Senate, without re-
suit, on the bill to create a sink
ing fund for the payment by
the Pacific Railroads Of their
Indebtedness to government.