The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1877-02-15
The Vote ofFlorida Counted for Hayes

oided, by party vote of9 to 7, to
give tho vote of Florida to Hayes and
Wheeler. The bill creating tho tri>
bunal designated four of tho five
Judges, two Democrats and two Re-
publicans, who chose tho fifth Judge,
and as Judge Davis, liberal, had been
elected to the United States Senate
from Illinois, he refused to serve on
the commission, and Judge Bradley,
Republican, was chosen. This gave
the Republicans majority of ono on
the commission. but no ono ever sus-
pcctcd that the dicsion of such q
great and vital question, one in which
the very existence of the American
republic depends, would be decided
according to political feelings. In
tho five Supreme Court Judges, whose
decision op MI questions should bo up
on the facts and tho constitutional
provisions bearing upon them, large
majority Of the American people re-
posed confidence, and believed their
decision would bo rendered without
regard to political feeling. Tn this
thoy have been wofully deceived, and
the country informed of the fact that
Supreme Court Judges decide ques-
tions according to political feeling, by
shielding themselves undor technicali-
ties of the law. In the first stage Of
the proceedings in the Florida case,
they decided, by strict party vote,
that they would not 60 bohind the
action Of the infamously corrupt ac-
tion of the Florida returning board,
and that tho thrco sets of returns
from tho State should only go boforo
thom, without enquiring into tho le-
gnlity of either. The Democrats on
tho tribunal contended that they
should 60 behind the returns and as
certain for whom majority of tho
voters Of the State had actually cast
their votes. This the Republicans
knew would prove fatal to their cause
and the conspiracy formed to count
in Hayes would bo defeated. They
accordingly voted to receive the action
Of the returning board as final and
gave the vote of the State to Hayes
and Wheeler, Notwithstanding tho su
promo court Of tho State had declared
the action Of the returning board illo-
gal and that the vote Of the State
should be counted for Tilden and
Hendricks. But acting upon the de-
claration of tho chief conspirator, u.
S. Grant, they, by their action, said
"damn Supreme Courts and disro-
gardcd its action entirely. The mas
jority Of the votes of Florida was hons
ostly and fairly cast for tho Tildon
electors, fact that the Radicals did
not deny, but shielding themselves
under technicalities, they consumma-
ted the conspiracy formed in Wash
ington, aud by a strict party vote gave
tho State TO man who was not en>
titled to it,
If the law is poworless to undo q
fraud because it has been perpctuatod
under tho forms Of law, thon there is
no uso to have laws. If by the action
of corrupt returning boards man
who has not been elected can be
placed in office, it is better to have
Empire at once, and do away with tho
farce of elections.
If the majority in Florida, accord
ing to the decision of the tribunal, had
been ninety four thousand, Gf there
had been that many voters) instead of
ninety four, and tho returning board
had thrown them out and counted in
the opposing candidates, their action
would have beon legal and binding
upon tho people. Then we are at the
mercy Of Radical scoundrels and there
is no use in having elections. If the
law can not reach these frauds. then
there is but ono other remedy. and
that lies in tho people, and they should
not be slow to apply it, 1.-THE people
are TO be cheated out of their riohts
by these returning boards, and the