Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1877-01-16
THE FLORIDA INVESTIGATION

The House Florida committee returned to
Washington on the Sth instant and the mem
bers speak freely of the result Of their in
vestigatons. There were but ten counties
out of the thirty two in Florida where there
were any charges of irregularities, fraud or
intimidation. These ten counties were Leon,
Manitee, Monroe, Hamilton, Duyall, Baker,
Clay, Alachua, Jackson and Jefferson. The
committee went into an exhaustive invcstiga-
ton of all the circumstances connected with
the election and the canvass of the votes in
these ten counties. A member of the com
mttce states in the most positive manner that
every opportunity was offered to the Repub>
lcans to produce testimony to sustain the
charges of intimidation made against the
Democratic party of Florida, and that there
was an utter and absolute failure to do so.
The committee discovered the most abundant
evidence of fraud on the part of the Repub-
licans. In one precinct in Duvall county
sixteen prisoners were taken out of Jail, Re-
publican tickets we're put in their hands, and
were deposited by them in the balot>box.
In Alachua county 219 fraudulent Rcpubli-
can votes were discovered to have been polled
Republican votes ~ fraudulent votes were
discovered. which the committee, from the
evidence before it, were forced to conclude
had been put in the ballot, box before the
polls were opened Tho returning board
threw out several hundred Democratic votes
Il ~,
ground of irregularity, although there was
no question that the bollots had been deposit
ted by bona tiae voters. The irregularity
consisted in the fact that the count of the
votes was not completed by the election su.
pcrvisors ON the night of the election, but
was finished the next morning, by common
consent of both the Republican and Demo-
cratic supervisors.
It was established before the committee
beyond doubt that the Democratic State
on the face of the returns the Tilden electors
had 95 majority, and that excluding the
fraudulent Republican, votes the Tilden ma
jority was between GOO and 700. 1t is be-
lieved that the presence of the committee in
Florida exercised considerable influence in
securing to the Democratic State officers the
positions to which they had been fairly
elected. The committee were rather prepos-
scsscd in favor Of the Supreme Court Of Flor
ida, as they considered that its action had
been just, and the members had risen above
mere partisan considerations.
When the committee left the Democratic
State government of Florida was in success
full operation, universally recognized all over
the State, and feeling of satisfaction and
quiet existed among the people, to which
they had long been strangers.
A feature of the meetings now being held
in the various counties of South Carolina to
indorse the Hampton government and refuse
the payment of taxes to the Chamberlain
usurpation is the participation in the proceed
ings of large numbers of colored men, includ-
ing many who voted the Republican ticket
burg meeting, Dannally, coiored Democrat,
and Byas, colored Republican, made speech
es, declaring that Hampton was the choice
of the people, and to him, and him only,
would the taxes be paid. A letter was also
read form Mr.. Reddish, colored member
who had deserted the bogus House, endors>
ing the Hampton government.
LAMps.-The best selection of Lamps in
Charlestown, also full Stock of Chimneys.
Burners and Wicks for sale by S. S. Dalgarn,
opposite Carter House.
Powder, Shot and Caps for sale by S. S.