The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-06-20
The Florida Farce.

| The Florida Commission, consisting of
| Messrs. Hiscock. Republican, and Springer
and Hunton, Democrats, subcommittee
OF the Potter Investigating Committee, re-
turned to Washington on the 18th. Mr..
Frank Hiscock, the Republican member,
says that its mission has been barren of re-
suits, as he doubts not his Democratic asso-
ciates would be ready to admit. No new
fact was adduced in all the inquiry made
in Florida, and the testimony was but re-
hash Of what has already been made public
by the Congressional committees and in the
Bisbee-Findley contested election case. As
for the man McLin, his evidence was simply
hearsay. He could not testify to q single
matter of wrongdoing of his own knowledge,
He had been told everything that he sscon-
fessed.''
Mr.. Hiscock believed McLin was thorough
ly conscientious and sincere; nor was there
an iota Of evidence to show that Minister
Noyes bad instigated or encouraged any of
the alleged frauds. McLn testified that Mr..
Noyes had done as all the Republican visit
ing statesmen had done-namely, given the
Florida election officers the aid of a much
needed moral support. McLin swore that
he had been in dread of his life, as had been
most of his political brethren, and thew were
nerved up to doing their duty by cheering
words of Mr.. Noyes and his associate. ANY
promise of reward was simply general
promise that the Republican party would
stand by him, Much less was President
Hayes name used in any such connection or
understanding. In conclusion Mr.. Hiscock
said that, as Republican, he had returned
with his own misgiyings as to the honesty
OF the Florida count removed. The fact was
Judge Morton had made up case for the
Democrats which his witnesses failed to SUBJ
stantiate when they came to the witness
stand.
Ii the statement of the Washington CORE
spondent of the Richmond Dispatch is to be
believed, Mr.. Hiscock's inference is incor-
rect so far as the conclusions reached by Gen,
Hunton, one of his colleages, is concerned,
for he says the evidence proves palpably |
the fraud as charged" But we must take
with many grains of allowance the conclusion
OF the correspondent. as he seems to have lost
his head in the whirl of the partizan ex-
element existing about Washington. AS
Tor General Hunton, there is evidently a
disposition on the part of his constituents to
have done with him as representative, and
the partial and partizaE votes he gave as a
committeeman, in refusing to summon wit
nesses SO as to get at the bottom of the Flo
rida frauds, will not help him with real con-
sentative men. Had the resolution offered
oy Mr.. Hiscock, to summon certain parties
named, been adopted, it would have been
clearly shown by whom the frauds were
committed. But it was voted down by the
Aessrs. Hunton and Springer, and the truth
10 sum up the Florida bust
less briefly it amounts to "contemptible
arce, SO far as the purpose originally start
ID out with by the Democrats is involved.
assail the title of the President, and those
Who voted Tor the Potter resolution will be
eld to a strict responsibility by the people.
Hon. e. F. Noyes, United States Minister
o France has arrived in this cauntr,, 10