The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-03-13
STOLEN ELECTORAL VOTES
A Republican Ex-GOvernOr Tells
How SOnsEa Carolina Was
Counted for Hayes.

Ex- Governor F. 7. Moses in the n. Y. Sun.
Under the law the State CanvasSing
Board was required TO meet in the Secreta-
ry of States Office within ten days after
each State and county election, and then
and there to proceed to open the boxes and
determine the result of the election. On
the occasion of which 1 speak, these ten
days expired on a Tuesday and it Was on
the Sunday preceding this Tuesday that the
work of altering the returns was effected
On that day, according to the proffered but
rejected testimony before the investigating
committee by John B. Dennis, and by 9TH
ers who agree with him in the narration of
the facts, there assembled in the Seer .ary.
of States office, with doors barred against
all other corners, the following members of
the Board of State Canvassers: +. L. Car
doza, State Treasurer; Henry E, Hayne,
Secretary of State; William Stone, Attor-
ney General claw partner OF d. 7. Corbin,)
and Thomas. G. Dunn, Comptroller Gen
eral.
The last named man was the head al d
front of the whole infamous business, and
according to the testimony of Dennis and
others, who know whereof they speak, he
had planned and proposed the nefari0us
there to engage. They had with them as
co-laborerS and counselurS in their work
Judge Carter, of Washington, u. c.. who
had been making himself very active in
consultations with the board, and whom it
was SAID had been specially sent from
Washington 10 see that the State was cauut-
ed Tor HAYES. Judge Settle, of North Caro-
lima, was also present, lending his valuable
aid, and was accom- panied by one Judge
Dewey, from one of the Western States
w no nm fO N n
in South Carolina.
lie must be borne in mind that previous
to that time and Immediately after the close
of the pagn it was generally supposed
that the State had gone for Hampton. and
probably for Tilden, and it was as generally
supposed that the Board OF State CanvasserS
would reverse. or attempt to reverse, the
decision of the people by throwing our,
under the charge of their being illegal,
sufficient Democratic votes to alter the
result. But it was not thought possible
ti at resort would be had to the most glaring
and villainous fraud.
In order to prevent the Returning Board
from going behind the returns and altering
aud changing the same--their power to do
which under the law the Democrats stead
lily denied-the latter had applied to the STU
preme Court for TWO separate injunctionS
against the board, one to restrain them
from going behind the returns in the case
of the State, and the other to accom- plish the
same purpose in reference to the PresiGen
tial contest. In each case the court had
granted preliminary injunctions, copies of
which had been served on every member of
the board. The counsel of record for the
latter were ID. T. Corbin, Robert B. Elliott.
the negro eX-Congressman, and the Judge
Dewey above referred TO. But the real
power behind the scenes was the Judge
Carter from Washington. who kept up con-
slant telegraphie communication with the
national authorities in that city. Chamber
lain also spent days and nights in earnest
consultation with the board and their coun-
sci.
The party of conspirators who had as
sem led in the office of the Secretary of
State proceeded to open and verify the re-
turns. and il aUas found thar 1IEden had car
ried the State By OUer one thoHsdRd majority
Of strictly legal potes.
At once il was determined that such
result must be reversed, and to effect this
the returns of several Republican counties
were tam pered with, so as to increase the
N ajorities which they had really given to
Hayes and Wheeler. The figuring was
dene by Hayne, Cardozo, Stone, Dunn and
Carter, and the alteration Of the returns
was achieved BY Dunn alone, who has since
been heard to say Ia Washington, while
there as anapplicant of the Charleston Col
lectorship of Customs, that it was his right
hand which had saved South Carolfna for
Hayes, and that he could prove it by Judge
Carter.