The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-05-04

rest, voted 10 sustain that decision, and his
tory will pass upon them all the verdict OF
guilty.
There is thus only one thing new in these
confessions. The frauds in all their details
were known before. The new thing is tina,
Mr.. Hayes appears by the confessions to have
knowingly and wiekedly aided and abetted in
their preparation. Even this was suspected
before; but now in the confessions It Is spe-
cihcally charged; and if it be taken as true
the infamy of the whole affair is dyed dou-
bic black. II strips away the last refuge OF
those who supported Mr.. Hayes on the the.
DRY that he is "a good man who means well. -
But the senatorial ring which seeks by these
revelations TO get Mr.. Hayes under its con-
troll, IS smeared all over with the same defile-
ment. Mr.. Conkling said in his interview
that the facts of the Louisiana case would
sink the administration in the depths of infa.
my. But Mr.. Conkling knew all this at the
time, and did not vote or raise his voice
against the infamy. He consented to it by
his silence. He skulked away, afraid to vote
and let the crime be consummated. II is for
no public or patriotic purpose that the Re-
publican rings desire now to make n market
OF the crimes and shames of the electoral
frauds, by forcing Mr.. Hayes to depend upon
them for the continued possession OF his Office.
They are in the position of disappointed con.
splrators who turn states evidence because
they were cheated OF their share of the plumber.
Maryland JoHnal-The confessions and
data Is nothing more than was charged by the
Democrats when the whole question was
being discussed before the Electoral Com
mission rendered its SKI decision. However.
it is refreshing to know that all that the Dem,
ocrats charged as true at that time is now
sustained by the prime operators in the
wretched business. 1t is now in order for
both Democrats and Republicans to at least
stop abusing Hon. Montgomery Blair on ac-
count of the resolutions passed at the last
session OF our Legislature. 1t being admitted
by nine out OF every ten citizens of the United
States that the counting of the electoral votes
OF Florida and Louisiana for Mr.. HAYES was
fraud, how can our people find fault with
Mr.. Blair, or anybody else, If he should de.
sire to determine the rightfulness of Mr..
Hayes to the position in view of all the facts ?
In all seriousness we would ask-Suppose a
mans tenure to a valuable estate, secured by
means of fraud accomplished under the forms
OF law, were brought before a court of com.
petent jurisdiction, how long would the re.
puted owner or possessor retain possession of
the same? We imagine just long enough for
the court to decide, decently and in order.
that fraud can never be used to secure a man
the right to possess anything, no matter how
small. Our whole code of ethics, our laws
for the right of possession are built upon this
strong foundation of right, and that fraud
vitiates everything. And if a tenure of so
small thing as the possession of property
were vitiated by an accomplished fraud. how
much more so should be the rightful poSses-
sion of the Office of President of forty millions
OF people, who endured the fatigues, the pri.
vations, and the dangers Of seven-years war
because they believed in the eternal princi.
pies OF justice and right? II matters not
whether Mr.. Hayes stays in or goes out of the
office he occupies-it is clear he took IL
through fraud; and it matters not what man.
OF body OF men, or court, may decree a state
OF facts upon fraudulent foundations, il is a
fraud none the less. And are the American
people 10 be denied their rights because the
Supreme Court Of the 'aited States with the
aid of other members of the government.
decided from false premises, that Mr.. HAYES
received the electoral votes of the State of
Florida, when, in truth, we know that the
people of that State cast majority of their
sutirages for Mr.. Tilden? Has the Supreme
Court OF the United States any more right TO
commit wrong than the humblest court in
the land? or has Il any right to say that a
fraud accomplished shall remain so? II il
has our government is only rope of sand.
Philadelphia Times.-However we may
differ as to the power of Congress or of the
Judiciary 10 Hnseat the present administration.
the whole people ought 10 be unanimous in
demanding that all the circumstances attend
ing the great fraud by which the election az
1876 was perverted, shall be brought to light
and made matter Of record. The RetuTn.
ing Board crimes should be probed TO the
bottom, an opportunity NAV offer. and all
who were in any way privy to them should
be held up TO the infany, and, If possible. re-
eeive the punishment that they deserve
This, too, we believe to be the sober iudg-
ment of the people. They paid high price
i0T pe2ce IN acquiescing in the decision of the
Electoral Commission, but the conformation
of the crime that gave Louisiana aud Florida
TO Mr.. Hayes instead of to Mr. Tildsn. for
whom they were fairly carried, was no part OF
that price. Hence we have welcomed every
contribution 10 the real history of the Re-
turning Board Frauds, coming FROM any source
whatever, and encouraged any movement
that was honestly intended to elicit the truth
and punish the guilty, whether it took the
form of trial by the courts or an investiga.
ton by the legislative branch OF tbs national
or aay State government The disclosures
OF .he last lev days with reference TO the
Florida vote call anew fer q thorough investi-
CATION by committees of Congress, either
jointly or severally, and it is to be hobed
that they Will be undertaken without DELAY.
The men who have confessed should be put
on their oaths, and their testimony preserved
for what it is worth. No doubt more confess
sions viii be Forthcoming, and new lines of
lpqQiry will be opened up from time to time
which capno. ba followed without bringing
the crime TO the doors Of those who instigated
1t. Attention Will be diverted from the hired
tools OF the coRspiTators 10 the conspirators
themselves. A searching aud thorough in
yestigation is due to the men vic have been
detrauded of the fruits of the ballots, 90 Mr..
Hayes and others high in authority who are
- possession of the stolen goods. whether in
noeeHty o. not, and above all to the great
body of the PaoEle, who believe that they
have been wrOnged. The President cannot
afford to block the way for saeL au inyestiaa-
ton; rather should he invite il, for If i9nc-
cest j cannot harm him. The Republican
party does i.self grea; injustice BY objection.
for It cannot carry sgch load through an
other campaign. The Democrats need no
incentive, for if they believe that ,Vctice is on
their side they cannot fear the result. Sooner
or later the whole truth must come out. Ii
eAun0t come oNt AQS soon. Let Congress
take this matter 10 hand witbGgt further de.
lay. The country wants the bottom iaotg and
will have them. What follows may be Jeff
to Providence.
BGlfimors SuH.-The great wrong by which
Mr.. Tilden was robbed of the presidency. OF
by which, more properly speaking. the Amer
lean people were robbed of the President OF
theiF choice, seems to be surely, if slowly.
working out its own retribution. Whether
Nj. Hayes has proved great failure or not.
as alleged by NJ. ADAMS, certain it is that
every man Eh0 participated in ths returning
board frauds is feeling ibe effect il dimir-
ished prestiges, influence aud staudipg- VIII
oil the disposition, the determination We NAV
ai1Ss. say, of the American people to treat
the whole auasss.iqn as settled, and not to re-
open it at any Prles. s..e question tciH not
rest. Ii returns to haunt RGa quicken the
cubic conscience. II will not sleet ~
more 4sp the secret of Dhncan's murder IN
the play. ."NYabeih hath murdered sleep
The facts CONNECTED Yith ;be miserable frauds
OF the last presidential eleclqn ave constantly
coming to the surface, They vii. MOI lie bur.
led. Let US hope that the lesson which they
teach will not be forgotten-that the warning
which they give will be needed, and thai