The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1878-05-25
INVESTIGATING THE FRAUDS.

The Territorial Enterprise, which ap-
pears to not only furnish the lesser
Republican lights of the State with.
ideas, but with editorials clipped bodi-
ly from that journal and published
without credit. contains an article on
'.The Anlmus of the Proposed Investi-
gation." The Substance of it's argu-
ment is simply that if frauds were per-
petrated in Florida by Republicans.
Union who does not know that by vio-
lence and outrageous frauds Missis-
sippi. Louisiana and South Carolina
were wrested from Republican control
With this kind of logic the Enterprise
hopes to convince its readers that
1t IL revolutionary on the part
Cf the House of Representatives
to order en- investigation of the
Florida frauds. Livery sensible person
knows that the stability and perpetuity
OF our government depends upon the
rvss ect. winch the people entertain for.
the will OF the majority as expressed at
the ballot box, and that if few men,
constituting CanvassiDg or Returning
Board. are permitted to alter returns
and subvert the will of the majority, it
must, sooner or later. result in anarchy,
as elections will become a mockery.
That this has been done in Florida is
sworn to by McLin, Republican Secre-
tary of State and ex-officio member of
the Board of Canvassers. But is the
word or the oath Of McLin entitled to
oredit2 That McLin is held to be a
good Republican and an honest man.
and capable of understanding. what
constitutes election frauds, is proven
by the fact that he was nominated for
Chief Justice of New Mexico by Presi-
dent Hayes. 1t does not therefore
explain away the charges made by
him to say that Democratic frauds in
South Carolina and Louisiana wrested
those States from Republican control,
aud the Enterprise strikes wildly when
il. makes that charge. Every man of
sense knows that the Board of Canvass
ers in South Carolina and the Return
ing Board in Louisiana gave the Re-
pnbIicans majority in those States,
and that their electoral votes were
counted for Hayes. 1t therefore be-
trays weakness on the part of the En-
terprise to assert that they were wrested
from Republican control by, Democratic
outrages. That they were turned over
To the Democrats by Hayes after their
electoral votes were counted for hayes,
ID tact SO fresh in the memories of the
public that the circumstances attending
the matter do not need to be repeated.
1.-THE electoral votes OF Louisiana and
South Carolina properly belonged to
Hayes. as decided by the Canvassing
Boards and the Electoral Commission,
the loss of these States to the Republic
Can party cannot be justly attributed to
Democratic outrages, but to the treach-
cry of r B. Hayes.
This, however, is not the question
Involved In the proposed investigation.
The object of that is to ascertain il
frauds have been perpertated as alleged
10 the affidavit of Republican who
Was recently considered sufficiently re-
&3sctable. honorable and intelligent by
Hayes to be Chief Justice OF New
M-xico. If the evidence of others of
equal responsibility with McLia denote
that frauds have been perpetrated in
other States than Florida, whether by
democrats or. Republicans, they too
should be investigated by Con-
gress. It is. of the greatest i'm.
portance to the people,. irrespective of
party. that the purity ofthe ballot box
should be preserved. and it is one. OF
the highest duties of Congress to in
v1s'igate frauds and bring those respon-
sible for them to justice. 1t is also the
most nonsensical argument ever .ad-
vancsd by the clear headed. though
politically biased. editor of the
Eatsrprise to attempt to justify
Repablican. frauds in. Florida by