Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-05-08
The Florida Fraud.

Mr.. Springer, aided by Mr.. Finley. was
busy yesterday exhibiting to his democratic
associates in the House series OF prcambIcs
and resolutions to reopen the Florida case. lie
says be is determined to 70 ahead, regardless OF
tho more conservative views OF MIR. Cla,kson
N. Potter, or even Of the personal desires OF
Tilden himself Further, that a majority OF
his felloW.partz, ps will support him when the
resolutions are presented; and that be intends
to put the few who are opposed to him on re.
cord. He is the principal author of the resolu'
tons, but as whole they arethe result of the
united Iabors of himself, Mossrs Finley, Look.
wood Blair and others. The preamble re.
cites the affidavit of NIc]iu, and declares
| that
The vote cf Florida was carried BY fraud;
that the seats of members in this House are
affected thereby, and that the accompany.
ing afidaVits support the statements OF Mo-
| Lin"
What those accompanying afidavits amount
to is unknown at the .pres,nt writing. But
they are supposed to have been furnished by
Captain Dennis, az we'll as by some of Tilden's
personal agents--Judge Morton perbaps-wbo
have been 10 Florida recently.
The resolution, as amended last night, reads
as follows:-
Resolved, That the judiciary Committee be
instructed to irquire utO the tGcts alleged 10
the afidavts of McLin and others; that the
committee be authorized TO send for persons
and papers to inquire into the same; and that
the committee report at any time.
Mr.. Finley has copy Of this document in
his possession, aud would have presented it yes.
terday it the Wood tariff bill had not been put
forward to occupy the attention Of the House.
Mr. T. will seek the floor for that purpose to
day, although he is willing to yield the honor
of presenting the document to MIR. Splioger or
any of his associates who may sucoaed 10 catch
ing the Speaker eye
MIR. Springer further says that he is willing
to admit any amendment to these resolutions
that may be offered by republicans, if the same
is based upon recently discovered facts, as he
claims the McLin Dennis budget to be; but will
decline to accept aOy amendment based upon
ex psrte statements or allegations that have al.
ready been passed upon.
Col. Frank Z,charie, Of New Orleans, Is in
the city. He declares his business TO be to pro
cure reimbursement to New Orleans Of the
value Of the Touso hospital building, destroyed
under Federal occupancy during the war. How
ever this may be, his arrival at this juncture
has political opportuneness, as 1t were, about
it that makes him the obi 4ct of much curiosity.
Whether hia consultations with democrats arc
relative to the Touso claim or Tllden !
claim--thcy are frequent aud earnest. -
Coincident with his arrival there is story
afoat that two names of electors were forged tc
the certified report Of the proceedings OF the
Electoral College for Louisiana, 10 New Orleau:
10 1876. 1t goes that COL Tom Anderson. the
messenger who brought the electoral vote tc
Washington, also brought private copy of the
same, with all the mpauying papers, which
private copy was delivered tor inspection to the
legged, developed the fact that the returns were
technically illegal or incorrect. Col. Anderson
T without delivering the certified copy of the pro-
+ ceedings intended for acting Vice President
Ferry, was then sent back to New Orleans for
the purpose of having these technical illegal.
ties corrected. This correction was made as
quickly as possible, and the corrected COPY OF
the proceedings duly certified to By all OF the
| electors who could be brought to New Orleans
for that purpose. Two of these electors were
not present, however; could not get there 10
} time, end, as the story runs, their names were
forged to the revised document, which was
, dated aud bore all the evidence of having been
( signed at the time the Electoral College met to
declare the vote Of the State and certify it w
to the Senate. Ga this the democrats base a
, charge that the electoral returns from Louisiana
| received by Mr.. Ferry and presented by him
to Congress are vitaed on the ground Of forg
cry, and we're not the legal or original returns.
The believers 10 this fnd proof of its truth in
some reported utterances of ex Representative
Sheldon. who left Washington yesterday, after
having been disappointed or deceived by the
f President in his application for the appoint,
meut to be District Attorney for Louisiana
MIR. Sheldon was one of the Hayes and Wheeler
electors, and the gossps have it that, 10 mo-
ment OF rage, just before bis departure, when
be heard that his application for the appoint
ment in question had been disposed Of unfavor'
ably, he threatened to put a humble bee 10
uncomfortable proximity to the cushion of the
Presidential chair. They talk of MIR. Sheldon
as ''the last case of quickened conscience" say
that be signed the supplemental or illegally cor.
reced returns above alluded to; that he knows
more BESIDES" aud all that sort of thing. Mr.
Sheldon's friends, however, deny that he made
such threat, and assert that be is not the man to
play the politisl traitor: They, in common with
other Louisiana republicans, still hold that the
State was legally carried and rightfllly record
ed for the republican ticket.
Mr. Clarkson n. Potter had not returned from
New York late night. He is not supposed to be
in accord with the Springer-Finley faction Of
the party as regards the details of this move
ment. although his sympsthles are enlisted in
common with them for the attainment of its OBJ
ject. His proceedings in New York are closely
watched and reported to that faction, and as In
timsted above, are not allowed to influence its
active members a. this juncture. He Is alleged
to have had several personal Interviews with
Tilden. He may not return to-day in time to
participate in the anticipated proceeding, but
whenever he does return his utterances will be
accepted as authorize by Mr.. Tilden. y Wash.
Rep.
The Indians.
| A special from Bismarck, d. IT,, says In.