The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1878-10-25
NO. A..

lican electors. I had perfectly fixed
purpose from which never deyiated ~
word or act, purpose which was known
70 or assumed by all with whom / was
IN habitual communication. II rho
presidency OF the Uuited States was 10
DC disposed OF by certificates 10 be won
from corrupt returning boards. by any
form OF venal inducements, whether OF
omces or money, was resolved 10 taxi.
no part III the shameful completion, and
l look none. The main interest or the
victory which resulted in my election
was the expectation that through tho
chief magistracy a system OF reforms
similar to that which had been accom-
pnshed IN our metropolis and in our
stare administration would be achieved
IN The federal government. For this OBJ
Ject II was necessary that ! should be
unirammcled BY any commitment in
choice or men to execute the official
trusts OF the government, and untran-
Hleled by any obligations TO special in
tcrests; had been nominated and was
elected without one Limitation OF NV
perfect Independence. To have sur
rendered or compromised the advan-
tages OF this position by a degrading
competition for returning board certifi-
cafes would have been to abandon All
mat made victory desirable, everything
which could have sustained me IN the
larger struggle that victory would have
imposed upon me. was resolved TO 90
into the presidential chair in full COM
mand of all my resources for usefulness
or not at all. While thus abstainin0
from ignominious competition for such
certificates, saw these certificates OBJ
tanned for the republican electors who
had not been chosen by the people. and
denied to the democratic electors who
had been chosen by the people. These
false and fraudulent certificates now
confessed and proved to have been oh
tained by corrupt inducements. were
afterwards made the pretexts for taking
from the people their rightful choice for
The presidency and vice-presidencv.
These certificates were declared by the
tribunal to which congress had abdi-
Gated the function Of deciding the count
Of the dispnfed electoral votes. fn hs an
absolute and indisputable conveyance
of the title to The chief magisfracy Of the
nation. The state of Florida, which
had united all her executive, legislative
md judicial powers to testify 10 con-
yress long before the count. who were
Ter genuine agents, which had by
tatute caused q recanvass, the issue of
lew certificates and formal sovereign
uthentication Of the right Of the true
lect0rs TO deposit the votes entitled 10
q counted, was held TO Be incapable Of
to congress . fact which
vervbody then knew and which can
OF now be disputed. Congress, though
csted by the constitution with authority
, CONT the electoral votes. though nm
estricted either as to the time when il
hould receive evidence, and though
1bjert TO no appeal from its decision.
'as declared to have no power 10 guide
: count by any information il could
btain, or by any authority which ID
'ight accept from wronged or be-
aged state, whose vote was about 10
? falsificd. The monstrous conclusion
as thus reached that the act Of one
an holding the deciding vote in the
,ard Of state canvassers. for without
Z concurrence the frauds Of the other
turning boards would have failed in
wing the certificates known at the
me, and now by himself confessed. to
we been false and fraudulent. and con-
ssed 10 have been obtained by promise
Office certificates whose character
- known months before congress
uld begin the count. must prevail over
the remedial powers Of the state Of
orida and the congress of the United
ates combined, and must dispose OF
chief magistracy of this republic.
!Signed) :. J. TiLDEx.
NKw YoRK, Oct. is. 1873.