The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-04-26

duty Of the Board to enter upon the
work Of the canvass with the con-
yiction that they were invested
with large discretionary powers
which we're Of . mixed character, polit-
cal and judicial. The political largely
predominated. Partisan zeal and strong
political ties had a powerful influence in
the exercise Of these powers, and the Re-
publicans having majority Of the Board
the canvass was largely in their favor,
as the result proved. II the Board had
acted In accordance with the decision Of
the Supreme Court Of the State defining
the powers and duties Of the Board, since
rendered, there Is no question Of the fact
that Tildsn would have been entitled to
the vote Of Florida, excluding the re.
turns from Baker county, which we're
counted, and which l have since learned
from the parties who made them, were
falsely manufactured returns, and that
the true returns, which corresponded
with the precinct returns Of that coun ty,
would certainly have given the State to
Tildeu. Archer Precinct No. 2, Alashua
county, was included in the count. The
fraud committed in this precinct was not
shown to the Board by the Democratic
lawyers, although contest was made
aud much attention given to this precinct,
and have recently learned from the Re.
publican leaders OF that county that after
the returns had been brought to Gaines
VILE, the county seat, 2ls votes we're add-
ed to the returns by the inspector and
clerk Of the said precinct. In Leon
county "a small Republican ballots were
stuffed into the box At Precinct No. Q, yet
It was made to appear, even to the Satis-
faction Of the Democrats Of the Bosrd, that
these were not false ballots. Subsequent
confession shows they were stuffed in the
box. I had seen Joseph Bowers, one Of
the inspectors, have tickets similar to
them few days before the election and
cautioned him against their use unless
they were genuine, and I afterwards
learned that he had given them up. In
Jefferson county, at certain precinct at
which Mr.. Bell was inspector, 100 votes
were surreptitiously added to the ballots
and counted. No charge was msde as to
this fact before the Board. The COMES
sion Of J. Bell since made 10 me discloses
the fact that had the 2l9 votes fraudu.
lently added to the Archer returns, and
the "a votes stuffed In the box in Leon
county, and the 100 votes surreptitiously
added in Jefferson county, aggregating
393, been rejected, and the Democratic
rejected precincts which were excluded
for irregularity and ilhgslity, contrary to
the decision Of the Supreme Court, had
been retained and counted, Mr.. Tilden
would have carried the State. The con-
clusion therein Is irresistible that Tilden
was entitled to the electoral vote and not
Hayes.
In making this statement my motives
will doubtless be questioned by many, but
the facts will stand alone as the truth,
without any mere motive to sustain them.
am free to admit that viewing things as
I now do and remembering that Hayes
was constantly inspiring his personal
friends and agents by every means in his
power to secure for Eim the electoral vote
Of Florida and Louisiana, and believing
1t to have been consciously wrong on his
his part, done with the knowledge that he
had not been elected, a, his subsequent
reputation Of Governor Packard, where
his title was bound up in his own, and his
wlllful and cowardly desertion Of the
very men who contributed so largely to
his election has shown; my contempt for
the pitiable llttleness OF the man
is beyond my power otexpreasion. Mr..
Hayes has denied the validity Of his own
title in denying that Of Governor Pack
ard. He has Ignored his Florids friends,
showing that he believed them unworthy
and tainted with fraud. Yet he held on to
the Presidency which, in his own opinion,
was secured by this very fraud. He has
cowardly abandoned and betrayed his
Southern Republican friends, through
fear Of beng ousted from an Office he be-
lieved he never was elected to by the
people. Whatever may be tae opinion
Of men in regard to my motives, give
them facts and leave my motives to
higher tribunal.
[siguedl SAMUEL B. McLrs.