The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1878-05-01

6uOuld ouiNiIl tVulIuA ~ w a9uAH eSHs
II was the COMMON and unanimous
talk also that the very existence OF
the men who in the South had up
held the Republican party depended
upon Hayes election. Hayes would
sustain them throughout the South,
while Tilden would crush them. /
was shown numerous kilograms
addressed 10 Gov. Stearns and others
from trusted leaders of the Republic
can party in the North, insisting
that the salvation Of the country de-
pended upon the vote Of Florida, be-
ing cast for Hayes. These kilograms
came from those towhom have been
accustomed to defer to the chairman
of the National committee, and the
man who was the nearest personal
friend to Mr.. Hayes, and had con-
Quoted the canvass. These kilograms,
also gave assurances of the forth
coming Of money and troops ifneces-
sary in securing the victory for
Hayes, Following these kilograms,
trusted Northern Republicans, party
leaders and personal friends of Mr.
Hayes, arrived in Florida as rapidly
as the railroads could bring them
| was summoned by these men who
we're ardent Republicans, and espec-
tally by the friends of Governor
Hayes, and one gentleman particu-
larry, Governor Noyes, of Ohio, was
understood to represent him and
speak with authority of him as q
warm personal friend of his commits.
stoned, with power to act in his be-
half. These men referred to the gen
eral destruction of the country should
Tildon be elected, the intense anx.
iety Of the Republican party Of the
North and their full sympathy with
us. / cannot say how far myactions
may have been influenced by the in.
terse excitement that prevailed
around me, or how far my partizan
zeal may have led me into error,
neither can | say how far my course
was influenced by the promise made
by Moves that if Hayes became Pres.
ident l should be rewarded. Ger
tainly these influences must have had
control over my judgment and act
ion. Reviewing my action at this
distance Of time, with all calmness,
with my ardor cooled and my parti-
Fan zeal chilled by the Preiident who
has basely belied and mercilessly de-
stroyed the Republican party of the
South, and crushed the very men
who did SO much for his election, |
am almost afraid that the Florida
canvass was not conducted with that
cool, calm judgement and honest, un-
biased decision that should have
characterized a proceeding involving
such vast and important interests.
Instead Of this l now see that the
whole proceeding went through upon
the highest wave of political excite
ment; that partizan feeling, stimulat,
cd to the utmost by the most powerful
agencies, usurped the place of reason
and sound judgment, and political
expediency ruled the hour.
A large number of precincts were
either Contested by the Democrats OF
Republicans. Voluminous testimo'
ny was fled and lawyers on both
sides argued for their side issue, that
it was the duty of the board to throw
out and not include in the count or
retain and count the precincts, on
the ground of illegality on the con-
duct of the election or fraud that was
charged to exist. The Attorney.
General of the State and member Of
the board had decided that a quasi
judicial power had the right to ex,
clude the precincts from tho count ii
the returns were shown to be irregu-
lar, false or fraudulent, as to prevent
the board from ascertaing from them
the true vote. With this view of
its duties the board entered upon
the work of the canvass with this
conviction. They were invested
with large discretionary powers, of a
mixed character, political and judi
cial, the political largely predomin-
ating. Partisan zeal and strong po-
litical ties had a powerful influence
in the exercise of these powers, and
the Republicans having a majority
of the board, the canvass was largely
in their favor, as the result proved.
If the board had acted in accordance
with the decision Of the Supreme
Court Of the State, defending the
powers and duties of the board in
reference to throwing out precints,
since rendered, there is no question
of the fact that Tilden would have
been entitled to the vote of Florida,
excluding the returns from Baker
county, which were counted, and
which, | have since learned from the
parties who made it, were falsely
manufactured returns, and including
the true return which correspondent
with the precinct returns of that
county, would certainly have given
the State to Tilden. Archer precinct
No. 2, Alachua county, was includ-
ed in the count. The fraud commit.
ted in this precinct, was not shown to
the board by the Democratic lawyers,