The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-11-07
LETTER FROM A
FLORIDA EDITOR.
Tallahassee. Fla. Oct. q. 1873.

Tallahassee, Fla Oct. "a, 1873
10 The Editor NJ the ~ Y Herald.
Itis probable that the first ntimatiOu NJ Mar.
bic received that the vote of Florida could be had
for consideration came from me. | had been
told that the vote OF one of the Republican mem.
bers Ofthe Returning Board could be bought, The
sum named as the price was SjO0OO, Informed
Mr.. Marble of what had heard and gave him the
name Of the party said to be ready to negotiate
and the name of the member whose vote was to
be secured, We talked the matter over fully
Mr., Marble said IN substance, that the proposal
was a piece Of strategy designed TO get an offer
from the Democrats and make IL the occasion for
larger demands from the other side and that un.
der no circumstances would Mr., Tiden consent
TO the offer or payment Of money, nor would he,
This is the substance Of what occurred between
us on that question. have not the least idea that
Mr.. Marble was insincere in his prompt rejection
Of the proposal, or that he ever entered into ne.
gotiation with any person having as its objeCtan
end the purchase Of vote So far from It, as l
know from associations with him, he had a stroI &
belief that both Cowgirl and McLin, especially
the latter would ultimately so vote as to cause the
right % prevail. myself had some faith in Cow
gill, but none in McLin. Mr. Marble had faith in
both. He thought these persons knew beyond
any reasonable DOUBT that the Democrats had
fairly elected their State ticket and given small
majority to the Tilden electors, even after count
ing for hayes all the fraudulent votes claimed as
having been cast for him, and that their sense OF
justice wCuld finally triumph over party preju'
dice and passion. He held to this view until, in
the informal count the true return from Baker
county was attempted TO- be concealed ana a
fraudulent one substituted for II. This tended To
open his eyes TO the intensely partisan character
OF the Republicans on the Board, and satisfied
him that little was to be hoped for from their
sense OF honor or Justice II that act was to be Ia
ken as an indication Of their feelings and pur'
pose. Whatever kilograms may nave gone our
ing those exciting days intmating bargain SER
ously entertained or which failed to be eOmplet'
ed tor want of time we're other foTgeres or were
sent by political gamblers. There could not pos.
Ribly have been any ground fora bargain beyOno
q mere suTmi6e that a vote was purChasaDle, ana
the first suggestion as to thRt.-.tO Mr. Marble al
least, as l believe-.came from me, as already
said. l will add that the person who prOiessed 70
lie able to secure and deliver the vote was himself
| political gambler from Pennsy lvania, who was
about that time telegl aphins to Mr.. Edmunds ioI
money ito prevent frauds" had no confidence
| In the mans honesty. political or otherwise, and
had no conference with him on the subject of his
prOffer but obtained my information as to II from
| Democrat understood that he was to snare
| the money with the member OF The Board whose
vote was 10 be purchased. If the 7rtbune's dis
patches are genuine al have been correctly
translated any bargain" they intimate Wa'
based on a vague idea that vote was purchase
BILE If the money was forthcoming only that and
| nothing more. | there had been "a bargain, a.
the Tribune asserts was the case some OF us here
would have known of it, whereas the firstintima
ton we got of nything of the sort was through
those dispatches,
C. E. DYK, Editor FlOridiGn.