The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1878-06-20
THE INVESTIGATION.

IHE INVESTIGATION.
The Potter investigation starts on
the presumption that the electoral vote
Of Florida and Louisiana ought to have
been given TO Tilden instead Of Hayes.
III Florida it is conceded on both sides
that the vote was very close bat 10
Louisiana the vote showed a majority
Tor Tildcn, aud several precincts were
rejected by the returning board on the
ground Of intimidation OF the colored
voters in those precincts. In Florida
some precincts were thrown out on
both sides on the grounds Of Irregular
ties and only those which were at least
honest on their face we're received and
allowed, as the law in both states gave
them the right to do, and the result
showed a majority for Hayes in both
cases. Now the legal aud moral pre-
sumption is that the members of those
returning boards we're honest in their
actions, and il they were. though they
might have been mistaken, yet there
seems to be no power 10 existing laws
to reverse their decision. The electo.
raj commission chosen by congress de.
.clded that they had no right 10 do ibio
and the last congress accepted that de-
cision, and the present congress has
just affirmed it by an overwhelming
majority
Now the democrats claim they do
not expect to change the result but
they are going to show up the return
ing board scoundrels and make them
an example in the eyes of the world.
According to their theory the vote Of
those states ought to have been given
70 Tilien and that the members of the
returning board knew they ought to
have been given to Tilden, but through
the promise of offices and other re.
wards by visiting statesmen they were
all bribed to carry these states for
Hayes. Now one Of these rascals,
Judge Leyisse, member of the return.
ing board, testified before the Potter
committee that lie was offered 800 600
to vote for Tilden, or TO vote blank
which would make the vote tie in tue
electoral college. He says he jid not
at once refuse but said lac would con.
slider the matter il they would offer
him $500. coo, but that this was done
iof tie purpose Of drawing them on, 10
iud out il possible who was making
tie ofcr This testimony is not con.
tra1icted. That there was au attempt
TO bay a republican eleetor in Oregon
is abundantly shown by the famous
Gobble dispatches issued from the Til
den headquarters in New York at the
time Of the election. Similar statments
came to us from Florida, although, per
haps not yet so well authenticated.
Now II the democrats were 10 the field
with plenty Of money with which 10
purchase an elector and the electors
in those states were all scoundrels, as
they must have been It they wrongiully
gave the vote Of those states for Hayes
then why did not some Of them snap
up the $io00 600 lying around loose 1t
certainly would not be as bad NOR
rally as the other offence. aad would
haye been pretty likely 10 have been
protected from legal punishment by the
administration Thus placed ia power,
aud al Of them could hardly expect to
receive as much as 500 900 each iron
the other side. Ii seems 10 Us that
the theory that al the members q the
returning board were rascals is hardly
tenable under the circumstances Bot
they sight have been mistaken The
only way 70 show THE Is 10 investigate
the bottom facts, aud zee neither there
S4s fraad Of Intimidation as was al.
legged before the returning board. This
The Potter committee has refused thus
fai 70 % They don't seem inclined to
Investigate the question on its merits
bat trust rather to tie stories 81 such
Fellows as Anderson. who Is a con
iessci peqnrer. who i tnad because be
dgi not receive al ofice from he al
minis,tsli0n.
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