The daily gazette., 1878-05-02
The Florida Confessions.
Their True Inwardness FIX.
planned by the Man who
Unearthed Them.
IL. w. Grady In Atlanta tGa.) Constiiu-

i""y III AtiAbJa lGa.) COnstilu-
Having dlssected the causes that
brought the confessions into existence. |
Will say something about the confessions
themselves.
l. AS to their genuineness Despite
the particularly with which all my state
ments have been made and the prompt
ness with which my kilograms have been
confirmed from all parts of the country,
there are many who doubt even now the
genuineness of the confession There need
be no doubt on this subject. Before tele-
graphing word l had with my own
eyes seen a dozen of the affidavits
properly attested; in fact all of the
important ones, except that of Den
MS. BY this time the affidavits,
are in New York, and have been seen
by dozen of persons. A copy of the
most of them was there before the mat
ter was opened in Florida at all. Indeed
1 have little doubt that by this time all
OF them or the most of them have been
published in their official form in the
New York papers. 1t is true that many
OF the Florida Republicans have denied
and still deny that such confessions have
been made. This is simply because they
were not consulted about them and
probably really did not believe in their
existence. Those who did know of it
were bound by the most solemn pledges
and by their own interests to suppress
their knowledge and keep the matter
under. In a conversation with Dennis
he at first bitterly denied having given a
statement, and only acknowledged it
when he was convinced that the thing
had really leaked out,
The genuineness of the confessions
being established, the extent to which
they go is the next question. To this
there Is but one answer. They are abso-
lutely full and complete. There was not
a fraud committed that is not thoroughly
exposed. All the rascals have confessed.
McLin has told about the general can
vass; Dennis, Vance and Black about the
Alachua fraud; Allen, Greene and Mar
thu about the Baker fraud; Hardin about
the Columbia county fraud; Edwards
and Bowers about the Leon county fraud
Hurlburt about the Leon fraud, and so
ON to the end of the list. Every secret
has been yielded up. Nothing is now
hidden. The confessions are backed
by the production of original, altered or
mutilated papers, and by such circum-
stantial proof as cannot bo doubted,
much less disproved. The Florida fraud
the most outrageous, villainous and
system-stands hideous in the light OF
day, confessed, exposed, proven.
The stories show that the Republicans
were determined to have Florida for
Hayes at any price aud in any event. 1t
is certain beyond question that the
Northern Republicans knew the infa-
nous frauds that the local Republicans
were committing day after day and night
after night. Dennis says that Noyes, who
was Hayes confessed representative in
Florida, knew of these events as they
trn 9nirp6 Whnn ha t1ra al M
mis- TO swear in the Alachua case, Dennis
said "lf you put me under oath you
will lose your case; for l will not swear
to lie. Pll fool along all l can till | get
on the stand, and then it is business.
won't swear falsely" At this Noyes told
him he needn't swear; and after this adj
mission on the part of Dennis depended
the Alachua count as correct. The whole
crowd cauc ussed together, and the re-
pentents say all affairs were discussed
openly in the caucus. 1t was simply inn
possible that the thing should not have
been known by both sections of the par
ty. 1t is unfortunate that there is little
room to doubt that Mr.. Hayes himself
knew of the frauds by which he was put
in office. Dennis told me that he had
the most positive proof that Hayes knew
of every movement that was made in
Florida, and that he would prove it at
illc DIODtI tllnt Dy tH6 HlOSb
authority. 1t is to be hoped for the hon.
or OF Ameri can instltuti ons that this is
not true.
The Florida Republicans are all bitter
against Hayes. He is literally without
friends in the State. The only protest
that is made against the present expos
ures is because of some party affection
that Is felt for Bsbee, the Republican
member of Congress, whose seat is in
contest and is jeopardized by these ex
posures. They denounce Hayes in the
roundest terms, Dennis remarking in
choice vernacular that he is the damned
est traitor that ever lived since Judas
went out and hung himself.
The confessions will show a new phase
of American politics. 1t reveals a more
desperate state of things than was evel
suspected. One witness swears that the
Republicans attempted to hire him te
assassinate DIR. Babcock, n Democratic
editor at Jacksonville that he refused
to do this, and was given ten dollars te
beat HIM on the public streets, which
having got the money, he faithfully tried
to do. 1t is sworn also, that movement
to burn down the State House was pro
posed, and that it WAS rejected aftel
Stearns and Lew Wallace and Dennis
had consulted over it, simply because il
was believed that the Democrats had
copieS of the returns enclosed therein.