New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-05-03
ELEc1LON CONrROHERSLES.

| Republicans will have no objection to full
discussion of the great Florida question. 1t Is
very important to remember that the presen-
tation of evidence in the Louisiana, South
! Carolina and Oregon cases was prevented, not
by any objection of Republicans, but solely
! because il was not possible for any tribunal OF
competent jurisdiction to gather and hear the
whole testimony. Only those who attempted
to examine it knew how voluminOus it was.
No small part of it was originally given by
witnesses who were dead when the Electoral
! Commission met, or had been spirited away,
so that their evidence could not be obtained.
To get the testimony of one side only was
properly thought unjust and unwise.
| Once for ALL let it he remembered that there
were two sides in these controversies. Frauds
were alleged by Republicans, and also by
Democrats. 1t WAS said, on the RepuDli-
can side, that there had been such wholesale
violation of law in Louisiana and the other
! States, such systematic intimidation, such a
series of assassination3 and whippings, and
such lasting terror of Republican voters, that
| an honest election in many of the parishes
was not possible. In Florida aud South Caro-
! lima also there had been pclpetTated, on the
! Democratic side, frauds of the grOssest kind.
| These allegations were sustained by vast mass
of proof, which it would have been physically
| impossible for the Electoral Commission, or any
committee Of Congress, to examine within any
reasonable time. a contested election in
single district of single State often detaius
committee so long, in hearing evidence and
| argument, that report cannot be made for
| many months and the Louisiana business es-
| pccially had occupied the attention of many
| committees Of both Houses for several years
| and vet had reached no definite decision. 1t
was thought by many that Congress had no
power to 90 behind the returns from a State,
| but all agreed that. if this was to be done at
| all proof on both sides must be heard, and
this would involve years of investigation.
The theory upon which the Electoral Com
| mission and Congress acted was that questions
| of this character could not in practice be ex-
amned by any possibility, and could not in
law he examined with any respect for the Con-
sttuton, by any tribunal whatever save those
| of the States making returns. The official re-
turns, according to this view OF the matter
| were final any attempt, even on the part OF
| State authorities, to set aside decision after
| it had once been rendered, was mischicvous
| and unwaITanted.
| We waste no time now in arguing that this
view was correct. But it is proper to call at
tention to the fact that the Democrats are
| trying to have this question considered and
| decided by the people on the evidence of one
side only. II is as if Mr.. Mcilenry and his
| friends, after the courts had decided against
| them in the Erie case, should try to change
public opinion about it by the printing of
| various er pdrte allidavits and arguments.
Everybody knows that there is another
side. Everybody knows that the arguments
and proofs of that other side have been held
conclusive by the only court of competent
| jurisdiction. The hammering of interested
parties only proves that they are not willing
| like law-abiding citizens, to submit to the
final decision of the properly constituted court,
made after hearing both sides, but want to
steal some advantage or sympathy by pre-
senting proofs and arguments on their side
only.
Undoubtedly frauds and wrongs were COM
mltted by persons of both parties in the
Southern States. The man is to be pitied who
refuses or is unable to see wrong, because it
was i'll the interest of his political associates
For tho people, the question is not whether
some frauds were perpetrated by Republicans,
or some by Democrats; we all know that some
| were perpetrated by both. The question is to
whom the electoral votes were really given by
the majority of legal voters. That question
has been decided by the only competent trib-
unals, and we have an Administration based
upon their decision. If the Democrats still
clamor and chatter about the matter, it is only
because they know that proof of the frauds
and Outrages perpetrated in their behalf will
not now be dragged before the public. Their
| assertions that some individuals also commit
ted fraud in the Republican interest do not
deserve notice. When proper tribunal heard
| and examined allegations of fraud on both
sides, the Democratic stories about Florida
and Louisiana were submitted, just as they
are now, but other claims, backed by proofs,
were also presented, and were held by the tri-
bunal of last resort to be more convincing