New-York tribune., 1878-04-27
LILLE Ci-nPlLGN or ER1rD.

Newspaper correspondents at Washington
and elsewhere profess to be puzzled by the
revival of the Florida scandals, and are won
dering, with innocent simplicity, whether these
confessions and allidavits have been paid for
by the anti-IIayes Republicans or the Tilden
Democrats TO us the origin Of the movement
seems plain enough. Ever since the defeat of
Mr.. Tildcn in the popular election Of 1SG,
that gentleman, or some friend acting for him,
has been trying to set aside the YER
diet of the polls by the exercise of secret
influences. In December, 1876, a negotiation
was carried on between the Iilden managers in
this city and certain politicians in Oregon Zone
of them being the Democratic Senator from that
Statc) 70 purchase Republican elcctOr."
committee of the Senate brought 20 light the
tclcgraphic correspondence over this nciarous
transaction and discovered that the money for
the purchase was actually deposited, though
for some unknown reason the scheme fell
through. Then there were mysterious dealings
with agents or reputed agents of persons sup
posed to be able to reverse the vote
of Louisiana. After the votes Of the
States had at last been cast. there
was n conspiracy to prevent their being
counted, and it is now well known that we
were then much nearer the penous edge of
civil war than the country suspected. The
present attack upon the returns of 1876 bears
all the characteristics of the crooked under
takings which preceded it. Whether Mr..
Tlden really hugs the deuslon that he can
oust a President who holds Office by the
strongest title imaginable, or only wishes to
prepare the way for 1880, it is hardly worth
while to inquire Whatever his motive his
hand is plain enough and it has not escaped
notice that while the anti-Tilden Tammany
organ in this city, The Express, frankly con-
demus this McLin and Dennis enterprise as
n transparent device to keep Mr. Tilden's
name before the public, another journal.
representing the other wing Of the DemOc-
racy, hastily swallows Its own record-bolts,
so 10 speak, its files for a whole year--in order
to insist upon following up the investigation.
There is nothing new in the Florida story,
and the only reason for repeating it now is,
that three or four rascas who have been dis
appointed in their political expectations are
willing to swear to it. In February, 1877,
the same narrative was told in the House of
Representatives by a Florida member named
Purman, a Republican whose seat was about
to be snatched from under him by a Demo
cratic contestant. Mr.. Purman apparently ex-
pected the Republican party TO take care
of him, and when it declined to do
so he denounced the Administration as mon
stcr of ingratitude he referred to himself as
a holy victim "sngcd in the fires of martyr
dom" Gn point of fact he had been almost
continuously in some comfortable government
place for fifteen years.; and just as he was
about to be dismissed to private life he threw
this scandal into Congress, rs Bridget avenges
her discharge by smashing the crockcry.
Mr.. Purman's statements attracted no atten-
ton in 1877, and we see no reason why the
same statements should be considered import
ant now when they are repeated by much less
reputable persons. Mr. Tilden was too shrewd
! a politician not to perceive that the natural
| course of events had been making agents for him
| ever since the Inauguration of Mr. Hayes. After
! that closely contested election great many
persons of doubtful character beset the
White House and the Departments with clam
orous demands for recognition and ere
"ward," on the ground of mythical services
| If Mr.. Tilden had been the winner, the same
| or q similar set of men would have presented
| lust such claims to him. A wise Presi-
| dent would have turned them out of
doors at once. Mr.. Hayes was weak
enough TO give some Of them places,
which they were incapable Of flling and