The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-05-03
THE FhORIDl CONFESSIONS.
Thosr True fnwnrdnesA Explained by One of
Those who Cnenrihed Them.

Htying dis-cctcd the cause that brought
tho nfcssions into existence. will say some-
thing about the confessions themselves.
l. - so their genuincncss. Despite the par
ucul;u'ity with which all my statements have
been made. and the lromptness with which my
kilograms have been confirmed from all parts
~ the country there are many who doub, even
now the genuineness " the confessions. There
need be no doubt ON this subject Before tclc-
graphing a word had with my own eyes seen
dozel OF the aiIldavts properly utteeted in
fact. all Of the important ones. except that Of
p,nnio. by this time the ailidaviis are II New
York. and have been socn by dozens Of T. rsous
\ copy # the most Of them was there bei, r. the
matter vac opened in Florida at ALL Indeed.
have lhue doubt that by this time all 81 .hcm
or the most a. them. have been published in
their ofi ca forms in the New York paj .ers
IL is true that many of the Florida Republicans
have denied and still deny. that such CON es-
~ions have been made This il simply hoca lse
they were NOT consulted about them and IT. h.
ably really did not believe in their cxistcr,e.
Those who did know OF it were bound 10y Che
most solemn pledges and by their own inter
csts, TO suppress their knowledge and keep the
matter under. In a conversation with Dennis
he at first bitterly denied having given a state
ment. aud only acknowledged il when he WIS
convinced that the thing had really leaked out
The gcnuineness Of the confess t3ns being cs-
tablishcd. tho extent To which they 20 is the
next question. To this there il hut one answer
They nrr absolutely full and comuiete There
was not fraud committed that : nut thorough
~ .Nposed. All the rascnls have confessed.
McLin hm- told about the general canvass;
Dennis. Vance. and Black about the Alachua
fraud; Allen. Greene and Martin atOut the
Baker fraud; Hardin about the Columbia
county fraud; Edwards and Bowers about the
Leon county fraud: llurlburt about the Leon
fraud. and 80 on 10 the end OF the list. Every
hidden. Tho confessions are backed by the
production Of original, altered. or mutllated
papers. AMI ny such circnmstqntiil proof as
cannot be doubted. much less disproved. The
florida fruud-the most outrageous. vainous
and -tnklug, mat every dlsgraeed thc ballot
system stands hideous in the light of day con-
The stories show that the Republicans were
determined TO have Florida for Hayes ut any
question that the Northern Republicans knew
the Infamous frauds that the local Republicans
were committing day after day ana night after
night. Dennis says that Noyes. who was Hayes
confessed representative in Florida knew of
these events rs they TRANSFERRED Whom he was
pressing Dennis y swear in the Alachua case
Dennis said; II you uut me under oath you
will lose your case, for viii not swear To- lie
I'll fool along all can I'LL get on The stand
AZ this Noyes told him he needn't swenr; and
after this, admission on the part Of Dennis de-
Tended tho Alachua count us correct. The
whole crowd caucused together. and the re-
pcntants say all affairs were discussed openly
the thing should not have been known 10y both
sections Of the party. II is unfortunate that
there is little room to doubt that Mr.. Hayes him
self knew Of tho frauds 10y which he was put in
office. Dennis told me that ho had the most
,,0sitiye proof that Hayes knew Of every move
nel;@ that was made in Florida. aud that he
would prove II at the proper time by the most
und6uft al authority. II II to be hoped for the
honor Of american institutions that this is not
The Florida Republicans are nll bitter against
Uovns 20 is literally without friends in the
state Tho OH 10 protest that is made against
the present eXposurcc is because Of some party
affection that IS felt for Bis''ee. the Republican
member Of Congress. whose sea- ~ III contest
and IS jeopardized by these exposures. Ihey
denounce Hayes in the roundest terms, Deems
rcmarking in choice vernacular that he j. the
damnedest traitor that ever lived since Judas
went out and hung himself.
The confessions will show q now phase ~
American politics. Ii reveals more desperate
state OF things !hah was ever suspected. one
wiIBvss swcars that tho Republicans attempted
10 hire him to assassnate DR.. Babcock, a Demo-
cratic editor at Jacksonville; TINT he refused to
do this. and was given 80 10 beat him on the
public streets, which, having got the money he
faithfully tried TO do. II Is sworn also, that II
movement 10 burn down the State House was
proposed and that it was rejected after Stearns
and Lew Wallace and Dennis had consulted
over il, simply because il was believed that the
Democrats had copies OF the returns enclosed
therein. ii. W. GRADY.