The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-05-18
The Investigation by Congress.

Inc investigation ~ congress-
The Potter resolutions of inquiry into
the frauds at the Presidential election in
Florida and Louisiana, are now fairly
launched before Congress and the country
If the resolutions pass and the investiga-
tion be ordered, let the bottom facts be
brought out and made matter of record.
"But what good win it do, itcannot affect
the Presidents title" say the directors.
No matter whether it affects his title or
not, let the investigation be full and com
plete, and let all the facts be spread before
the country. Let us do one thing at a
time-bring out the facts first, establish
the shameless fraud, beyond doubt or cayil,
and the use that can be or that viii be
made of the testimony hereafter will be a
matter fer future consideration. The Re-
publicans in the House resOrted to fillibus-
tering to defeat the investigation. This
was very unwise policy on their part.
1t shows that they are conscious of wrong,
and that there is something covered up
that they don't want to see uncovered.
They have threatened the Democrats with
damaging revelations about Oregon and
Mississippi, as an Offset to the Florida and
Louisiana expose. Let these revelations
come. IF the Democrats have done any
thing wrong in connection with the Presi-
dency, let it be exposed. At the worst
they can only be arraigned for an attempt
at wrong, by some misguided men in the
Oregon case, not for fraud accomplished
and sustained By the party, as in the case
of the Republicans in the frauds committed
in Florida and Louisiana. The Demo-
Gratis don't object to an investigation; what
they do object to is an amendment tackled
on to their own resolutions. With regard
to Mississippi, the alleged intimidation
and violence practiced by the Democrats
do not relate to the Presidential election
at all, but to a previous election. There
Is therefore no relevancy in that case to
the present issue. If all they charge be
true, as relates to Mississippi, that is no
Offset to the Republican frauds in Florida
and Louisiana. They affected the rights
of the whole country; the Mississippi cleo
tion was State election only. Besides,
there is abundant evidence that that cleo
ton was fair and peaceable. The negroes
voted with the Democrats, and because the
Republicans we're defeated, they alleged
intimidation of negro voters. They aver
red, that, as the negroes had voted against
them it was Prinla facie evidence that they
were inundated by the Democrats. That
result was no evidence of violence and in
timidation at all. Nothing is more CON-
mon among white voters, or in States
where there are but very few colored
voters, for che majority to go one way at
one election, and another way at another
election But, let the Republicans make
the most they can out of their charges of
violence and intimidation; they cannot in
that way countervail the effect upon the
country of establishing their frauds at the
Presidential election in Florida and Louis
lana. There are, even yet, many simple
minded people who believe that Hayes was
really elected. IF these frauds are fully
exposed it may open their eyes to the
fraudulent character Of his title to the
Presidency; aud it win show to the whole
country and to the world the enOrmity of
the crime perpetrated by the Republican
party and its agents against the rights of
the people, who have thus been deprived
of their choice of the chief executive Off
Ger of the nation. Whether the evidence
thus brought 10 the light-that evidence
the voluntary confession of the very per-
petrators of these frauds themselves-sha
be made the basis of an action in the Su-
preme Court or not, public opinion will
be so pronounced and so potent, as to
wither and blight the Hayes Administra-
tiOn and the Republican party which foist-
ed it upon the country contrary to the
popular will And the incumbent of the
Presidential Office himself, if he be not
stepped in insensibility and lost to every
sentiment of honor, will realize his true
position as the fraudulent and despised
occupant Of a position to which he was
not chosen by the people, and to which he
has not a shadow of moral right.