The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-11-11
TMDEN's ATTEMPT TO BUY
THE PRESIDENCY.
Statement Of Mr.. Cowgirl Of the
Florida Returning Board.
The Proposals Made by Manton Marble
and Others.


I The New York Tribune Of Saturda
prints the following letter from @. A. Cow
gill, of the Florida Returning Board, cor
cerning the attempted briberies:
ORANGE Mills, FLA, Nov. 9, 1873.
To he Editors Of the Tribune:
SIR:-Long-continued illness has hither
to prevented me from noticing the asser
ton, contained in the cipher dispatche
sent from Florida TO New York during tn,
Presidential canvass, that negotiation
were in progress to. purchase the votes o
the Republican members Of the Floridl
Returning Board. As one Of the mem
bers OF that Board, ! desire to place befort
the public the following facts:
Ftra-I never, either directly or indi
rectly, gave anyone, Democrat or Repub
lican, the slightest reason TO suppose that
money or reward OF any kind would influ
ence my official action. l know that nc
amount OF money could have induced me
to cast my vote contrary to my conviction
OF right, and l believe the same to have
been true concerning Mr.. McLin.
Second-No Republican ever intimated
TO me that any personal advantage would
follow my vote for the Hayes electors; and
l decided as did without expectation or
desire OF reward, believing that the Re-
publican electors we're legally entitled to
the vote OF the State.
Third-Bcfore the canvass had COM
menced, and during the time when the
Democrats were making their absurdly
jealous attempt TO force the Board by
mandamus torcommence the count before
the time fixed by law, Mr.. Manton Marble,
in n conversation held at my house, after
attemptingto TO impress me with the great
danger that would arise TO the country II
Mr.. Tilden was deprived OF the election,
said: ~ am gentleman, and see that
you are one, and therefore you will not
misunderstood me. / am Mr.. Tilden's
near friend, knowing as much, II not more
than anyone else, OF his views and opin-
man Of immense wealth and great graft
tudc, and il by your vote he becomes Presi:
dent, you have, not only the gratitude OF
the great Democratic party, but also the
gratitude Of Mr.. Tilden, and all that that
implies" In answer Ignored all that had
been said concerning Mr.. Tilden, and only
replied: casa Republican, do you not sup
pose would prefer the gratitude OF the
great Republican party to that Of the great
Democratic party?" This, presume was
one OF the visits "wastcd upon the Con-
troller." Aiterward Mr.. Marble visited at
my house several times, but nothing more
passed between us concerning Mr.. Tilden's
wealth and gratitude.
During the progress OF the canvass, Mr..
Andrew Banks, OF Baltimore, visited Talla-
hassee, ostensibly to attend to some busi-
ness before the State authorities concern
ing the purchase OF lands. As q member
OF the Board having control OF the State
lands, ] had met Mr.. Banks in New York
few months previously, and more recent
IL had extended to him some slight court
esies in connection with his negotiations.
One morning Mr.. Banks, while walking
from the hotel to the Capitol with me,
thanked me for my attention TO him as ex.
hibited by tho aforesaid courtesies, and
said: "Now l wish TO help YOU" l re-
piled: 81 do not sec how you can do that
except by assisting in establishing Ma
tional bank in jacksonville" This was o
business project that had been discussed
between us in New York. lie said: THAT
will be done OF course, but wish to help
YOU in your trouble here concerning the
count" NV reply was: "You cannot
assist us in deciding this question unless
you are able to make the evidence so plain
that there can be no mistake concerning
its meaning" He rejoined: % know, or
"you know that Tilden hascarried the State
and it only requires your vote TO declare
this result, and II you vote Tor the Iilden
electors you can have whatever you desire
in office and money" asked him II he
were in earnest, and who sent him to me
with such proposition. He replied that
the proposition was made in good latin,
but denied having been sent by anyone.
IIo then went into the Capitol, and look
ed around the hall and into my office, hop
ing TO find some honorable Democrat, IKE
OK. Governor Walker, to whom l might
rcouest Mr.. Banks to repeat his proposal
b,lt seeing no ono of this character, and
wishing to prevent any similar attempt, !
took Mr. Banks into the Governors pri..
yate office, which knew to be empty, and
sail: $50 to those who sent you and say
that | should regard the election OF MT
Tilden MS a National calamity only to be
excelled by civil war, and II the evidence
before the Board induces me TO vote fol
the Democratic electors, be assured that
will never accepta favor from the Demo
cratic party nor from any individual Dem
ocrat.d This ended the conversation. The
National Bank is not established. lspokt
far more strongly concerning the probable
cvil results OF Mr.. Tilden's election than
felt In nv cooler moments, rs was mag
nant at this attempt to influence my vote
nm pleased to say that only one FLO
r;da Democrat approached me with suct
nronosals, and this was q member-elect o
af tho Legislature, who had been he
nrbl;can. and who came to me the morn
iP"a heiore the decision OF the Board wa
made, and after bewailinS the unhapp!
condition OF the country, and expressing
his fears that dire and unknown evll'
would occur unless Tildcn was declare'
President, and that he would nave m9r' ,
influence in the future in state ahaltl
than any other Democrat, ana that N.
fortune should be assured II Vote1 10
the Tillen electors; that i should be Son
overs successor in the United states sen
"'Ti Tho dispatches show that at least tw'
nart;es were informing New York tma
they could purchase the vote oil the Me
turning Board, and this corroboratcss IN
information received by the Republican
during The last few days Of the canvass
that lie Democrats were quarrehng anon
themselves as to who should have posses
sion Of the money sent for purposes. 9
hr;bcry. have no doubt certain Partie
wars attempting 10 obtain, or had optaiI
r od money from New York, upon their "
, snranres that they had bought memDe
o%'n or members OF tho Board; and had IN y
T;lden electors received tho certificate
t would have retained the money, iniormin !,
. their principal that 1t had been pana pna.i ,
to Inc Republican members Of the Boar
Aramou. Racer Gone Abroad.