The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-05-08
airI,,l,olld lispatrh.
:wEI,S EsDAY :. MAY s, 1878.
The Fraud Agitation.

q One az the tdlest of all the themes OF p0"
l;,ical blatteration Is the confessions OF tine
Florida baiiot-box thieves. From BLAIR
dowi, to the most Insignificant OF the agita-
tors the whole brigade IS only Initiating
children in bubble-blowing. The COMES
sions en,ighten nobody. The intelligent
public knew everything when the farce OF
the famous count in presence OF GRANTS
soldiers was enacted. Both sides knew that
the returning boards and supervisors In all
the disputed States were unmitisated scoun-
dreis. One side, which had the power un-
der GRANTS organization, sought to screen
the guilty. The other side, which was pow
erless save to protest, did that which Drought
to light crimes which it could not punish.
The confessions OF the villains who per.
tected the crimes only acknowledge sins
which had been exposed, and acknowledge
them when it is impossible to undo the con-
sequences Of their scoundrelism; and after
all " hat are their confessions worth /? Moth
ing. II they could be hung that would be
we'll; but their confessions put the public
In possession al the revelations OF the liars
when they cannot be punished, and when
the revelations themselves are OF no value.
The statement OF the Hon. j. Il. TUCKER Is
entirely correct. Nothing can be done.
Mr. HAYES cannot be disturbed. Mr.. III
DEN cannot be rlghted. Indeed. we have
no idea that justice requires that he should
be. He let his own rights escape very
much by default, and the duty OF rem
stating him devolres upon no one else, il 1t
were possible that this could be done.
The agitation is the biggest folly OF the
most foolish days. Mr.. HAYES has done
well, and it is well for the Union that be
should be left all the moral dignity and
force that can possibly be gathered about
him. Every disadvantage that can be
brought upon him is detrimcnt to the
GOOD that has flowed from his just and pa.
triotic policy.
1t is alleged that body Of Democrats are
planning to do something effective on the
subject OF the developments. 1t is further
stated that their plans have been somewhat
disconnected by the idea that the more that
is done in the matter the more the Republic
cans are united. Exactly! And the expec-
tation that public indignation about the bal
lot-box thieveries will be freshly aroused is
the greatest delusion imaginable.
We entirely discredit the idea that BLAIR
has any respectable following, or that there
is any combination amongst Democrats
even to the extent OF the most diminutiye
tea-party that has any idea Of proonga-
ton of the stare at the discovery Of the
Florida mares nest. The Republicans
would be greatly relieved if the Democrats
could be induced to make big fight on the
confessions Of the liars and thieves. There
is an amount of odium attached to the Re-
publican party for its past outrages and in
Eilmanities that cannot fail TO defeat them il
they be compelled to fight upon them. Mr..
HAYEs's policy is throwing upon the Re-
publican party light that brings out its
past outrages in their most hideous shapes.
The party would be delighted to change the
base OF operations and confne the conflict
to subjects where lying and cock-and-bull
stories, firing the hearts of negrophiists,
bigots, and sectional malignants, would be
OF incalculable service to them.