The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-03-05
WEDNESDAY MORNING, MARCH &

ton had been in possession of material to form
an undisputed judgment. The investigation
had been neither full, searching nor systemat-
ic They did not say this in any spirit of crit-
eism Oh the action of the majority. Tho late
ness Of the meucement of the il quirg pre-
cluded thoroughneSs.
WE'RE THE CANvAssING BOARDS FOR SALE?
The next question to be, considered was
whether either the florida or South Carolina
boards were for sae, The South Carolina part
is quickly disposed of The testimony of Mr..
Duup, upcoptradicted, clearly shows that
Smith Weed was played with BY shrewder
men than himself, for purposes entirely proper
and IN q manner entirely justi6abe. As to
Florida, MIR. Wooiley bad not been called, and
facts of his attempts So tar. hpwever, as he
has indicated the source of his proposition (or
changer signals"l, it ended in this way: Mr..
Dske, the party named. telegraphs that be
never knew anything about IL himself. He
WAS told by Mr. Robertson that Republican
Congressman said they could be bought. Mr..
Marbles statement amounts then to this: A
man toll him that mao told him that q third
man told hiD that the canvassing board could
b. bought. This may not be consistent with
his preparations for bribery, but il is all the ev-
ideDce he vouchsafPd The truth was that all
this clamor about fraud was made because the
canvass changed, the "face of, the returns"
Now there was nothing sacred about thu "face
vi bhO IctuEuS uc very e4iet6uCo OF d CaE-
wasting board implies that the 'face of the re-
turns" are not safe guide or q fiDal arbiter Of
elections. In Florida the "face of the returns
gave but 81 majority to Tlden on their most
favorable construction. The fact that the final
count gave the State the, other way surely
could be no ground for charging corruption
without evidence,
Astb whether there were any Republic An
dispatches similar in character to those of
Ilid-n,s agents the report says: There is little
evidence on which ipq qiry, can be founded; but
IRON the first there has been going on q kind
OF shadowhunt for some dispatches supposed
to have been destroyed. This hunt has not
been successful" In concluding the commit
tees views on this point the report ssys: "We
cannot close our comments on these dispatches
without speaking at least hope that hereaf-
ter the country may be spared that spectacle
of hypocrisy which is involved in the literature
ut franf written by men who made ready to
bribe."
IL reference 70 the fraud in Florida, the re-
port reads: "Fhe Democratic party was com.
posed in the main of native white voters of
Florida. On the other side there wers arrayed
Northern immigrants, many of whom were
Union soldiers, and the lately enslaved coored
men. On the other side, the former masters
Confederate soldiers or contributors TO the
'lost cause" and if Florida elected the T:ldeu
electors the col0red men must be wun to their
support; and we desire most emphstically 10
deny that 1t was ever attempted by peacs full
mOshoucs lhrculubluuS VI CUuV6utlOQS IOf
Northern consumption were passed, but fraud
aud violence were resorted to and even death
iLfiicted. We assert that the supporters of
Tildep, to carry that election, did resort to the
most open, illegal voting, fraud and personal
After reciting the duties of the returning
board, the report goes on to criticise the con.
duct Of the Florida board. Threats of person Al
violence. it states, were made against q mem.
Der OF the returning board by Democrats, and
"a W In nU0 ho nod .-I~.
house from the session of the canvasssrs, and
distinguished representative of the Democratic
party endeavored to influence his action by tn,
offer OF money In conclusion, the minority
desire to say. "most emphaticaly, among ali
the men of Tallahassee while the board was in
session, in the interest of the Tldon electors
including those bearing gifts; among ali the
supporters of the Tiden electors in Florida in
attendance, including those who threatened as
sassination, with the aid of the private detec-
tiVes VINO. IN consultation with the majority Of
the committee, have been hunting for testi-
mony, no one has been found to testify to
fact bearing sgaihst the honesty and fairness of
the RepuoIcsn members of the board of state
csnvassers OF Florida" The attack on Gener-
al NOyes is denounced as unwsrraated there
being no evidence that he held any questiona-
Bile communication with any member of the
state canvassors,+@sA As to the result of the
F'orida election, adopting the rule cont. pdsd
Tor Dy the majority report, that the canvassing
poard could only Canvass the couHty returns BY
aggregating the vote appearing upon their faes
Tor the respective Candidates, the Hayes cleo.
tors bad forty majority. Following the rule
laid down by the supreme court they had 200
majority. Pur9ipg the country returns Of
frau6, accorniDg to the decision and advice of
majority, wv
THE LOUISIANA SITUATION.
With regard to louisiana affairs the report
devotes The most attention to the Sherman
letter. The majority report, it states, fails to
report explicitly whether The testimony sus-
taited the charge that such letter as Ander-
son g and Weber's had bseu written. Thew, the
minority, enthusiastically declare that il does
not, and that the palpabls perjaries Of both me
witnesses nsmed justify feeling of deep dis
gust, that they should be treated as capable of
creating serious attack upon the character of
q man who has borne a high character in the
most responsible service of the country for five
and twenty years. The conduct of the visiting
statesmen at New Orleans is then consider ID,
gpa tnat OF Messis. Sherman, Garfield, Hale |,
Kelley and Others, with whom 1t was sought
to impeacb, Is declared consistent and frank.