Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-03-04
bribery, but it is all the evidence he vouch-

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The very existence of canvassing board i'm
plies that the face of the returns are not safe
guide, or final arbiter of elections. In
Florida, the face of the reforms gave but
seventy-one majority to Tilden, on their most
favorable construction. The fact that the
hnal count gave the State the other way surely
could be no ground for charging corruption,
without other evidence.
AS to whether there were any Republican dis
patches similar in character to those of Tilden's
agents. the report says there is little evidence
on winch such inquiry can be founded, but
from the first there has been going on kind
OF shadow hunt for some dispatches supposed
TO De destroyed. This hunt had not been sue
cessful.
In concluding the committees views on this
point, the report says: We can't close our COM
ments on these dispatches without expressing
at least hope that hereafter the country NAV
be spared the spectacle of hypocrisy which is
involved In the literature of fraud written by
men who made ready to bride.
The conduct of the visiting statesmen at New
Orleans is then considered, and that of Sher-
man, Garfield, Hale, Kelly and others whom it
WAS sought to lmpeach, was declared consistent
and frank. The attempt to single out Sherman
Tor special attack seemed to have no original
foundation, but the testimony of Anderson and
the character of the evidence of such witnesses
was shown in his effort to assail Stanley Mat
thews. The minority thought the whole COM
mittes should have united in reporting that the
whole foundation for the original resolution, so
Tar as this particular case is concerned. had
thus been shown to be the false testimony and
manufactured documents of a man totally un
worthy of notice.
davits to gross violence in the so-called bull
dozed parishes. The majority assumed in their
report that these afidavits were falsely and
fraudulently made and that it was known to
the board and visiting committee. We find
the testimony taken by this committee rather
sustains than impeaches them.
The report reviews the testimony on which
this criticism is based and then goes on to the
making of the second Set of election returns
OF Louisiana The minority admit that two of
the electors were absent and their names were
signed by other parties, and that this made the
certificate spurious, but they claim the spu-
rlous certificates and returns were not con-
sldered, as the records of the electoral COM
mlttee clearly show. The last case the report
touches upon is the Wormley case, in which it
distinctly and altogether denies the alleged
bargain to seat Hayes.
The report concludes: We are not aware
anything has been found more significant of
wrong than the notorious circulars of the
Democratic campaign of 1875 in which they
advise the parade of Democratic clubs on
horseback, and their marching as organized
bodies to the central rendezvous for the pur-
pose OF impressing the negroes with sense of
their united strength. The recommendation of
a systematic warning to the negroes that we
have the means to carry the election, and we
mean to use them, and the like to ignore this,
a majority have done, forces US to conclude that
fair review of the case, and a lust
Judgment in regard thereto, is impossible. We
report that the new matter referred to does not
Sherman or Noyes in any improper
conduct or corrupt proceeding, but that the
cipher dispatches have been confessed to be a
systematic and deliberate effort to corrupt the
returning and canvassing: boards of the States
brides offered in the shape of great sums Of
money. Whatever are our differences with the
majority OF the committee in other respects
we should most heartily rejoice to find some
methods by which all opportunity for fraud or
violence will be removed from our elections.
In reference to the election in Florida, the
report reads: "The Democratic party wascom-
posed in the main of native white voters of
FLORIDA. On one side was arrayed Northern
emlgrants, many of whom were Union soldiers
and lately enslaved colored men. On the other
SIDE tue former masters, confederate soldiers or
contributors to the lost cause, and if Florida
elected the Tilden electors, the colored men
must be won to their support. To bolster up
that by proof was the objects of the original
consultation of this committee. They toiled
until the LIST of August and found no evidence.
In October publication of cipher dispatches
showed conclusively that the very men who had
been loudest in their denunciatiOns of the tri-
bunals before whom they had failed, had them
selves endeavored to corrupt with money those
very tribunals.
At that moment the accusations ceased TO he
the assertions and opinions of honest men, and
became the ISLANDERS of foiled and beaten su-
borners of corruption. The country, which
had been deceived by the apparent earnestness
and honesty of Tilden and his agents, began to
realize the intense hypocrisy of all that Marble
had written and Pelton circulated. This fabric
OF alleged fraud thus fallen, was what the re-
port OF the majority is endeavoring to build up
again upon the old foundations. No wonder,
then, they preferred to make separate report
on the ciphers. When the parties to the at
tempted briberies were put upon the stand
they were forced to admit the receipt and
transmission of the eliminating dispatches,
each and all of them. Col. Pelton, whose ap-
p zeal before the committee was really pitt
able, seemed to have been selected to! bear the
largest share of the burden. Mr..
Manton Marble occupied different stu
alton. He had prior to October, 1878.
taken conspicuously heightened position. He
had written the ark and shekinah letter, and
had otherwise conducted himself loftlly before
mankind. He could not therefore. avoid an
attempt to preserve himself. It was not for
him to take the bold position of Mr.. Weed, but
1t was right to usestolen goods from the rob-
bers. Such an ark of refuge would have
wrecked him long before reaching Ararat,
Nevertheless, the committee had two PROPOSE
lions to buy the Florida returning board in his
own handwriting, two replies of Pelton and
bis own rejoinder. These he was Obliged to
admit, and also to admit the substantial ac-
curacy of the translation. His explanation of
the two terminating dispatches which, the
committee had, and possible third one which
the committee did not have. was that he sent
them as danger signals. The burst of con-
temptuous laughter with which the audience
greeted this explanation hr. Marble will proba-
bly, never forget.
They did not intend, however, to comment
upon testimony of any particular witness. A
wider audience than will ever listen to this re-
port had long since passed judgment upon
that. The evidence that Tilden was ignorant
OF these transactions was limited to the denial
OF Iilden and Col. Pelton, and that the latter
should endeavor to shield his uncle upon whom
ne was dependant was natural. But the idea
that penniless man, living in a house and set
ting at the very table of his wealthy uncle,
MIR. Tilden, should have conducted neeotia-
lions involving such large sums without a word
or hint to the man most deeply interested. or
to any body, could not for moment be enter
tanned by candid men. If Col. Pelton's story
be true, he must be removed from the cate
CORY of knaves to that of fools. But the man
who conducted the campaign of 1876, as acting
secretary of the Democratic national COM
mittee, was not q fool, nor did Mr.. Tilden after
the election center all his interests in the hands
OF fool, Mr.. Tilden's denial. was of course to
be expected.
Precisely what the arrangement was by which
Mr.. Tilden was kept posted as to the doinps
of his agents. and yet left in a condition to
make general denial, if he was 10 left. the
committee will probably never know.
Against these denials are set all the
facts and circumstances of the case. The
men who went South, Woolly, Marble and
Smith, were on terms eff close political and
personal intimacy with him. They we're Sc
lected by his nephew, furnished with cipher
which contained ample substitution of words