Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-03-04
NUMBER 40

in cipher, known to the national committee,
he would not want them to go to that body.
His only fear would be- not that the dispatches
would fall into the hands of those who could
not read them, but into the hands of those who
could.
1t had been urged in Tilden's behelf that as
soon as he became aware of these negotiations
he promptly suppressed them and they were
asked to draw the inference that he was guilt
Less of all. Had these transactions ceased
when Hardy Solomons went home, had Pei
ton been discharged from his plenary superin-
tendence of Tilden's affairs, there might have
been some show of reason for this plea, but
Pelton remained in full control, the Florida
negotiations went on, the attempted bribing in
Oregon followed, all under the guidance of the
resident nephew.
After recitine the duties of the returning
board, the report goes on to criticise the con-
duct of the Florida board Threats of per-
sonal violence, it states, were made against a
member of the returning board by Democrats.
and he was followed by armed men at night to
his house from sessions OF the canvassera, and
distinguished representative of the Demo-
cratic party endeavored to influence his action
by an offer of money.
The Illden electors in Florida in attendance.
including those who threatened assassination,
with the aid of private detectives who in con-
sultation with the majority OF the committee,
have been hunting for testimony. No one has
the honesty and fairness of the Republican
members of the board of State canyassers of
Florida.
The attack on Gen. Noyes is denounced as
unwarranted, there being no evidence that he
had any questionable communication with any
State canvassers as to the result of the Florida
election. Adopting the rule contended for by
the majority report, that the canvassing board
conld only canvass county returns by the ag-
gregate vote appearing upon their face
for the respective candidates, the Hayes
electors had 40 majority. Following the rule
lsld down by the supreme court they had 200
majority Purging the county returns of
fraud, according to the decision ana advice of
the Democratic attorney general, they had 900
majority.
With regard to Louisiana affairs, the report
deVotes the most attention to the Sherman let
ter. The majority report, it states fails to re-
port explicitly whether the testimony sus-
tanned the charge that such letter as Ander-
sons and Webers had been written. They,
the minority, emphatically declare that it does
not, and that the palpable perjuries of both
witnesses named justify feeling of deep
disgust that they should be treated as capable
OF creating a serious attack upon the character
OF man who has borne high character in the
most responsible service of the conn
try for five and twenty years.
As to Presidential elections, the matter. of
choosing Is by the constitution SO exclusively
commlt1eu 10 State legislation that we no
method Of federal interference. The PROPOSE.
ton OF the majority, therefore, that the cleo
ton of electors should be passed upon by the
highest court of each State is impracticable
because federal legislation cannot deal with the
subject. We can imagine it would have been
satisfactory to the author of some of the cipher
dispatches to have that court determine who
were the Presidential electors in South Caro-
lima, but in view of their testimony we
cannot join in report that
the cause Of honest elections
would necessarily be furthered by such a
change. The change needed is in the spirit and
temper of the community, the cultivation of
respect of law and right, the recognition by
the strong of the rights of the weak and when
progress is made in this direction we shall wit
ness equal progress. toward purity at elections,
and not till then.