The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-12-13
JUDGE DAVIS AND THE GREAT FRAUD.

The story has been so often repeated and 80
seldom contradicted, as to be generally accept.
ed as a settled fact, that but for the refusal of
Judge David DAVIS to serve on the Electoral
Commission IN 1871, in consequence of his
election by the Illinois Legislature to the Unit
ed States senate, the Great Fraud could never
have been consummated. Now, as there Is
not a word of truth IN it, the New York Sun
takes the pains to demolish the fiction in such
a way as to put it at once and forever at rest.
In the first place, the Sun shows that the com
mission was made up before Davis's election
to the senate and before there appeared to be
any probability of his election. Secondly,
there never was the slightest intimation given
to Davis that he would he placed on the com.
mission, nor had the other Judges ever a
thought Of placing him there. The court AT
the time consisted Of six republicans, two
democrats and one independent Davis
These Judges were to select five OF their own
number to 20 on the commission. They
chose NJ illerand Strong at once as republicans
and Clifford and Field as democrats the only
hcstancy being about the third republican,
whether he should be Swayne, Hunt or Brad
ley, and they finally chose Bradley. There
were not then, nor are there today, any poll
ticians in Washington City more hidc-bound
and rock rooted IN their political prejudices
than these SIX republican Judges and there
never was a day when they would have pu,
the power OF making President in the hands
Of David Davis. They knew as well in adj
vance as they would have known if the eX-
pertinent had been tried, that his honest ma
turc and stern manhood would have revolted
against the conspiracy to steal the Presidency,
and that 10 power could nave prevented far
trial on the merits Of the case instead of
mere count of returning board frauds The
prcdetcrminatIon on the part of these judges
to count in Hayes, right or wrong, was as
fixed as 1t ever was on the part of lack Chand-
Ter, so that having sat beside Judge DAVIS for
years and knowing his sterling integrity and
Jacksonian courage, these judges knew well
enough what would be his decision and
ton Of putting him where by one word he
could destroy the conspiracy.
Having thus disposed Of this foolish story in
detail 1--WE have only given the points of the
article the SIN adds:
There is another unwritten chapter in the
history of that eventful period If by any
possibility, against which the republican man
ayers had, rs has been seen, provided by every
caution the commission had reported IN favor
of Tilden, he never would have been allowed
to enter the White House peaceably if at all.
The republican senate was prepared for the
most desperate measures. They would, in
that contingency, by debate and by dilatory
moves and by C0ntestng the votes of Louis.
lana, Florida and South Carolina, have pre-
vented an approval of the report, or an cleo.
ton by the house, upon n disagreement. On
the 4th of March there would have been no
president, and Caleb Cushing had published
an opinion looking to this remote but possible
that Grant would hold over until a
new election could be ordered
Grant, who had sent troops into Louisiana,
South Carolina and Florida, to protect the re
turning boards IN their vIllainies, also col.
lccted force at Washington, after the fraudu-
lent certificates had been sent up, to overawe
the house Of representatives, and to complete
the conspiracy. The republican leaders in no
event ever intended that the power and patron
age of the government should pass from their
hands without bloodshed, or that Mr.. Tilden
should be in position to expose their thievery
and corruption. They preferred to make
Grant dictator, and he was willing.