New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-02-12

W
One il that he was caught in lie, and really
did not know how to eXtricate himself the
other, that he wished to signify 10 the Com
mittce that WoOlley was rascal, and that
the purpose of the moral Moses was to wash
his hands of the fetch contracts concluded by
that vulgar person. Which explanation comes
nearer TO the truth is a question which prob
ably affects Colonel Woollcy more than any
other man alive.
TIE KERNEL or THE UHOLE BUSINESS.
Although everybody understands, in n loose
and general way, that the examination OF Mr.
Tildan and the cOpaTCcners had reference to
the last Presidential election and questions
growing out of it, 1t is quite likely that
many even of those who have endcavOTed
to keep track of the whole matter have,
for lc moment, lost sight of the lines of rela-
ton which run back to the source of the con-
trovcrsy. The closing tablcau, with Mr.. Til
den on the witness stand, asseyeratins in one
breath that he had 10 guilty knowledge of
confessed conspiracy to make him Presi-
dent by bribery, and in the next as
serting his entire belief before God and his
country that ho had been defrauded of the
office, is so far away from the opening
scene, and is a denOHemCat 50 incOnGru-
Ous with the original purpose of the in
ve,tigation. that it is not strange one
forgots the origin OF the whole mat
ter ia tho fog with which it has been invested.
1t may be useful then to go back to first prin-
ciples and refresh the public mind with the
facts at the foundation Of the controversy.
We believe they can be stated truly and I'M
partially in very brief space.
The tito of President Hayes was disputed
upon the ground that the vote IN one or
all of the three States, Louisiana, South Car
DINA and Florida, was wrOngfully declared IN
his favor. The Electoral Commission, invented
by Democrats and created by Democratic
votes in Congress, decided the declaration OF
the results in those States legal, valid
and bindings but the supporters of
Mr. Tilden, dissatisfied with the verdict
of their own tribunal, insisted that
frauds had been practicod by the Returning
Boards, and that the decision of the tribunal
did not affect the fact because it did not go
behind the returns TO investigate them. The pres
ent-or perhaps we may as well say, in the light
of the investigation, the late cry of fraud-re-
lated accordingly to the action of the Return
that the Returning Boards did throw out
the votes of certain precincts. And the
sole question in the original controversy
was whether tho Returning Boards, in
throwing ont these returns, were acting
under the provisions of the statutes pro-
vidcd in such cases, and exercising their
functions honestly, or were engaged in
illegal and fraudulent Transactions. On
their behalf, it has been claimed that in
the precincts whose votes were thrown out,
there had been intimidation, violence
and fraud to such an extent as to make il i'll
cumbent upon them, under the provisions of
laws enacted 10 meet just such emergencies. to
reject the returns. 1t may be said that such
laws intrusted too much to the Returning
Boards, and left them too large Discretionary
powcrs. Perhaps so. Ii Is not denied, however,
that they did have such powers. Aud it Is
claimed, too. that the very methods proved to
have been reSOrted to at the election to in
timidate and defraud the class of voters for
whose protection the laws were enacted, are a
complete justification of their passage and
proof of their necessity. The Republicans
alleged that TIE facts-the bulldozing and
terrorism and fraud-.justiicd the action of the
mainly denied the existence of any such facts,
but asserted that everywhere IN the States
named there was free and fair ballot and an
honest vote. This we believe to he "A fair
presentation of the main issue. When mar
rowed down. it was question of fact,
whether there had been intimidation and
fraud 10 such an extent as TO warrant the
course of the Returning Boards
orr Democratic friends driven, bv the force
OF their own passionate dcnunciations, have
somewhat enlarged this issue. II is not for
us TO say that failure Of certain projects OF
their own led them to suspect their opponent
Of pursuing the same methods more Success
fully. Ii l. enough 10 say that they did en-
large the Issue By charges Oi the mos sweep
ing aud reckless character against many
monument Republicans The most fire.
oucut wa Of bribery and perhaps the most
conspicuous person accused WAS Secretary
Sherman. ln the loose dennnclatlons of the
party press every prominent Republican came
I'm for 4 share, and there was, perhaps no
Trick of political management nor any Of
fence against an honest ballot III the whole
catalogue of Tammany inventions that Wa
not laid at the door of some prominent friend
of the Administration. SUtlc present Congress
came together, the majority angry over thcr
defeat, loud and violent IL their threats ana
boiling oyeT wish loose and indiscumInl,c
chargc- against thrir opponents. Bat though
they tlllcd loosely and wildly they acted Dc
libcratcy. and proceeded slowly. They took
ample time 10 examine che ground, select THEN