The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1879-03-06


rious certificates and returns were not con-
sldereds a. the records Of the, electoral cum
mlttee clearly show. The last csse the report
touches upon. the Wormley ease, in whiol. it
distinctly and altogether denies the alleged
bargain to seat Hayes. 80 ''' ~
The report. conclndes:. 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 oi,
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
"ystematic warning to the negroes that We
have the means to carry the election and we
mean to ute them, and the like to ignore this,
q majority have done, forces US to conclude that
the time has not yet come when q
fair. review of the case, and a lust
Judgment in regard thereto, is i'm possible. We
report that the new matter referred to does not
lmpilcate Sherman or Noyes in any improper
cipher dispatches have been confessed to be a
systematic and deliberate effort to corrupt the
returning and canvassing boards of the States
OF Florida, South Carolina and Of Oregon by
bribes 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
violence will be removed from our elections.
In reference to the election in Florida. the
report reads: ''The Democratic party was com
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 the 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 toilcd
until the lst of August and tonnd no evidence.
In October publication of cipher dispatches
showed concluslveiy that the very men who had
been londest in their denpnciations of the tri,
bunals before whom they had failed, had them
selves endeavored to corrupt with money those
very tribunals. =: i;
At that moment the accusations ceased to he
the assertions and opinions of honest men, and
became the ISLANDERS of foiled and besten su-
borners Of corruption. The country, which
and honesty of Tilden and bis agents, began to
realize the intense hypocrisy of all that Marble
had written and Peiton 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-
pearance 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 hightoned 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 use stolen goods from the rob-
bers' Such an ark Of refuge would have
wrecked him long before reaching Ararat.
Nevertheless, the committee had two PROPOSE
tlons to buy the Florida returning board ia his
own handwriting. two replies of Pelton and
his own rejoindcr. 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 Mr.. Marble will proba-
bly, never forget.
They did not intend, however, to comment
"pon testimony Of any particular witness. A
wider audience than will ever listen to this re-
that. The evidence that Tilden was ignorant
OF these transactions was limited to the denial
of Tilden and Col. Pelton, and that the Latter
should endcavor to shield his uncle upon whom
he WAS dependant was natural. But the idea
that a penniless man, living in house and set
ting at the very table of his wealthy uncle,
Mr.. .Glsi len, should have conducted negotia-
tions ihvolving such large sums without a word
or hint to the man most deeply interested, or
to anybody, conld not for a moment be enter
tanned by candid men. If Col. Pelton's story
be true, he must be removed from the cate
CORY Of knavcs to that of fools. But the man
who conducted the campaign of 1876. az acting
secretary of the Democratic national COM
mittec, was not fool, nor did Mr.. Tilden after
the election center all his interests in the hands
of fool, Mr.. Hlden's denial was of course to
be. e.expected.
Precisely what the arrangement was by which
Mr.. Tilden was kept posted as to the doings
of his agents, and yet left in condition, to
make general denial, if he was SO left, the
committee will probably never know.
Against these deniale are set all the
facts and circumstances Of the case. The
men who went South, Woully, Marble and
Smith, were on terms eff close political and
personal intimacy with him. They were &C.
lected by his nephew, furnished with cipher
which contained ample substitution of words
fitted for the very transactions for which they
had an interview with Tilden before his depart
ure. 1t was arranged that Woolly and, Smith
Weed who we're pretty we'll known should send
their kilograms to Havemyer, while Marble,
heretofore Of good repnte. should send to Is
Grammercy Park.
1t may be said that if Tilden had contem-
plated wrong he would not have had the dis
patches sent to his house, and yet if they were
in cipher, known to the national committee,
he would not want them to 60 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 Tildens behelf that as
soon as he became aware of these negotiations
asked to draw the inference that he was guilt
less of all. Had these transactions ceased
when Hardy Solomona 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
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,
alu Ut "ts loAOwcu 6y IH10u tnen AZ nIX0G 10
his house from sessions of the canvassera and
a distinguished representative of the Demo-
cratic party endeavored to influence his action
by an offer of money. :
The Tilden 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
been found to testify to fact bearing against
the honesty and fairness Of the Renuhlicar
members of the board Of State caavassers" of
Florida. 80 '-. !" <:,'e u,
The attack on Gen. Noyes is denounced a.
unwarrauted, 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 az
gregate vote appearing upon their face
for the respective candidates, the Hayes
elector" had 40 majority. Following the rule
laid down by tho supreme court they had 200