The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-04

end to all such hopes. and was At once followed
by marked falling OF in the readiness OF per
sons ,whq bad participated in frauds in Florida
AMI Louisiana, and who had not been usfac-
toriiy rewarded. TO make or sustain their reve-
latiuns.
POWER oT PATRONAGE TO CONCEAL WRONG.
On the other hand. the power Of an Admins
drrd and ten thousand Offices. some OF whose
members nre most Interested In disp?sing OF
tion. Is enormous. MS has been felt Mt every step
OF thc Investigation.
There is no form OF continuing influence
equal Tor convenience and control to that OF an
Office. II 4 man be hrihed by sum down. he
gave over him will be gone. But In an Office
which he holds NJ the pleasure OF the person
who appointed him. he is under continuing
eohtrol. ne II com pllant and scrViiceaoe.
ne receives 3 support; but whcn he fails IN
either regard. or contesscs whcrc he might
have kept scnt. his supplies nre cut of and he
Is turned out ON the world without means and
without character, ruined by his confession Of
Patronage has besides this the further ad-
vantage that it affords the possibility Of ascrib
ing its hestOwtncnt to just causes, and. while
hring used for the most reprehensiblc purposes
tho motiv"s oi its use may loo concealed.
II Is the history Of nll State conspracies that
II che conspirators succeed. tho means by which
they do 50 are rarely disclosed or published
while their party remains in power or control.
How fully the dmnistraton has prontcd By
used tho Federal patronage. alike to reward
| and kccp under control those who pnrtici patcd
in tho frauds Of 1876, and to retain witnesses in
| its interest, will appear
CONFESSIONS by THE GUILTY QUESTIONABLE.
The character OF persons engaged in con-
| spiracios. such IA those in question in Florida
| and Louisiana, requires that their stAtemenis.
| whether In confession or denial should he re-
| ceiyed with suspicion. II was unavoidable.
| from the character of those concerned, that the
| Committee should be exposed to mistake and
| imposition. IL WIS long ago said that the in
| vcstigHtion Of conspiracies was alike odious
| and necessary and your Committee have not
l IL n f-
| able or any the less important than the inqu ry
| into other state conspiracies has been. But
| however had the character Of conspirators. or
| however unreliable their statements. there are
| In transactions Of the sort. when a sufficient
| numher Of witnesses can be examined and
| many items OF testimony collected, certain gem
| eral patent and controlling facts from which q
Just conclusion as to what occurred may be
reached.
| COMMITTEE HAVE RELIED ON OTHER TESTIMONY.
Your Committee have therefore desired 70
| rest their conclusions. so Tar ms might be- rather
| tendant circumstances thnn on the confessions
| of any of the parties who participated in these
transactions and they have not found II dim.
cult. apart from such confessions. to come To q
clear conclusion in respect to what in the main
occurred.
MISREPRESENTATION OF TIE COMMITTEE.
Your Committee have noticed very gross mis-
| representations that from time To time, and IN
deed almost daily, have appeared in the public
press In respect to their declarations. conduct
Although they have maintained the most alb
solute silence about the purposes and action o
| the Committee. ana have conducted the inNos
| tgatiou with tho most careful propriey ant
| uiruess there is hardly any improper or un
worthy statement which has not been falsely
put into their mouths. nor any nefarious ant
| 'orruut purpose which has not been atirlbutrt
10 them. They have. however. kept in m nd
the RUE which required them ueither To- STATE
| anything about the action Of the Committee mol
about their own views IN respect 10 the natter
in hand before making their report 10 TN
House; and having borne in silence for month";
al these misr"pres" "ntntions. they desire to sal
now. in this proper pnce. once for all, that Tn
same are. and each ot them is, absolutely with
out any foundation whatever.
UNIFORMITY AND uNcoSrRADIcTED NATURE oi
THE TESTIMONY.
As regards the transactions in the State o
| Florida there can hardly be- said to be any con
trad ction or dispute. except ms to the part tn
visiting statesmen took in some of the occur
| renres there.
| No Witnesses have appeared 10 contradict tn
| witnesses To- the frauds in that state or the gen
| urni fusts to which they testified.
| Nor in Louisiana has there been contradic
| ton about the transactions winch took plhc
| there. except in some degree rs 10 the question
! ot Intimidation. and as 10 the participation n
| and cun.ro, hy. the visiting statesmen over IN
action of the k.turninc Board and oillcers q
registration. So that. E'nc rally. your Commit
.@e were not embarrassed in considering IN
.runsActions in that State by any conflict OF wit
ur->"S.
In this report they make reference to the tes
| fmony Of the Witnesses. as they proceed. b
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