The Russellville Democrat., 1879-03-20

The Great Steal.

ming. makes eighty pages of closely printed matter. It is care fully arranged, treating with each subject separately and in detail. The conclusions of tue committee are arrived at. and the evidence sup porting them referred to in marginal notes. The first twenty seven pages are devoted to the inert Of Florida; and at the conclusion is appended q list of the men who were engaged in the steal, and who have been reward ct by the chief beneficiary with office. The rape and theft of Louis jana occupy the next thirtv-o one pages, the relation Of the facts being admirable in arrangement and con venient for reference. The list of rewarded thieves appropriately fol- lows the story of the crime.
 The next seventeen pages are de- voted to description of the forgery of the Louisiana electoral certificates the actors and their reward. Fol lowing this is the general summing up of the committee, for which alone can we find space at the present time. It is styled the recap itulation, and is as follows:
 First-The power to appoint cleo tors of President and Vice President for the States of Louisiana and Flor ida was legally and constltutionally vested in the people thereof.
 Second-This power was duly exc cuted in 1876. On the day, in the manner, and at the places prescribed by law, the ballots of the people were taken and counted, showing a clear majority of seven thousand for the Tilden electors in Louisiana.
 Third-This majority was wholly made up of voters legally qualified, their right to vote being subjected to the scrutiny of hostile registrars and commissioners, appointed by their enemies for every polling place.
 Fourth-The election was free and peaceable. There is no proof or pre- tense that intimidation was practic ed on the day of election.
 Tifth-Nor were the people pre- vented by intimidation, or any cause, from assembling at the polls. All allegations to the contrary are effect ually disproved by the undisputed fact that the vote was larger in pro portion to the population than at any previous election ever held in the State-larger than Tn most of the otier states where elections were held the same day, and where every exertion was made to bring out the last man.
 Sixth-The Tilden electors were thus duly appointed" by the people, who alone had the right and power to appoint. This thing was not done in corner; it was seen and known of all men. The act of ap- continent was immediately placed on the public records of the several parishes. This fact was as indispot able as any other in history.
 Seventh-The legal. just and con. stitutional effect of this appointment upon the Presidential election could be avoided only by falsifying the act of the people; that is to say, by fraudulently altering the election re turns in such manner as to make them appear like an appointment of other persons instead of those who in truth and Tn fact were appointed. This is the crime by which the au- thorty and will of the people were defeated in the case under consider. ation. A crime--considering the ex tent of the corrupt combination re- quired to carry it through, the vast chain work of frauds, false pretenses and peruries connecting it together, and the magnitude of the rights preiudiced by it-of the highest magnitude.
 Eighth-The agents of the Repub- hcan party sent into the State to get it's electoral vote for Mir. Hay"S WI among the ablest and most
 uous men in their orr
 were designated fC
 the then Presidep
 them were know.
 | friends of his suo.~s~.. ... -.,e men, notwithstanding that the Til den electors had been fairly, peacea- bly, and legally chosen by large majority of the people at sfull poll, encouraged, by their presence, the