The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-01-15
Tha Fishery Fraud.
n. 7. Sun.


Mr.. Evarts is REPRESENTED as saying that
inasmucn as the United States referred
the fishery dispute to arbitration, we are
bound to stand by the award, whether the
frauds and forgeries. charged to have
been made with the privity of the Canadi
authorities, really occurred or not.
This monstTous doctrine, repugnaDt to
good morals and adverse to the decisions
of the courts since laws were enacted for
the protection of society, was first held by
the electoral com mission. before which
Mr.. Evarts appeared as the advocate of
Hayes, and by the decision of which that
pretender became president de tdcto,
while Mr.. EVarts received the department
of state as his counsel fee for that service.
Eight of the fifteen commissioners. two
of them justices of the supreme court,
refused to go behind certificates notori-
ously fraudulent, and several of which
were also forged, because they knew the
frauds would be proven, and the certif-
Gates must necessarily be thrown out, by
which the legal rights of Dir. Tilden would
have been established. in conformity with
the popular vote and the votes of the cleo
tors.
Counsel offered distinctly and in detail to
prove the alleged frauds, and to introduce
the record Of the highest court in Florida.
showing that the false returns 10 that State
for Governor and for electors had been de-
clared void, and that the Democratic candi
dates had been elected legally. The par
tisan Commissioners. with Garfield as one
of the most active of the infamous eight,
had prejudged the case, and would listen
to no reason that coDficted with their in
tention to cousummate the great crime.
That crime has passed into history as
the BLACKLIST stain on the escuteheon of the
republic.
1t is perhaps natural that Mr.. Everts
should justify and sustain the swindliDg
Halifax award, with the knowledge that it
was procured by forged papers and by
fabricated figures. He is consistent in
defence of iniquity. But he does not in
any way represent the sentiments or the
wishes of the American people. Neither
does Mr.. Hawley of Connecticut when he
speaks'as follows:
II would wait until the British Government has
had time to hear whether 1t has been imposed upon
aud l prefer that this matter shall rest for the
present where am sure 1t safely rest, in the
hands of our Secretary of g. ate
The most fitting answer to Mr. Hawiey
was given on the spot by Mr.. Newberry. a
Republican member from Michigan:
II want simply to say that the British Govern
ment and Its officials have had notice OF this matter
two years."
This reply silenced Hawley in regard to
the knowledge of the British Government
concerning the frauds: and he was answer
ed IN another way in regard to the second
point when he suggested that this mat
: ter can easily rest in the hands of our
Secretary of State" Nearly year ago,
or to speak strictly. on the 18th of Febru~
AIRY, 1880. MIR. Blaine had the following
resolution passed in the Senate:
''ResotUed. That the President be respectfully
requested II in his judgment not incompatible with
the pubic interest, TO communicate to the Senate
any information In possession OF the Government
touching tho alleged false statistics and fabricated
testimony imposed upon the Halifax Commission
ana used as oasis Tor tneir award In the matter
OF the fisheries"
Mr.. Evarts pigeonholed this resolution,
he never communicated the least infor-
nation on the subject to tho Senate; and.
judging from his recent correspondence
with the British Foreign Office, it is to be
inferred that the matter was
never brought to the notice
of the Government. Of course, Dir.
Evarts was not ignorant of the statements
made by Prof. Hind and others connected
with the Canadian case He knew more
even than the public did in regard to the
false statistics and the simulated docu
ments which had been used before the
Halifax Commission rs the means of de |
frauding the United States By an excessive
and illegal award.
he knew also that the facts had been
brought to the notice of Mr. Delfosse. the
Belgian arbitrator, and of Mr.. Gait. the
0rltlsh Commissioner, and Of her Majss-