The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-10-04
Tues 'ay. October 4 1873.
The editor of the Peoria Transcript has


The editor of the Peoria Transcript has
undertaken the herculean job of reversing
public opinion on the Tilden Hayes fraud
by which the former was defrauded out OF
his legal rights as the duly elected Presi-
dent of the United States, and latter was
made president de fdcto. The editor OF
the Traascrspt is courageous man TO say
the least, as the conviction is so general
and so well grounded th6t the most gigan-
tic political swindle was then perpetrated,
that it requires man of more than ordi
nary courage even to insinuate that Hayes
had the shadow of d title to the ofiice
which me occupied for four long years 10
show the fallacy Of the Transcripts logic
It is only necessary to revert to the means
by which the occupant OF the White
House, BY the courtesy Of the commission
grained his seat The first step was the re-
fusal of that commission to go behind the
returns, and this was based on the know
ledge that the returning boards had per-
formed their part of the scheme in per-
feet manner.
An examination of the men who ofhcl-
ated as members of the returning boards
will satisfy the ordinary mortal that they
were among the corrupted the most
corrupt. They were republicans 10 the
backbone. carpet bag republicans; VINO
holding other Offices in those states had
stolen millions from the people. They
were only kept in Office through the ald
of national bayonets, and under demo-
cratic president would not have a moments
hope of future stealing. They had done
worse things before and there was no
doubt of their perfect willingness to falsify
anv vote, providing sufficient inducement
was offered them. To illustrate their modes
of procedure in louisiana; the law there
proyiaed that wherever there was proof OF
illegal voting in any parish, the vote OF the
entire parish should be thrown out. Ihefe
were thee parishes which haa Always
given s republican majorities. on them
the CARPET baggers depended to carry the
state. But in 1876 these three parishes
gave democratic majorities; there was
nothing strange in this considering the
omen and confessed thefts which the repub-
Hcan leaders had been indulging in, but the
carpet-baegers could not understand IT,
there must have been fraud they said and
they threw these parishes out But
this still left them with
out majority as it was on
a Republican maj ority in them that they
had depended it would carry the State
There was not Democratic majority II
the State. So they put their heads togeth
er and threw out four parishes where there
was no pretext of fraudulent voting bu
simply because they aoere Democratic. BY
that means the vote of the State was de
clared Republican.
It was in view of facts like these thai
the Commission was formed. 1t was De
cause there was every reason to oeileVe
that the returning boards OF these states
had made fraudulent returns, and 1t wa
deemed necessary to inquire into them
Fo;. that reason the Commission was con
stituted, and for that reason the Repuof
cans in Congress objected to its formation
Every man who took oath for the faithful
performance of his duties on that Commits
sion sacore that he aoould go back OF the re
turns. swore that he would examine INT
the truth of the returning boards reports
That was the moral effect of acceptln
seats upon that Commission. Vine
they had been accepted, they re
fused to do their duty, refuse
to 90 back Of the returns and it was
party vote. Eight to seven will always L
an Infamous combination.
1.-The republicans stood firmly under til
aegis of the Constitution and defende
Marshall, Fancy, Story and Kents inte
probation of that. institution. SO elgh
with Justice and reason on their side, ca
ried the day as against seven adherents
innovation and open disregard OF the pom
ical identity of the states that had ALLOW
ed republican bayonets to keep IN po"
the men who made these returns, long a
ter the people had grown tired OF thef
Allow that the commission was appoints
unconstitutionally, what right had Il
members of it to say so e? Their time
saw it was unconstitutional was before tn
had accepted position on it. AS
lawyers can understand" no member OF
body can say that body is unlawful
by SO doing he says that he has no right
seat thereon, and consequently has
voice in their proceedings. The whole
the matter is SIMPLY this. There VT
corrupt republican returning boards
these three states. It was known I'll
they intended to cast the vote OF IN
states for Hayes regardless of how
people voted. The commission
formed as national returning board
investigate these returns. The elgh'
nublican members refused to do III
sworn duty.