Year: 1877

the canvass Of the vote. TIT we


these damaging facts sUppressal II snls
| report, facts well eainc.atsd 10 create


distrust Of the fairness eaS lsao5.y of


that board in the mind tss eyst- hon


orable ana disinterested republican in


all the land. ConcealiDg this Outrage


on law, on justice, fair dealing aud de-


cepey by the returning board, those


gentlemen return from New 6hlsans


proclaiming in loud voice tnS et ann


ing manner in which the vote was


counted. They place the fairness and


open honesty of that board, in their


report above all the tribunals Of an


cient and modern times, aud the loyal


masses Of the North are given TO un-


derstand that it is their religious duty


70 place irplieit confidence in its ae-


ton aud decisions.


Mr.. Speaker, the freedom from bias


and the impartiality of any tribunal


whose decisions invoke public couf-


dence is a matter too important 10 be


overlooked by intelligent men who had


taken the trouble to travel thousand


miles that they might be able to bear


witness to the fairness OF its action. A


democratic representative upon that


board was too important an element


in its credentials to public confidence


Tor those gentlemen 10 have overlooked


or been Indifferent to IT, They knew


full we'll that the testimony OF ono


democratic member upon that board


to the fairness of the count would be


worth all the biographies Of Wells and


Anderson, all the panegyrics upon


their honesty which they could write


IN thousand years. They could not,


therefore, avoid feeling a profound in


terest In the question which was raised


right before their eyes and right under
their noses as TO whether that vacancy
should be filed by putting democrat
on the board. therefore assume and
charge that the persistent refusal Of


Wells and Company 20 appoint a DEM
ocrat on the board met with the ap-
proval or disapproval Of those distin-
guished republican visitors. II they
approved the conduct Of the board ia
this particular they are pdrticipes GRIM
iRiS with Wells and Anderson in every
fraud committed by them, and deserve
to take their places in public estima-
ton along with them If they disap-
proved il, then il was their duty as
lair and honorable men, instead OF
writing fulsome eulogies upon the
members Of that board, to hold them
up to the seorn OF the world for the
criminal indecency Of violating the
law in order that no democrat might
be present to watch the count of the
vote. They can select that horn Of
the dilemma on which they prefer 10
be impaled.


Suppose they had said TO Wells and
Anderson, Gentlemen. we have come
here at the request of President Grant
to witness your proceedings, that we
may testify to the country Of your fair
ness and honesty in counting the vote
of Louisiana. The President SAYS
truly that no man can afford to accept
the exalted position of President OF
the United States whose title is tainted
with the suspicion of fraud. The law
under which you act is plain and un-
Ii says that you shall fll
a vacancy when one occurs, and that
the other party shall be represented
on the board. There is no chance for
evasion or misunderstanding here.
The democrats are here present urging
you to fill that vacancy with one Of
their own number. lfyou refuse, how
can we as honorable men and without
compromising ourselves before the
country certify TO your fairness and
honesty? IL is not right. il is D OF fair,
il is not proper that Mr.. Tilden should
have no friend of his upon the board.
And if you, known TO be partisan
friends of Mr.. Hayes, persist in taking
this whole canvass into your own hands,
how can his title TO the Presidency es-
cape the suspicion of fraud under such
And we beg Of you
to consider in what predicament you
place US. We are here on the ground.
The whole country knows IL. You
are republicans so are we. How can
we hope TO escape the suspicion, ay,
the belief that will arise in the public
mind that your refusal 10 fill the va
inspired by us. You are expected 10
confer with us, and we with you, all Of
US being Of the same party and jointly
and equally interested in guarding the
title Of Rutherford b. Hayes from the
suspicion of fraud. Any attempt "a
hold out to the public the idea that
you and we treated each other as stran-
gers, being deferred by a sublime sense
of prOpriety from comforting freely
with each other in this, the greatest
crisis that our party has ever known,
is so exceeding transparent that il will
be an insult to any mans sagacity 10
ask him to believe il. We cannot pos
sibly escape responsibility il you refuse
to fill that vacancy.


Suppose they had said this, OF any
thing like it to Wells, is there sane
man in the world who does not know
that that vacancy would have been
filed in an hour2 Ay, sir, a mere
hint or suggestion from those gentle
men TO the members Of the board
would have resulted in an instant FILL
ing of that vacancy with a democrat.
Failing to get the vacancy Il Jed with
one of their own number, the demo-
Gratis then requested the board 10 give
them one representative upon the cler-
ical force of the board. This was
likewise denied them not even a dem
ocrn.ic clerk was allowed 10 mar by
his intrusive presence the beauty aud
harmony of that supremely honest pro-
cess by which Louisiana was TO be
counted for Hayes. Here let me pause
aud point the American people 20 n
scene which / trust some historical
painter will some day transfer 10 the
immortal canvass for the benefit Of
posterity. Upon one side sit the four
members Of the returning board, as
sembled for the purpose Of cOmmen-
cling the count. Before them stand
the representatives Of the democratic
party asking that the vacancy be filled,
and that in this grave national matter
Mr.. Tilden may have one friend to
watch his interest and see justice done
him. Behind the board, during this
scene. stand the eleven ambassadors
who went all the wny to New Orleans
10 witness an honest count, and spec
tally charged with the high duty Of
seeing that nothing is done or left un-
done that will taint the title Of Ruth
erford b. Hayes with the suspicion Of
fraud. The request of the democrats
is denied The law cried shame
decency hid her face honor left the
hall. and common honesty plumed her
wings tor an everlasting flight But
there stood the eleven ambassadors at
the back of the board not little fn-
ger is lifted 70 prevent the outrage,
and on their placid faces no blush Of
shame or frown of disapproval can be
traced by the keenest vision. Thus
auspiciously begins the count which Is


i Il . Ia