Democratic Sentinel, Volume 1, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 October 1877 — THE GREAT FRAUD. [ARTICLE]

THE GREAT FRAUD.

Extract prom * Recent Speech *-♦ by 'H«m. Heajy Payne, 1 Wr Ohio. e —i— u— The claim of Tilden’s counsel to go behind the certificates of the Governor and the Returning Board did not necessitate going behind the returns and entering upon an indiscriminate ted-illim-itable scrutiny of the polls. It demanded to go to the returns and ascertain whether those canvassing officers had honestly discharged their duties under the law. Several days were consumed by counsel and by members of the commission in abstruse and subtle technicalities arising out of the law of de facto, de fare, quo warranto, quasi judicial, and all other devices to cover up illegality and fraud and shut out the truth. Disgusted with this special pleading I ventured to remind the commission that what the public expected and demanded was the ascertainment of the true vote of Florida; that the evidence was at the door of the court-room. The Secretary of State of Florida was there with the original returns from the county canvassers, and all that we had to do was to have those returns brought into our presence, when, in the space of one hour, with the law in our hands, we could have verified the vote. The majority of the commission knew perfectly well that such verification would have shown a majority for Tilden of ninetyfive, and that was precisely the result they did not intend to reach. All of a sudden the majority of the commission, the immortal eighth became converted to the doctrine of State rights, and, under the miserable plea of State sovereignty, sanctioned an official certificate of a palpable falsehood, while such act was in direct conflict with and defiance of the enactment of the State Legislature, the solemn judgment of her highest courts, and the earnest protest of her executive authorities 1 The Governor, ex-members of the Legislature, members of Congress, and every minor State, county or township office returned and certified under the same spurious canvass, had abandoned their pretensions on the exposure of the fraud. The Supreme Court of the State (Republican), be it said to their credit and honor, had experienced no difficulty in finding a way to unearth fraud and defeat conspirators. It was reserved for a majority of this commission to lift up the carcass of the defunct canvass, which in its native State had failed to impart title to the most insignificant office, and, by investing it in the holy garments of a certificate signed by the members of a corrupt and dishonest Returning Board, give it power to deteruxino ttic Presidency of the United States. In the language of Justice Field, “If this be sound doctrine, it is the only instance in the world where fraud becomes enshrined and sanctified behind a certificate of authority.” Turn now to the case of Louisiana. Trace the outlines of that wicked and infamous conspiracy: The Federal bayonets ordered there by the War Department under the advice of the Attorney General, the State militia, the 1,000 Special Marshals, the colored constables, the miserable creatures constitut ing the Returning Board, the blank affidavits in the Custom House to be filled as ordered by Government officers ; then, to cap the climax, the saiHtly presence of that select band of high moral ideas gentlemen, all Republican office-holders or expectants of office under Hayes, selected by Grant on the recommendation of Chandler to go there and see that there was a fair count, but whose disinterested labors and ardent wishes failed to get even a Democrat appointed on the board, as the law required, or a Democratic clerk to assist in making up the count he required! Yet a canvass was made and a certificate given to the Hayes electors I Tilden’s 7,000 majority had disappeared, and the advisory visitors adjourned ! Now, when proof of all this was tendered to the commission, and other and abundant proof to show that the action of this board was utterly void because of the want of jurisdiction over cases not lawfully before them, and that such results had been reached by forgery, bribery and perjury, lo! this dreadful image of a santified certificate rises up before the commission, and the evidence is aliunde and must be rejected. Thus it was held, eight to seven, not only that the claims oi the Tilden electors shall have no hearing, but, what is more alarming and astounding, that the two houses of Congress, acting separately or together, have no power to inquire whether for irregularity, fraud, crime, intimidation and other causes the vote of a State so obtained should not be rejected—a right which has been repeatedly exercised, and twice in the case of this very State or luouisiana. I’or the exigencies of this election the false and fraudulent certificate is omnipotent. This shameful decision (excuse me if I use plain language) stands recorded in the journals of Congress, and, if permitted to stand there unchallenged and unreversed, it will form a most perilous precedent. The Presidency is a magnificent prize. Why may not other States be tempted in the future to organize Returning Boards as corrupt and base as those in Florida and Louisiana, and armed with this all-powerful certificate? Republicans ask, “ For what purpose do you agitate this question? Doyon propose to dispute or impeach the title of Mr. Hayes?” I answer, "No.” He is doing very well for a six-months’ con-

vert. He is endeavoring with the best intentions to execute the Democratic platform, as Mr. Tilden would have done. lit some respects he is accomplishing results sooner than Tilden could have accomplished them, especially in destroying the Republican party. In the Southern States it has vanished entirely, and we have already a solid South. The thirty-five votes gained by the abolition of slavery, thus far mainly controlled by carpet-baggers and freedmen, have snugly and happily turned over to the Democratic party. It was a bold step for “ President ” Hayes to take in casting off Packard and his fellows. It was a terrible reflection on his own title ; we propose to assist and co-operate in his efforts of reconciliation and reform, because it is the policy for which we as a party have been amtending since the close of the War, and because it is the true policy for the country. Butin the meantime we intend to wage a ceasless war against the decision of the Electoral Commission until its power for evil is destroyed, have in

history, an examjfllWor our grub our encouragement IrefeAo Olay's condemnatory resolntionjof 1883, charping Presraentu aekson wiw violating the constitution in his official action relating to the removal of the deposits. It was passed by a party was felt by the party ana the country as unjust and wicked. At once Col. Benton set the ball of agitation in motion. The resolution was everywhere denounced—in convention and through the press—and -the excitement wm kept up until 1837, when, the majority of the Senate having changed to the Democratic side, the resolution to expunge from the record was carried by a vote of 25 to 19; and, the record being brought into the Senate, the Secretary proceeded, in the open Senate, to draw a square of broad black fines around the recorded resolution and to write across its face in strong letters these words: “Expunged by order of the Senate.” In like manner the Democracy, on the stump, through the press, in oonnty, State and national conventions, on every possible occasion, in season and out of season, propose to impeach, challenge and assail the decision of the Electoral There shall be no peace to the wicked. We will agitate and agitate until, in the fullness of time—now, thank God, not very far distant, the Senate having changed its majority and the two houses in Democratic accord, assuredly on the second Wednesday of February, 1881, when assembled in joint convention to count in a Democratic President—the journals of ’76 shall be produced, and then and there the Clerk shall proceed to draw a square of broad black lines around the accursed record, and to write across its face, in letters strong and indelible, these words : " Expunged by order of the American people.” Then, and not till then, will the wound of the constitution be healed—this great wrong be avenged—the purity and sovereignty of the elective franchise vindicated, and the safety and perpetuity of the republic assured.