The question whether Hayes was fairly elected is a fascinating one. There is no doubt that there was fraud and intimidation on both sides, in the disputed states. In Louisiana, for example, the Democrats prevented many negroes from voting by outrageous intimidation, while the Republicans had many negroes fraudulently registered. Little is known, also, of the activities of the "visiting statesmen," as those politicians were called who went to the South to care for their party interests. It is known that they were well provided with money and that the boards of canvassers contained many unscrupulous men. Nor is it likely that politicians who lived in the days of the Credit Mobilier and the Whiskey King would falter at a bargain which would affect the election of a president. Republicans looked upon the Democrats as being so wicked that they were justified in "fighting the devil with fire." Democrats looked upon the election as so clearly theirs that no objection ought to be made to their taking what belonged to them. It seems certain, however, that Hayes had no hand in any bargains made by his supporters. As for Tilden, his wealth was such that he could have purchased votes if he had desired to do so, and the fact that all the votes went to his rival indicates that he did not yield to the temptation. Moreover, one of his closest associates, Henry Watterson, the journalist, tells of one occasion when the presidency was offered to Tilden and refused by him. Perhaps a definitive statement of the rights and wrongs of this famous election will never be made; for one after another the men most intimately associated with it have died leaving some account of their activities, but none of them has told much more than was already known. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE Dunning, Rhodes and Schouler, together with most of the works referred to at the close of Chapter 1, continue to be useful. L.A. Coolidge, _Ulysses S. Grant_ (1917), is not as partisan as most of the biographies of the time and is valuable despite a lack of a thorough understanding of the period. The following are valuable for especial topics: H. Adams, _Historical Essays_ (1891); C.F. Adams, Jr., and H. Adams, _Chapters of Erie_ (1886), (gold conspiracy); C.F. Adams, Jr., _Charles Francis Adams_ (Treaty of Washington); C.F. Adams, Jr., "The Treaty of Washington" in _Lee at Appomattox, and Other Papers_ (1902); James Bryce, _American Commonwealth_ (vol. II, various editions since 1888, contains famous chapter on the Tammany Tweed ring); A.B. Paine, _Thomas Nast, His Period and His Pictures_ (1904), (Tweed ring). P.L. Haworth, _Hayes-Tilden Disputed Presidential Election of 1876_ (1906), is a thorough study; on this election, see also John Bigelow, _The Life of S.J. Tilden_ (2 vols., 1895), and C.R. Williams, _Life of Rutherford B. Hayes_ (2 vols., 1914). * * * * *