  The Hubble relation between distance and redshift is a purely cosmographic
relation that depends only on the symmetries of a FLRW spacetime, but does not
intrinsically make any dynamical assumptions. This suggests that it should be
possible to estimate the parameters defining the Hubble relation without making
any dynamical assumptions. To test this idea, we perform a number of
inter-related cosmographic fits to the legacy05 and gold06 supernova datasets.
Based on this supernova data, the "preponderance of evidence" certainly
suggests an accelerating universe. However we would argue that (unless one uses
additional dynamical and observational information) this conclusion is not
currently supported "beyond reasonable doubt". As part of the analysis we
develop two particularly transparent graphical representations of the
redshift-distance relation -- representations in which acceleration versus
deceleration reduces to the question of whether the relevant graph slopes up or
down. Turning to the details of the cosmographic fits, three issues in
particular concern us: First, the fitted value for the deceleration parameter
changes significantly depending on whether one performs a chi^2 fit to the
luminosity distance, proper motion distance or other suitable distance
surrogate. Second, the fitted value for the deceleration parameter changes
significantly depending on whether one uses the traditional redshift variable
z, or what we shall argue is on theoretical grounds an improved
parameterization y=z/(1+z). Third, the published estimates for systematic
uncertainties are sufficiently large that they certainly impact on, and to a
large extent undermine, the usual purely statistical tests of significance. We
conclude that the supernova data should be treated with some caution.
