National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1877-01-16


TESTIMONY OF SECRETARY CHANDLER RELATIVE
no rELEGRAMs SENT SOUTH DURING AND
AYrHR THE ELECTION.
The Committee on the Powers, Privileges and
Duties Of the House Of Representatives have re-
I moved the injunction Of secrecy placed upon the
tsstimony Of Secretary Chandler taken on Sat
urdsy. 1hs Testimony related mainly to CORE
spoedsscs between Secretary Chandler as chair
man Of the National Republican Committee and
/ Governor Stsarns and others In Florida relating
to the election In that State. The examine ton
was conducted BY Mr.. Field.
The following were snong the question: and
answers:
o On the sth of November did you communicate
by telegraph letter with any persons in Florida?
A. cannot answer that question. should think
ii very likely, but have no recollection
1 should think that the prohabiIity was mat did.
Q. With whom. A; II with anybody + .as with
gram from him. NV impression would L b. that
T. sst am n9t Which,
from him? A. L canno, answer that. There was
in = ssG being hns
must have been the might oftne election :, a.,
That | cannot answer, The ides vas that this
wrec king OF trains was done by eyI-disposed pee.
sons to the true returns from being brought
from sss. ssS, after
should ssy mot NY sssG arS SS % S w9ud be
o wa not hat to telegram
from you. A. / think not 1 have no recoilecti
you: Viz: I'VE cannot carry Il ior Hayes unless we
Train wrecked, Ku -Klu1." A. do not think that
o. Win vi I've You state that it was nots A. No. SIR
never seen the telegram from that day to this
Sa n eNsmiains the memersndum quoted By
Mr. Feld ,a Try e ind sss. ss Y
De according to recollection.
o. Did you not on the sth OF November, about 4
IN
Florida, South carolina and Louisiana by fair
such telegram nor the substance oft.
& %
Had anybody any authority TO- Use pour name
az az aas .Sr as
Telegraph TO Gov Stearns this: You must send
show sloSity Tor Hayes A. No, sir; sent no
Did you send any of tina. purport in any w.ys
him / think either teiesraphed Or wrote to him
ssn ieaS St al W.
@. Do you recollecs whether you did or not? A.
9: Is NOT bis tsiesram to you abeu. the wrecked .
train In answer to your Hpout SenaimS out
eoiisetion IS that the rst dispatch was from him.
g ID
relation TO the returns! A. say that that prob
polls rasc6ed to prevent Frauds.
.ss The on ss s A. snR
after the eiectiOn-on the night of the sth, should
q: Aner YOU got the telegram that the train had
send couriers? A. cannot answer that; know
salt: j 20 N not sSinf that sent any telegram .
q. Baiif Won 20. this telegram from him tia. the
sfser that You sent .eegrs% 70 him to send coar.
iers? A. 1cannotanswer that
he frst day alter the eiection2 A. No, SIR. Ny
tor, seies s . ~ sss.1n, NAT VIM 3 ShsnS:
should AZ however that was the second day after
q. Did you give him instructions in writins9 A.
q. They were all verbsl9 A. He was member Of
- 3: g.s be receive any Instructions A. None
g: as went there to do whatever he saw at' A.
Q. without any inssrsstions or informationa A.
he had no Instructions whatever either written OF
q. Was anything said to him about money or
troops? A. Not that am aware Of;
money! A. thinf not have no recollection Of it.
shad HGp saH did anything about 'fooDs
Q. What did you intimate or say? A. That troops
eject, sent to Taliasassee. 'e' VI WINS ~ A'
r. dsehs troops
2; On what grSpndY A; On the ground II that
ecati!s md = member q his Cabinet. A WIG -.
2; Had you an Interview with the President on the
objected 70 Sy Mr.. Lawrence, and the question
.. Did you make that communication abou,
troops Of own me,ion or At the sSgse.,i N q
;oms 3ns else not In the EIeeaave Department:
g: In any Of your communications with Governor
NO recollection ori,.
to he election, teeRrsph 70
stearns that You had seen the President and secre
larry ofWar2 A. have no recollection OF sending
Q. Did you not. in a communication to Gov.
with one Or those ofacersf A. i say have no
say tina. did not but have no recollection OF hav'
g: Did You seIssisph these word. or their sub;
to s
70 undone?" A. never signed any such tele-
Q: Or any telegram containing a part of that
A.. Not to my recollection;
return to Washington? A. have no such recol-
secretary Chandler was questioned as to his cor
dependence with persons In Louisiana and the
VIII PpSs kilograms and
that have passed between you and Gov. Kellogg
since the election? A. win II 1 have them. I
have not the slightest objection. There was not
anything which was not ready to show to the
newspapers.
produce them to the committee.
The Witness. Certainly
o. In any communications with any officials In
Louisiana, has anything been said about money or
troops? A. cannot answer that; do not reeol-
lect.
O. To thebest OF your recollection, was any thing
said about either Of those subjects? A. No, sir, in
no communication to me.
q. Whether TO or from you ? A. should say not.
That would be my recollection. 1 want here to
make o remark. A telegram is very much In the
nature Of postal card In the mails, and never
put on the wires anything which was not willing
to see in pi int the next day.
Mr.. Field. But you are aware that Congress has
found Ii very difficult 10 get any Of these telegrams
Witness. For the first time.
Mr.. Field. These postal cards have been in some
way or another covered up.
Witness. There are, suppose. seventeen hun
dred telegraph Offices where messages can be taken
off seventeen hundred times and have never sent
telegram In my III that was not willing to see
in print the next day.
Of any one else? A. Never that am aware of.
Q. Did you sanction or were you informed of any
telegram beins sent the business Of the commit
tee In the name ofanybody than yourselfl A. Gov
ernor Mccormick sometimes telegraphed in his
own anne IS secretary.
Q.With the exception OF Gov. Mccormick and
yourself? A. That Is all.