New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-15
THE SOUTHERN ELECTIONS.

SEARCHING FOR DISPATCHES SENT AND RECEIVED
ny THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE
SECRETARY CHANDLER BEFORE THE HOUSE
COMMITMENTS REFUSAL TO DlvULGE CABl-
NET sECRETs-DENIAL THAT CONFRONTING DIS
PATCHES HAVE BEEN SENT.
lBY TKLEGRAPH THE TRiBuNR,l
WASHINGTON, Jan. 1.-THE Committee on
,,e Privileges Powers, and Duties of tie House in
Counting the Electoral Votes is taking TO itself great
deal more power than appears TO belong to it. Having
settled in its mind what the rights Of the Ennse In
regard 20 count has now started on sort Oh rec
booting cruise search of evidence that may ne
ncked ND that would tend TO weaken the position OF the
Republican party. The Purpose Is, 1t may well
hc supposed to divert public opinion from the
Oregon fraud by raising hue and cry against the
Republican managers IN connection with the eecnon IN
the southern states The committee examined Secretary
Chandler yesterday in his capacity OF chairman OF the
Republican National Committee in the hope that they
eoud extori some confession from him as to his cor
respondence and dispatches that would serve their
nurposc They had him upon the witness stand for
about half an hour without making any points, until
finally be was asked whether he had sent any dispatches
"a Florida south Carolina Louisiana stating that
troops would be furnished IL required. Mr.. Chandler
replied that If he had sent such dispatches he
had stated that troops would be sent needed to pre-
vent disturbance of the peace. He was then asked H.
in case such dispatches had been sent by him. II was on
his own motion under the direction or by the advice OF
another person Mr. Chandler said that the committee
meant 70 examine him dual capacity an chairman OF
the National Committee and member of President
Grants Cabinet aud that they evidently more anx
ions 10 get az Cabinet secrets than 10 discover how he
had conducted the business of the committee He
decli ned to answer che question. The chair
man inquired lie would like any time 10 CONSIDER lhe
matter He replied that he would. He was then asked
when il would be convenient for him 10 come again. ana
be said next Wednesday. whereupOn the examination
cd how no
left the Capitol, that he did not care much what
the committee took him for, provided they ala
not take him for fool and that If they imagined that
he had sent any kilograms that he would DE
afraid TO have produced, they would find themselves
greatly mistaken Speaking upon the subject to-day nc
said he did not know what bogus dispatches might
have been with his signed to them IN TACT ne
had heard OF several such dispatches sent as lie DeheVed
by Democrats in order lay the foundation of charges
against him. hut that during the whole OF the canvass lie
had never considered the telegraph as medium for con
dentia communications but had looked upon dispatches
exactly in the light of postal cards.
Mr. Hewitt had several times stated In the presence OF
Republican members OF Congress that he was convinced
that shortly after the election Chandler sent TO the
Governors of South Carolina Florida and Louisiana
dspatch 20 the effect that they must hold their states o
Hayes and Wheeler and that all the money and troops
needed would be furnished them. copy OF this dis
patch Il s understood put into MI I!ewitfs bands
day that no such dispatch had ever been sent by him.
ands sent by anybody with his name signed. it wac
forgery. r. c. Mccormick, Secretary OF the National
Committee, has been subpenaed and VIII De
examined by committee tomorrow In relation, II Is
understood 10 dispatches sent by him TO the Republican
Committee in Florida Mr.. Mccormick says that both
before and after the election the National Committee
were informed from many Trustworthy sources first,
that Hayes would certainly Florida and after
ward that he had carried it and that all his dispatches
after the election proceeded upon the belief that there
Was no doubt about clear majority for Hayes and hat
q e only danger that the Democrats would manage
70 cheat the Republicans out Of the Legitimate
result of the election He states that there
Is nothing in the dispatches ent received by lin that
the committee are not welcome to Secretary Chand
ler speaking yesterday of the dispatches when passed
between him and Wan. E. ChanderwL the latter was III
Florida during the of the vote In that state sald
that he had received dispatches, the substance Of
which bad not been previously published in The NEW
York TRIBUNE He bad urged Chandler toitelegraph him
as 10 the situation in Tallahassee but found il almost i'm
possible TO get any information from him, and was
obliged 10 depend upon The TRIBUNE for his news from
that quarter.
Mr. KnUtts committee il reaching out IN every dfec-
ton for evidence hearing the general subject OF the
election IN the Southern subpenas have already
been issued II understood 10 telegraph managers IN
several OF the Southern states broader and more sweep
ing their character than any Issued by ME- MOrlsOhs
committee They demand the production Of all tele-
grams relating TO political affairs which passed INTO or
out OF during the late Presidential can
election, and are directed not to the
local managers but 10 the general division managers OF
Tic telegraph companies.
David Dudley Field, the memberOf the committee
WHO added Tor TIE express purpose, conducted the
Examination OF the witnesses.
THE ELECTORAL COUNT.