The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-02-02
Pickett and Reform.

ElCkcJt anu heI0rm.
The low tone of morality in the Democratic
party is amply illustrated by the testimony oi
John f. Pickett, Democratic lawyer in
Washington, before one of the House COM
mittees Wednesday. His testimony related
to an attempt to bribe the Louisiana return
ing board to return the electoral vote of that
State for Tilden, and the men with whom he
discussed the proposal were not the much
derided Southern carpet-baggers, but those
Northern men of influence, Abram S. Hewitt,
chairman of the Democratic national COM
mittee, and John Morrissey, prominent
Democratic statesman.
Mr.. Pickett was very frank in his confes-
sion. The intrigue, it seems, had its origin
in one of the holiest of human sentiments,
friendship. A Republican friend of his went
to New Orleans, and Pickett though feeling
it necessary Gin view of the magnitude oil
the interests at stake" to warn the White
League that his Friend was tan exceedingly
dangerous man to our people, meaning the
Democratic party" was moved at the same
time, in view of the habits of the Louisiana
Democrats to murder their political enemies,
to beg that the life of the Dangerous man,
should be spared. As Pickett gently puts it,
II hoped if there should be a disturbance
there as had occurred on previous occasions
no harm should befall him." So the Friend.
wearing Pickett's knightly favor, vent and
came unhurt, and presumably out of grati-
tude for the preservation of his life flor he
seems to have believed that Pickett alone
saved him from assassination at the hands of
the gentle and law-abiding Democracy
offered to sell out the returning board to Til
den for million dollars. There is no evil
dence that the members of the board we're
knowing to the trade, the Friend being con-
fident of his ability to carry out the bargain
without going through the formality of con-
sulting them. Indeed were it not imputing
base ingratitude to him one would suspect
that he was attempting a confidence game on
the communicative Pickett with view to
pocketing the million for his own use and
benefit. But the shades of Damon and
Pythias forbid such an un worthy suspicion.
Pickett, as he acknowledges, had not the
faintest objection to attempt this bribery in
the interests of "reform," and Immediately
replied, Sin view of the magnitude of the
interests at stake have no hesitation to do
all that is in my little power" Doubtless
this eagerness is to be partly accounted for
on the supposition that fair percentage
would be allowed to the middlemen by the
principals, or that at least they would he
gratefully remembered by the party of reform
at the great day of the division of the loaves
and fishes. However that may be Pickett
lost no time. He says 81 repaired to New
York, and there had an interview with sew
eral gentlemen eminent in the Democratic
party, to whom fully related all the antece-
dent facts" These gentlemen. "eminent in
the Democratic party" were, it"appears fur
ther on in the testimony, John Morrissey and
Abram Hewitt. He told these "eminent
gentlemen that it ''was right and proper
to bribe the returning board, and that he
"felt perfectly justified in doing all in my
power (est I might regret it ever hereafter)
to attain that great end" He wished them
to roll out the barrel again and to "send
down stakeholder" to New Orleans Nor
rissey not only furnishes the Democracy with
their principles, but with their vocabulary as
weI). But the ''eminent gentlemen" had
better thing. Mr.. John Morrissey said "that
while he had no particular compunctions
in paying a man to do what was right"
that is, to accept a bribe-"he did
not feel that he was at that necessity."
'He would buy those fellows as readily as he
would buy pigs" but he chad just received
information from Oregon which made it un-
necessary to resort to any sucn measure"
The "eminent gentleman" was too good a
bit of merchandise when he could
get the same article for eight thousand.
Pickett loftily said he "colncided with him in
the interest of 100000 of people," and
fastened to find Hewitt. Mr.. Hewitt didn't
care to trade, but his refusal was put on the
ground of economy, not honesty. His objec-
tion was, as he stated it, ''if we buy them
now we shall have to buy them hereafter"
A million dollars every four years was too
heavy a tax. And here let it be noted that
in this conversation the chairman of the
Democratic committee acquitted himself of
the charge that he is more devoted to the in.
terests of Tilden than to the party; for with
admirable rectitude he refused to purchase an
election for Tilden because it would commit
the party to great expense in future elections.
The refusal seems to have ended the negotia.
tion. Evidently Hewitt too had heard from
Oregon. Pickett brought his .'pigs" to a
bad market, bit only failed because the mar.
ket was already stocked from the Pacific
slope.
This is the TESTIMONY OF Pickett, witness
whom the Democrats have put upon the
| stand TO blazon their own shame. He and
the Democratic leaders with whom he
consulted had no scruples about making use
of bribery as means to"reform." They were
| all willing to pay million dollars to attain
"the great end'-unless they could do it
| cheaper. Not one of them entertained scru.
| Piles. Hewitt declined the trade only because
| it was too expensive, and Morrissey only be.
cause he had made a better bargain else.
| where. And these men who recognize bri.
berry as legitimate agent in the election of a
President direct the counsels and control the
action of the party which claims that its OBJ.
| ject is reform. The next friend of the "re.
form" candidate for the Presidency, the man
| who shares his counsels and acts as his spokes.
man, does not hesitate to entertain a propo.
sal to buy up Presidential electors .'lke
pigs" And the party itself attempts the
achievement of "reform" by assassination,
| and ballot'box stufing, and bribery.
SINCE the decision of the Supreme Court