The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-07-31

people, four years hence" I said: ''Mr.
Hewitt that is all very well for you. You
may endure il four years, but we can not,
and it Is my duty to say to you, and YOU
may saw to your associates, that if they
think they can have peace and quiet in this
country with Louisiana and South
Carolina under carpet-bag rule
they have made mistake. We
are as loyal as you or any other class of peo-
pie, but we have endured radical rule rs
long as We can, and We are determined to
protect our government at all hazards
against the United States troops or anybody
who seeks to set up Mr.. Packard over us,
and now insist that you will go to your
associates and say to them that with the same
consistency that they voted for the electoral
bill to preserve the country from anarchy
and strife, with that same consistency they
can make the condition that if bayonets are
taken away from Louisiana and South Caro-.
lima, else the conditions of ansrcby aud
strife, that they would avoid, will surely
follow" Mr.. Hewitt assured me of the sym-
patty OF his associates and himself for the
people of Louisiana and South Carolina and
while he intimated that his position on the
electoral bill had been such that he could
not take a position in the house in
accordance with my. views, he would
make these representations to his associates
and they would do what they could do in
the interest of Louisiana and South Carolina
and when / stated to. Sherman what be-
lleved to be the controlling views of the
representatives | should have stated that
what meant was that we had impressed
these same views upon the members of the
house. We had gone 10 one, two, three and
half dozen at time and made these state
ments, and they had produced kilograms
and letters from their constituents instruct
ing them not TO oppose the count.
They said they did not dare defeat the
count and did not dare take the response
bility. That they were willing and anxious
to serve Louisiana, and if we thought they
could do so by going in and forcing the re-
hey were willing to serve us
by doing so. That is what /
meantIn my dispatches to Governor Nichols.
Many of these representatives were acting
at our solicitation, and were impressed with
a belief that if bayonet rule was not with
drawn from Louisiana and South Carolina it
would produce anarchy aud strife. OF
course there were gentlemen acting
from other motives who had
been opposing the count from
the commencement. The movement dated
from the 10th of February, when there were
40 to AZ fihbusters, and we sought to swell
their ranks with view of forcing the radical
leaders to give these guarantees. We did SO
swell the ranks, until the vote was at one
to deter the count from further
proceedings. 1t was at that period Mr. Sher-
man sent for me, and at that period these
conferences were held.
Mr.. Blackburn-Then the expression of
belief you gave Mr.. Sherman simply meant
that by giving these guarantees you were
satisfied a sufficient number would be drawn
off from the strength of the dilatory party in
the house as would enable the count to be
completed?
The Witness-I was satisfied there was a
sufficient number of members of the house
who were under instructions from their con-
stituents not to oppose the count, but who
view OF securing these guarantees, and
who, $ soon as they were salts
fed that that purpose was served,
would cease their opposition and sallow the
count to 60 through to peaceful determine.
lion, and events subsequently proved that to
be true.
ELLIS TESTIMONY.
The Hon. E. John Ellis testified regarding
the Wormley conference, and stated emphat-
ically that there was no bsrgain-that the
ceasing to filibuster was not insisted upon
by the republicans who were at the con-
ference.
Mr.. Watterson has always steadily OPP
posed filibusteriDg. There was not the SEM
blance of bargain at that conference. The
OBJECT OF the repuDllcanS seemed 10 DE 10 re-
move the anxiety in regard to the course
Hayes would pursue towards South Caro-
lima and Louisiana. The witness at some
length referred to numerous interviews
with Grant, who promised TO issue an order
for the withdrawal of the troops as soon as
the electoral count was completed. When
asked whether the payment of taxes to the
Nichols government would be construed
into violation of the status quo inaugur-
ated by Grant, the latter perpetrated the
only joke witness ever heard from him, by
relating the story of the Irishman who had
joined the temperance society, but did not
object to drop being put into his soda
water unbeknown to himself. The commit
tee then took a recess, to meet subject to the
call of the chairman.
The members of the committee and at
taches left this evening.
At the conclusion of Major Burke's state
ment to day Governor Cox gave notice that
the cross-examination would be made here
| after