The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-07-25
The Potter Committee.

fytsftef NeW-s1rfs
erai Grant, Though he was 81 he first uTl-
willing to nccede 10 The req1est to 30. He
was merely to go as 1 okerson md see
that nothing fmprUper should occur. the
witness said that there was nothing IN the
purpose of the Republican committees to-
fndfcats my course TO be pursued by the
Be counted or as to any means OF iftimfda-
ton. Id answer to the question whether
the Republican committees discussed any
question involving interference with the
official duties Of the Returning Board, the.
witness gave an emphatic negative, and
added that IL any one or the delegation had
attempted such 4 thing ir would have been
treacherons to his associates % well as a
Violation OF duty @S'F q 80 100 s';'-ss, .
witness stisnnatized as false the state
ment Of e. Weber that the visiting states-
men advised the Returning Board 10 stretch
their powers, and that the Board did SO
[eiect Packard and ID majority 'of the Iegis.
lature. In reply to the question. Do you
know OF Secretary Shernaan's having had q
conversation with " eber and Anderson in
New Orleans witness replied be had no
consciousness OF: ever having seen Weber
while the visiting delegation occupied public.
parlor ct the hotel Anderson and Weber.
Ul9Yt OufG CUlilt lulO ScudLOl
Sherman spent very little time there. He
was either in his own room or in Mr.
Stoughton's room, attending to his private
business. Senator Sherman never came to
the custom-housc.. 80 BE '''''.s
I'm course Of further examination witness
alluded to Eliza Pinkston.:, He believed her
statement at the time IT was made, and be-
tieyed it to-day. he also spoke OF the affairs
in Morehouse parish $50 desperate that the
planters themselves organized to protect
tt cir colored aborers from the attacks Of
the regulators. On being Intercepted by
Chairman Potter, witness said that some OF
the nafidayits had been redrafted. He
thought that General Harry White redraited
one or two. Witness had not read any evil
dence concerning Morehouse parish except
ing thatfurnished by Republican counsel.
tCortlande Parker also testified Went to
New Orleans at the request OF Grant to wit
ness the count of the vote, and knew OF no
act. on the part OF visitors to Influence the
Returning Board. ~ =, =. ~. ;, - $50
REPRESENTATIVE Hale testified that hewent
to New. Orleans solely at the request or
Grant, not at the instigatiOn OF any person
/ for him. He and Senator Sherman were
intimate, and they expressed their views TO
each other with freedom. All the Repubir-
I car visitors maintained the position that
they should be careful to abstain from any
attempted influence on. the Returning
Board SO far Sas he knew this pr1ns-!
clple, was strictly carried out. - witness
Ihdd no recollection of hearing OF James
lisiana, nor did he remember having
seen or heard Of Weber. He did not
know of Senator Sherman being in secret
consultation outside OF his own immediate
associations. Witness and Senator Sher-
man were together every day. He had not
seen the letter purporting to have been
written by Weber and Anderson, dated
November 10, 1876, and the alleged reply
Of Sherman II such letters were written
he thought, from his intimacy with Sber-
man, he would have heard Of the fact. J.
The witness testified to the part he took
in the examination Of the returns from
East Baton Rouge, and, like the witness who
preceded him, stated as false the testimony
of Weber about visiting Republicans influ-
encing the action of the Returning Board.
u. Hall Sypher, eX-member OF Congress
from Louisiana, testified that D. A. Weber
showed him letter purporting to be signed
by John Sherman He would not testify
that it was Sherman'5 handwriting, but
there was nothing to make him think it was
not. Il He could not give IFS purport, but
the published letter, the original OF which
he hastily read, seemed to be substantially
correct. .'s- 's. up 2'5 Is s'' '.,'
Secretary Sherman made statement. He
lis now Secretary OF the Treasury, but in
November, 1876, was senator Of the Uni
ted States. He was invited by President
Grant, by telegram, in terms something Ike
the following: 81 would be gratited il you
| IL 20. ,r,ifr fhn
count" AT the first he declined to so, but
second telegram was received from Grant
saving, 81 think it important for you to
so -; but he did not go till Wednesday
after? When on his way to Cincinnati
lie stopped at Columbus, where he saw
| Governor Hayes. In reply to an interroga-
tory by Mr.. Hiseock, he said his CONVERSE
|tion with Hayes was general about the
election, all then being in the dark. He took
with him copy of the election laws OF
Louisiana. He reached New Orleans on
the 18th Of November, and on the next day
met in consultation the other gentlemen ar,-
pointed by the President. Secretary Sher-
man then substantially stated from printed
report the proposition made to them by
Democratic visitors with reference to the
count. the response OF the Republicans be-
ing that they could not interfere with the
election officers, Us they were there at the
request of the President simply to witness
| the count, and that their position was
rather as citizens to report actual facts
transpiring in their presence.
The further examination was postponed
till tomorrow morning at 10 O'Clock, the
committee having been in session from 1880
O'Clock this morning till 1880 this evening
with the exception OF an hour-and-a-halr
recess. The chairman stated that Governor
Cox had notified him some time ago that be
could not remain in New Orleans beyond
this month, and accordingly the chairman
!. had applied to the other members OF the NH
nority to take Cox's place on the sub-com-
mittee there. Noneof the gentlemen, how
ever, felt at liberty to 60 to New orleans
now. At the time of this application 1t
was expected that testimony in regard to
intimidations would be taken, which would
occupy some time = when, however, Mr..
Sherman's counsel decided not to introduce
that testimony, 1t was hoped most OF the
evidence in Louisiana could be completed
by the'end of the month, but the breaking
out OF yellow.feYer there which had taken
place within the past few days has been
followed by Governor CoX's withdrawal, sc
that it would not be practicable to continue
a committee there after to-day on which
the minority were not represented, ane
therefore, unless the committee thought
otherwise, he should instruct the sub com
mittee to suspend their sittings in New Or
leans; but as this thdrawal Of Governel
4 Cox would prevent the committee from
taking some Of the evidence which Genera
Butler had requested should be taken, HI
therefore laid the matter before the commit
tee. General Butler said that some OF thu
evidence he wished was so important tina
he should now have to ask that witnesses b.