Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-08-22
THE LOUISIANA BARGATy

THE LOUISIANA BARG4IN,
The evidence of Major Burke, given to
the Potter committee on Tuesday, is of the
utmost importance to the object of the in
quiry. That bargain between the Demo-
Gratis of Louisiana and Hayes and his sup
porters existed at the time of the count of
the electoral ticket has never been in doubt,
although the details of that bargain have
been involved in more or less mystery. Mr..
W. E. Chandler testified several weeks ago
that he first became aware of the existence
of the bargain in February, before the inau-
guration of Mr.. Hayes, and was shocked to
learn that although the Republican electors
had been given majority, the Republican
State government was to be ousted. He
found on inquiry that Hayes had entered
into this bargain as the only means of secur-
ing the electoral vote of Louisiana, SO neces-
sary to his own election. Other witnesses
testified to substantially the same facts, al
though more vaguely than Mr.. Chandler
Col. Roberts evidence before the commit
tee last week was the most direct Of all pre-
vious testimony bearing on that point. He
was one of the agents of Gov. Nicholson
rather of the Democrats of Louisiana-to
conduct the negotiations. He personally
visited Mr.. Hayes and received from him
guarantees sufficiently binding to sat-
isfy him that the incoming admins
tration would act in good
faith towards those he represented,
and assist in placing the legally elected State
government in power. He does not claim
to have received a promise in terms from
Mr.. Hayes, but he regarded the pledge in the
form given to be quite as binding as if ex-
pressed fully.
In support of the statements of these two
witnesses, Major Burke has given the full
details of the negotiations that took place
between representatives of the two parties
at Washington. He was fully authorized by
the Nichols government to act as their
agent, and was treated by the friends of Mr..
Hayes as duly accredited plenipotentiary.
In this capacity he had conferences with Gen.
Grant, then President, and with Matthews.
Morton, Garfield and others as representa-
tives of Mr.. Hayes interests. Gen. Grant
entered into the conspiracy so far as to per-
NIT the Democrats of Louisiana to take Dos
session of the State, but refused to with
draw the menace of armed intervention of
federal troops until the count had been
declared for Hayes. Matthews and the
other representatives of Hayes agreed that
Nichols should be installed governor with
the support of the new administration pro
vided there should be no attempt to interfere
with the fraud of the returning board then
in progress, by which Hayes would receive
the vote of the State in the electoral college,
Seeing that there was no hope for the Demo-
Gratis except by agreeing to the terms pro-
posed, Major Burke at last consented. He
saw that there was a determination, if he
refused, not only to count Hayes but Pack
ard in and on the theory that half a loaf
was better than no bread he gave
his consent to the fraud. His statements
agree in all substantial particulars with those
made previously by Mr.. Chandler and Col.
Roberts, and are furthermore supported by
documents of the most convincing character.
His implication of Grant in the conspiracy.
although a fresh development, is fully proved,
and he brings the conspiracy directly home
to Hayes by proving that the agreement was
made by his most intimate confidential
friends; that in pursuance of the agreement
no IF no
was outlined in a speech in the House by
Representative Foster; that although Mr..
Hayes did not personally give him the
guarantees sought, they came so directly as
to leave no doubt in his mind that he was
prlvy to the arrangement, fully understood
it in all it's phases, and would carry it out to
| the letter. AS further fact corroboratiye
of Mr.. Hayes guilty knowledge it may be
stated that every detail of the agreement was
afterwards religiously carried out by him.
During the tendency of the negotiations
neither Col. Roberts nor Major Burke adj
mitted that the Hayes electors had received
majority in Louisiana. They insisted and
demonstrated that they lacked from six tc
eight thousand votes of majority. They
only succumbed to the inevitable--tos superior
brute force. They were distinctly given tc
understand that that was the only com.
promise that would be entertained
that the returning board would
throw out enough Democratic votes
to elect both Hayes and Packard
and would be sustained in SO doing by the
troops stationed at New Orleans, if they failed
to come to terms. They were absolutely
powerless to save the State to Tilden, and in
that dilemma made the most they could BY
obtaining guarantees of the support of the
legally elected Democratic State officials
That the bargain was corrupt, admits of nc
question. But the Democrats simply acted
from motives of self-protection- just as 8
man attacked by highwaymen will surrende,
his purse that he may save his life. The
Republican robbers gave them the alterna
tive of surrendering part of their rights