The Portland daily press., 1878-08-21
THE INVESTIGATION.
Major Burke Again Before the
Committee.
More About that Alleged Bargain.

MVhC ADV"t thsAa AtfcseU IL NfSSEns
NEW YORK, Aug. e0.-The Potter commit
tee resumed It's Investigation this morning.
Testimony of Maj If BurAe.
Major E. ID. Burke was the fist witness. He
SAID ne was charged with registration and cleo
ton matters in 1876 in New Otleaps as chair
man of the Central Committee and Registra-
ton Bureau. think we knew the rtsnIt of
the electl0nln Louisiana about the 18th of Nc
vember. Returns were all in except the parish
OF St. Martins which has about 1000 voters.
witness
Witness said the highest Tidsn electors
vote was 1859, and the lowest HAYES elector
received u, 240, difference of 1919. Witness
could not give the vote for Nichols exactly. but
ne mad majority OF 1000 votes. The Return
the Hayes electors 10 the campaign of 1874,
said witness, we were cheated out Of the cleo.
ton results BY this same Returning Board of
1876. There was no change in their actions or
principles. They were as arbitrary and unjust
in 1876 as in 1874. Our apprehensions were in
creased by kilograms passing from leading Re-
publicans all over the country to their leaders
in Louisiana, and showed us that they would
sustain their own in any action they took
Louisiana got respondent after the election and
huOut gave iI6oll up, Dut Wu6u LQ6S0 L6JeQramS
commenced and the visiting statesmen arrived,
their spirits were aroused and they never seem
ed to falter from that out. They seemed to
have new life Infused into them.
The inauguration of Gov. Nichols took place
before some $4,000 persons and the Senate and
Assembly were at once organized. They took
possession of everything except some small
space filled and occupied by Packard. Witness
said he relgiously and sincerely believes that
Hayes and Packard were defeated and Tiden
and Nichols elected, and that was the opinion
of every honest man there.
1 went to Washington, said witness, on the
10th OF January as agent for Gov. Nichols to
secure n0n-intervention by the government.
We felt we had the moral and natural force of
the people Of Louisiana to sufficiently establish
ourselves. We never attempted to have co..
lision with the U. S. troops We were deter
mined to protect the interests of our state
against any source whatever and Ii an armed
attack was made on the Nichols government
it would have been repealed. We had become
sick and tired Of the state Of things. Cheated
out of two elections and plundered, we deter.
mined not to stand it longer and would have
forced military government to be established.
The education question of the blacks and
whites together was not discussed between San.
ator Matthew and myself. Nothing was said
between Matthews and myself about the Rs
turning Board. Witness said there was not
one word ia the guarantees that are not COM
pulsory and embodied in the laws of the United
States and the state of Louisiana
Q-Now, was this all you offered to put liz
Hayes and Packard out?
Awe offered these for the N cholls govern :
ment.
Witness said: We did acquiesce In not on
posing the count when we found the Republi.
can party were determined to 60 on with the
count
Odd you and your party associates agree
70 stop the opposition to the counting in of
Hayes?
Awe certainly did sir. We were assured
by President Grant that after the count was
completed the troops would be with irawn. I
said to Matthews that while we we're assured
that President Grants assurances Of President
Hayes policy were well intended, yet we want
ed these assurances from such men as Garfield,
Morton and others, whom they regarded more
than Hayes. He said he could not answer for
them, and said, then We will place yonr par
ty in such position that they must speak. L
meant thereby that our people would join the
fillibusters and prevent the states of Louisiana
and South Carolina being counted for Hayes
Witness said there were but two phases 10 the
negotiations in the thing-the Cameron and
Matthews phases That he made the same
proposition of agreement to Cameron that he
did to Matthews, on the 18th of February; al.
SO to Mr.. Foster and other leadiag members of
the Republican party.
.Q-After the resolution, passed on the 18th
OF February by Congress, deciding not to in
terfere With the Louisiana count, was there any
hope for Republican administration?
A-No sir, except some arrangement was
made with the Democrats of Louisiana. had
conversation with Mr.. Hewitt and he said
fraud on the shoulders of the Republican party.
The Republican party were we'll aware of our
determination to break up the count. Witness
said he had conversation with Gen. Grant on
the 26th of February. He intim ated that he
would not do anything to prejudice the Repub-
licon mo- RI md <lo
was declared for Hayes. Grant allowed us
virtuvlly to take possession of the state. We
acted on his intimatious. On the 10Th of Feb
ruary, witness said he received a telegram from
Mr.. Ellis of Louisiana, from Congress. and
went to see him. He said: "Come instantly.'
He told me he had letter from Lamar rela-
lative to q conversation he (Lamar) had with
Matthews and Foster in regard to a speech
made by Foster.
The following Is copy of the letter.
WASHINGTON, Feb 90 1877
My Denr Elis:-I have lust learned from un-
questionable authority which will give if you wish
If t that Tose Is said to gentleman %
indirectly hints to Hayes southern policy that -
made it after consultation with Mr.. Matthews, M
Hayes brother-in-law, and Mr.. Matthews told him
and urged him to say squarely that Hayes would
have nothing to do or say to Packard. Foster said
he would but he said he was afraid 10 take too much
upon himself to say that but Mr. Matthews reitera-
ted his desire that Foster should say SO pumply and
further said, IF were to speak I should say it,
because Ills the TRUTH Foster further said he did
not see the mode by which Hayes could accomplish
the practical recognition of Nichols as governor to
which my informant said he replied. "Let him ask
Nichols If 1 withdraw the army and the gun boats,
will you assure me that you will not establish your
government by boodshed and bloody realition and if
Nichols makes the pledge let him withdraw them.''
as coming from Hayes directly indirectly, that is
worth acting upon by any Southern man. We do
not want offices but we do want to get states and
Ought you not Ii available Opportunity offers to
serve your people to spring forward at once see
you can't free your state. think you should at
Hayes will give you some assurance that he will not
maintain Packard in his domination of the people
Your friend,
Hon. John Ellis, Representative OF Louisiana,
Mr.. Ellis coHtinued-I proposed the con-
ference in the room of the finance committee
Of the Senate, and there were present at it
and myself. l showed them the guarantees
which the Nichols government were willing
to make. MI. Sherman expressed apxiety
about the United States Senate, and remarked
that if the Nichols government were at once
recognized Two Democratic Senators would
also have to be recognized. 1t was finally
agreed to call on Grant and urge him to
remove the troops as such request would do
away with his expressed fears of doing any,
thing to embarras his successors policy. ASH
was in the minority in the conference lit being
In the evening when the other parties repre-
senting the Democratic side could be present.
1t was held in Mr.. Evarts room, but he was
not present. There were present at it Messrs.
Sherman. Garfield, Foster, Dsnnison, Mat
thews, Ellis, Levy, Waterson and myself We
discussed the whole condition Of affairs. Wv
At this state of the procee dngs an adiourn-
ment was taken until tomorrow at 10 o'clock.
WASHINGTON.