The New York herald., 1878-02-08
BITTER ATTACKS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
Futile Opposition to Confirming Hilliard
Minister to Brazil.
Republican Comfort Extracted from the
Returning Board Trials.
SENATOR BLAINE ON THE BLAND BILL.
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.

FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.
WASHINGTON, Fob. 7, 1873.
THE RETURNING BOARD TRIALS AND HOW
THEY ATyEcr THE REPUBLICANS.
The Returning Board trials New Orleans not
unlikely to assume an extraordinary and unexpected
importance here, where they attract the attention Of
republican poloians not account OF the possible con-
viction OF Wells and Anderson, for which nobody In
either party TO care, but because OF what Is
their extremely important possible political
effect
1t should be understood In the place, that the
President will not In any interfere Tor the
protection OF the Returning Board members. lfthey
have done wrong and are convicted, he VIII not
Lift finger shield them Nor had the private
meeting Of the 'vsiting statesmen" here the other
day any purpose Of promising aid or countenance 10
Wells and Anderson. Messrs. Sherman, Matthews,
Hale Garfield others to protect themselves
against pubic misrepresentation, II this should be-
necessary, by statement OF what they did and
said and saw in New Orleans while overseeing tho
Returning Board, and the time may presently come
when they will make a formal and public statement,
which may draw a reply from the democratic visiting
statesmen.
Meantime what attracts attention here is that the
Vernon PARISH returns form the only matter about
which, far wrong is formally charged against Wells
and Anderson aud the republicans II this Is really
ali that the democrats have been ablo to discover.
having had whole election returns OF the State in
their hands all the summer and fall this trial OF the
Returning Board is really confession by the dem.
ocrats that there such fraud in Louisi-
ana vitiated the election; that, In fact
the democrats, for the sake Of Furnishing
the Returning Board. are virtually giving
up their great poant which was that Louisiana was
riRhtfuly carried by the democrats. II is clear that
II the fraud charged In the Vernon returns 10
fully proved, that would not change the vote OF Lou
isana show that the State went democratic. II no
other frauds or changes can be shown, the Vernon
parish frauds would change the vote OF the State by
only few hundred at most. There doubt that
a good many republican politicians have dreaded
the charge OF fraud in Louisiana which they
knew would be brought against them IN the
next campaign. These now laugh and say
that the Louisiana democrats are conveniently help
ing them out of their troubles. They know that the
Vernon parish matter cannot be used In a manner to
hurt the party fall. For such frauds individuals
are properly punished, but II would be absurd to hold
a whole party respo ponsibe Tor mere incident in an
election which did n OF affect the general result
'If the democrats admit that we carried the
State, as they are doing by these trials then
what do care about the Returning Boardf II
those fellows any them did faisiiy the Vernon
parish returns, and can be proved on them, they
will have TO be punished that's all But IL does not
change the result; II does not convict the party of
fraud, and the democrats cannot into the fall
canvass and the next Presidential campaign with that
ugly cry Of fraud"
This IS the way 1t looks TO the republicans.
But there also another view taken Of the matter
by some republicans. These say openly that II the
democrats in Louisiana confess they to, that
the Vernon parish fraud the only which they
prove against the Returning Board, it Is
acknowledgment Dy them, not only that Hayes and
Wheeler but also that Packard carried the State and
they begin assert that that Packard ought
20 be renstated.
''If he elected" say they, "as We have always
held, and If the democrats confess that he was,
they will do II they cannot show any other fraud
than in Vernon parish, perhapsln East Feliciana.
thsn Nichols is bound to give way to Packard and If
no does not do SO Willingly then the President 10
bound to see to It that he does"
such Is tho tone and temper In which the Return
ing Board trials are discussed here in republican
circles. Under the It Is surprising
that tho republicans well pleased at tho dsvel-
opments.
MINISTER FOSTER TO APPEAR DEGoRE THE
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
THE QUESTION OF RECOGNIZING DIAz.
The House Committee OF Foreign Affairs are to talk
with Minister Foster about Mexican affairs at tho
State Department to- morrow morning. The interview
will be private, and Mr.. Foster will not bo asked to
appear before the committee at the Capitol at ALL
bong regarded as improper and useless to examine
diplomatic officer in public. The only minutes Of his
conversation with the committee will be taken down
by the shorthand writer Of tho STATE Department, to
be filed among the archives.
There is an impression that the government Is
about ready to recognize President Diaz without ex-
acting any preliminary conditions, 1t being thought
that he has shown not only that he is firmly seated
In the Presidential chair OF Mexco, but that his dispo
sirion toward this country is In every way fair.
THE CALIFORNIA CONTESTED ELEcTIoN-THE
DEMOCRATIC MEMBER SEATED.
A contested election Is abso utcly the only
question which nowadays astriet party voto
be got In either house Tho House spent the day
unseating tho republican, Pacheco, Of California, and
seating wggnton In his place. and only two members
broke from tho strict party lines, Messrs Ciarkson
Potter and LEONARD OF Louisiana, voting against both
candidates.