American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-08-10
THE ELECTORAL INVESTIGATION.

Proceedings of the Potter Committee.
Ex-Congressman Morey, of Louisiana,
testified before the Committee on the Goth:
Witness said on the face of the returns the
Nichols and Tilden Electors had a majority;
that the Returning Board threw out enough
votes to elect Packard, and after this threw
ont l, 5l2 votes to elect the Hayes Electors;
this condition of things weS discussed by
prominent politicians. the wishing statesmen
and tie Republican council; it was discussed
by party leaders on both sides. we tried to
make, undcr the law. n case for Packard, and
presented protests against every thing Illegal
or irregular; made some figuring as TO wfat
results would be produc cd il GET tain parish
returns were thrown out; think it probable
the figures were not me tioped 20 he visiting
statesmen, but naturally supposed the mat
ter would be btoagbt to their attention; 1
understood the result of the calcl .ation was
sent to Florida so as to come to the knowl-
edge of the officials; Later on in the exam
culation concerning the ultimate result in
Louisiana was communicated to the visiting
In knowing what would be the result in Lou
isiana as the Republicans there were in
orda w8@f woud in De nne to
question by Butler, said the result in
the State showed both Packard and
He said it was generally understood that the
mission of the Mcyeagh Commission wis to
establish Nichols. His opinion was that if
the Packard Government had been recog-
and had the President said t!at he intended
to maintain the Packard Government and
given 10 lit ne necessary mo. al support, cei e
would have been no trouble in maintaining it.
The Committee on the 9th, after hearing
some unimportant testimony. adjourned to
meet in New York City on the Goth.
The Potter Committee held a session in
New York on the aoth, and examined ex-Gov.
Palmer of Illinois. Gov. Palmer went to New
Orleans Nov. ID, 1876, and was chosen chair
man of the Democratic visiting committee.
After their organization he called on Gov.
Kellogg and Gov. Wells and urged upon the
| latter the necessity for filing the vacancy in
| tie Returning Board. GOV. Wells Protested
| to feel great dislike for local Louisiana pol
iticians of the Democratic party. and ex
pressed an unwillingness to filling the vacan-
cy in the Returning Board. AnGerso l
vacancy, but said he was unable to agree
with the other members as to who should be
selected. The witness found from statements
of some colored men, that many of the par
ishes had been a good deal disturbed; their
cratic politicians bad made MANY promises
to them to capture the colored vote. GOV.
Nichols lad obtained the respect of the col
ored people down there more than any other
Governor he knew of, and more than Gov.
Gen. Garfield, in which he urged "a coalition of
the two dele sations, 50 as to lay the facts be-
fore the country. Witness asked the Board
that when returns from any parish were
polled he be given the result but they would
not consent to do so until they were com
pleted. He also asked permission from Gov.
refused. The witness thought some Republic
cans had access to that room thought he saw
Mr.. Hale coming out of there. He saw Eliza
Pinkston when she was brought into the
room by two men: and her condition was
certainly horrible. He had beard Mr.. Ascher
say that Judge Levissee stated the election
was "a fraud, and If he could have 100000 he
would give his vote to Tilden. If the witness
We're asked if the election in Louisiana W as
fair he would say not. The sense of the peo-
pie there was that Tilden and Nichols were
elected. He had heard of no prosecutions
against parties charged with committing the
Pinkston outrage. He said to Gov. Wells
and Gen. Anderson that the Tilden Electors
were chosen, but they (tbe Board) might,
on II fair consideration of the question,
come to different conclusion, but that
this conclusion should be arrived at on evil
dence that could be clearly put before the
public. The witness satisfied himself as to
the perpetIation of the Pinkston outrage by
inquiries, and told GOV. Kellogg that il these,
things happened in Illinois he (tle witnesS)
would bring the parties to punishment or he
would leave the State. lie believed that the
people would have been satisfied with the
( Packm ii Government if they Thought he had
been AIRY elected After few unimportant
que stiOns, Gov. Palmer's testtnol V was
closed, ?nd the committee adjourned tin the
18th OF August, unless sooner called together