Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-06-10
THE ELECTORAL INVESTIGATION.
Testimony Before the Potter Com.
mfffee.

ator Ferry testified as to the circumstances
connected with the receipt by mail and mes
Senger of the different electoral returns from
Louisiana. When he received the first returns
dersOn) he did not accept it because it was in
formal, and the messenger withdrew with the
return. 1t appears that the outside. of the
Louisiana did not have the signatures of the
electors to the outside Endorsement, and for
lack of this informality, it was taken back to
reply to a Question whether he at any time
learned from anybody that the Louisiana re-
turn was defective i'm containing but one list
Of votes for President and Vice President, said
until recently, except as it appeared in the
count Further, no one suggested that any of
the the, Signatures ] from the state of Louisiana
Witness was examined at length as to his
handling of the returns. He was then queS-
toned as follows:
tlnctly what ,ule you adopted with regard to
giving an opportunity for returns to go back
for correction where there was no apparent
uniformity; and at what, point you held fast to
thOSe which had once been received. A. In
every case, think, irrespective of the states
from which returns came. If | saw upon the
lace OF package an lnfOrmality, called the
attention of the messenger to it, as l thought
it my duty to do. l may have erred in that,
but at any rate L treated both sides alike;
have that justification. I called the attention
sui insisted on handing the return to me, as
they did in one or two cases, took it, and
when it was once in my hands declined to
give it UP.
Q. Did You ever have your attention called,
pending the count, to the fact that the one
set OF Louisiana contracts contained but one
list and the other two Isis ? A. No.
Q. When did you first learn that A. think
hrst learned 1t when they were read in joint
meeting.
O. l will now ask YOU for information, and
| N that in
question that put intend to make anything
like reflection upon you. Was the fact that
paper of this character was received a secret
with you, or was 1t matter about which you
talked neely? A. talked about the different
returns. l remarked frequently that it was
surprising that there We're so many errors and
lnformalitieS.
LETTER FROM HON. STANLEY MATTHEWS.
The chairman laid before the committee
letter from Hon. Stanley Matthews, in which,
alter quoting the committees resolution in
wing him TO testify at his convenience, he
without intending any disrespect what
ever to the honorable committee, or the House
OF Representatives, l feel constrained, by a
sense of duty toward myself and to the Senate
of the United States of which am member
to decline this Invitation under the circum::
stances existing. had had no information of
the proceedings before your committee which
its resolution above quoted refers to, except
what derived from reading reports thereof
ID the public newspapers, when. observing
from their peruSal the manner and extent in
and to which they seem to affect me, deemed
1t Que to myself, and to the honorable body of
which am a member, on Wednesday, the 5th
instant, to bring them to the attention of the
Senate In statement and explanation of a
personal nature, and as matter of privilege
moved a resolution OF inquiry, which was
He then quotes the Senate resolution, and
adds: have thus submitted the whole mat
ter ter to the Senate, which, by. the adoption of
thlS resolution, has taken jurisdiction and
entered upon the investigation requested
That body alone, so far as my conduct is con
ceIned, IS competent to render an effective
as your resolution invites me to me to submit
to your committee explanations of my cores
pondence with Anderson, in evidence before
II, consider that it would be improper for
me, under the circumstances, to comply with
II. l am not officially informed of the subject
under investigation by your committed in
reference to which am also by it's resolution
invited to appear and answer such questions
as may seem pertinent but from the copy of
the resolution of the House of Representatives,
from which your committee derives it's exist
ence and authority, as reported in the Con-
greSSaOndt Record 1 learn that it is limited to
an inquiry into certain alleged frauds in elec-
tlOns in Florida and Louisiana, and the con
nection Herewith of certain named gentle
men, OF whom am not mentioned as one l
have no knowledge whatever of any matter
relating to this subject, except so far as it
Which is in evidence before your committee !:
and as for the reason already given, reserve
that tor explanation before the committee
ordered by the Senate, it only remains for me
asTASIET sT'SI 'MSIArrHEws."
SENATOR MATTHEWS TO BE sUBPGNAED.
Mr. Matthews letter having been read, Mr.
Morrison remarked::-'We shall have to issue
subpoena for him.
The Chairman-When Senator Matthews
name was first mentioned inquired of mem
Ders OF the minority whether he desired to be
present under the circumstances, and they
said that they did not desire to have him pres.
ent.
Mr.. Cox.-The chairman has not been guilty
OF any dlScourtesy whatever in that respect
The question of what might be the privilege of
member OF either house had never occurred
to me until saw the point made in the news
Mr.. McMahon.-I do not see how we could.
IN advance OF taking testimony, have notified
Senator Matthews to appear, as he was not
named In the resolution under which The com
mlttee IS acting. To all those who were
named in the resolution we did accord the
right to appear by person or by counsel.
Mr. COx-Speaking for the minority of the
ton IN saying that that was all that we asked
Tor, ana II we were at fault in not making the
question Wider it was from lack of know
ledge.
was courteous IN the matter.
The chairman suggested that the cOpy sent
70 MI Matthews may not have come into his
MIR. Cox said: A fact occurs to me which.
and, casually meeting Senator Matthew's
ought to be mentioned in that connection. on
the day after our first testimony was printed.
being in the Senate chamber in the afternoon
asked him if he had received copy of the
printed testimony, and he told me he had not
then. Having my own copy, which received
from the clerk, in my pocket gave it to SEN
atOr Matthews at that time, suppOsing, how
ever, that copy would be SENT as / suppose
1t has been.
The Clerk.-It was sent to him by page.
MI McMahOn.-Did not our clerk forward
70 senator Matthews a printed copy of the
hrst days proceedings in which his name is
mentioned? -
The chairman called on the clerk, and the
clerk replied that he had sent copies of the
testimony to Mr.. Matthews, Mr.. Sherman and
Mr.. Moves. ~
MIR. Butler.-I wish to say that, knowing
that to be the fact, supposed had misheard
the reading OF Senator Matthews letter to the
committee on that point, wherein he stated
that he had no knowledge of what was done
here except from the public newspapers and
was surprised on re-reading the letter that
had heard it correctly.
Mr. Butler.-This becomes a very serious
and important matter, affecting the priyilec ca
OF the House OF Representatives, and while {
nave the honor of a seat in this body | do no
propose to submit tamely to any Invasion of
ITS rights, privileges or duties. BY the const
tuition the House of Representatives is charg-
ed with the duty Of preparing articles of inn