The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1878-05-21
PRESIDENTIAL FRAUDS.
PROPOSED INVESTIGATION
BY THE HOUSE.
Resolution of Inquiry Introduced
SQuirmIng and Squealing OF
the Republicans.

the Republicans.
HOUSE.
WAsHINGToN, May l3 MIR. Potter, as
a question OF privilege, presented the
following preamble and resolution:
WHEREAS, The State of MARYLAND
has, by its Legislature, formally declared
that due effect was not given to the elec.
toral vote cast by the State on the 9th
day Of December, 1875, by reason of
fraudulent returns in the in the electoral
votes from the States of Florida and
Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, An affidavit by Samuel B.
McLin, Chairman of the Board Of State
Canvassers of the State of Florida for
the election held in that State in Novem.
ber, 1876. for electors of President and
Vice President has been made public, al
leging force and fraudulent returns of
the election in that State, whereby the
choice of the people Of that State was
annulled and reversed, ard that the &C.
tion of the Board of State Canvassers in
making such returns was influenced by
the conduct and promise of Hon Edward
r. Noyes, now Minister to the govern
ment of France; and
WHEREAS, It is alleged that conspi-
racy existed In the State of Louisiana,
whereby the Republican vote in all pre-.
cincts Of the parish Of East Feliciana,
and in some precincts of West Feliciana,
at the general election in November,
1875, was purposely withheld from the
polls to afford pretext for exclusion BY
the Returning Board of that State Of the
vote cast at these precincts for electors
of President and Vice President.and that
James E. Anderson, supervisor of regis
tration Of East Feliciana, and D.! A. We.
Der, supervisor of registration in the par
ish of West Feliciana, in that State, in
furtherance OF that conspiracy, falsely
protested that the elections in such pre-
cincts had not been fair and free, and that
the State Returning, Board thereupon
falsely and fraudulentlY excluded the
votes Of said precincts, and by means
thereof,and of other false and fraudulent
action by said Returning Board, the
choice of the people Of that State was
annulled and reversed, and that such &C.
ton of said Weber and Anderson was
induced or encouraged by the assurances
of Hon. John Sherman, Secretary of the
Treasury Of the United States; and ea
/ WHEREAS, The gravity of these char.
ges, the nature of the evidence upon
which they are reported to be based, and
the official dignity and position of the
persons named in connection with said
frauds, make it proper that the same
should be inquired into, to the end that
the honor OF the nation may be vlndica-
ted, and the truth as to such elections be
made known; therefore, be it .s1g
Rese1red, That q select committee
consisting of eleven members of the
House be appointed to inquire into the
aforesaid allegations as to the conduct of
persons ..in office aforesaid, in respect TO
said election, and into the alleged false
and fraudulent canvass and returns of
votes by the state, county, parish and
precinct officers in said States of Louisi-
ana and Florida, and into all the facts,
which, in the judgment Of said commit
tee,are connected with or pertinent there
to, and that the said committee, for the
purpose Of executing this resolution, shall
have power to send for persons aud pa
pers, to administer oaths and take testi.
mony, and in their discretion to- detail
the b-committees with like full author
ity of said committee in every particular
and with power to sit in Florida and
Louisiana, which sub-eommittees shall
be the committees of this House, and
the chairman thereof shall be authorized
to administer oaths; that said committee
and sub committees may employ steno
praphers and be attended each by dep
uty sergeantat-arms and may set duIins
sessions Of this House ard during vaca
tion, and that,said committee proceed il
this inquiry and have leave to report a
any time as raoos ses -.q ~
,Hr. Hale said be had an arnendmen
to offer, which was clearly germaine, t.
the resolution, and he submitted that il
all fairness he should be permitted TO OF
| fer it. He hoped the gentleman Pot
teri would not seek here and now to sti
| de further debate and prevent the Repub
| |lican side from offering amendments tina
would make the investigation exhaustive
and searching. He therefore asked tn
gentleman to yield to him to offer hi
amendment - 2
Mr. Potter-The gentleman from
Maine is exceedingly familiar with par
| liamentary law, and il able to state th
nature Of his amendment, and when b
states 1t, then / will allow it to he Offer
ed. 80 i..7'" ss'.iss'7 -. ''aiii3
Mr.. HaleAWin the gentleman let th
amendment be read sand he will undel
stand what it is. I will send it to th
clerks desk. TShouts of No! No! o
the Democratic side. . Ae v
Mr.. Pottef-The gentleman can ar
swer If he chooses, and if he refuses an
insists on giving me an answer on
ouire of foolscap, then I say 1t is nc
such an iappeahto my courtesy as ougt
to weld to. For aught know it ma
lrefer to other States than the States Q
Florida and Louisiana. a7 0s;n4r
T. Mr.. Hale-The gentleman seems t
limit his investigation to selected State
| and will not allow it to 60 outside,
that the reason why he will not ADM
my amendment? I tell the gentlema
/ plainly that my amendment is not, COZ
iHned to Florida and Louisiana. -.
Mr., Potter-Now / have got at los
an answer to my inquiry, and l declinet t
tyield for the amendment. II the fraud
were attempted in Florida and Louisis
lna,they we're carried ont successfully an
became operative. If the object Of tn
gentleman from Maine is to show tbs
there were frauds in South Carolina, b
which the electoral vote of that Stat
was counted for Hayes, when it ought
be counted for Tilden, l shall be prepal
ed to answer as to an amendment OF tbs
sort, but the gentleman from Maine wi
not venture to declare anything of th
kind. .lor ....e ~
| Mr.. Butler-Will the gentleman froi
New York Potter allow me to add t
This resolution the words "Sonth CAROL
jnar' .ha.5a7Yl.f 'a...s .aSa
| Mr.. Gar6eld-"Mississippp' also.
l Mr.. Potter-No, Mr.. Speaker, for th
l = ~ xEo< o,,Ao IN