The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-08
John Sherman's Defence.

We find in some Of the Western journals
Washington telegram. according To which
Secretary SHERMAN promises that he will
prove JAMES L. ANDERSON to be Il liar and a
cheat. Thus Mr.. SHERMAN proposes, as We
are told, to meet the case made against him
on the first day Of the POTTER Committees
investigation.
We suggest to Mr.. SHERMAN that such a
line OF defence must prove entirely made
quate. Ii will be III vain for him to impcach
the character or crediblity OF ANDERSON.
All evidence on that subject will be irrele-
want to Mr.. SHERNfAN's case. Proving An
DERsoN to be the worst man In the world
will not in the least diminish the force OF the
evidence introduced on the first day OF the
investigation. That evidence fully establish
es the charge against Mr.. SHERMAN; and
the witness from whom it proceeds is no
other than JOHN SHERMAN himself.
The.first part OF this evidence is the fol-
lowing letter, bearing Mr.. SnERMAN's sig
nature:
INV ORLEANS. Nov 90. 1875
"GxSrLKNrN Your note Of date has just been re-
eeivcd. Neither Mr. HAYES myself the gentlemen who
accompany me. the country at large forget
the obligations under which YOU will have placed US.
should you stand firm In the position you
have taken From n long aud intimate
quaintance with GOV. HAYKs, am justified in
assuming responsibility for promises made, and
will guarantee that you shall be provided for soon
after the 4h Of March may be practicable and In such
manner as will enable you both ooAve Louisiana should
you deem 1t necessary. Very truly yours.
joins SHERMAN
"Mr. D. A. WEBER and JANIS E. ANDERSON"
Mr.. SHERMAN appeared before Mr.. PoT-
TIERS committee on Saturday last to testify
respecting this letter. He was sworn. the
letter was put into his hands, and he was
Intercepted about II. To the question
whether he ever wrote such letter, he re-
piled by declining to swear that he had
never written it. He declined to say that
there was any one thing In it which he
could not have written; and he avowed that
there are things in this letter that | would
have written" While he thus refused to
deny positively that he had written it, his
verbiage and elaborate phrases involved an
admission that tho letter was really his;
and this is the judgment Of all far-minded
people. Republicans as well as others.
Now, this is the testimony that estab-
fishes the case against Mr.. SHERMAN. 1t is
made up OF his own statement under oath.
equivalent to a confession that this letter is
really his, and Of the letter itself propos-
ing to WEBER and ANDERSON that they
should not expose the false character Of
certain fraudulent documents, which docu-
ments were indispensable TO the counting in
Of RUTHERFORD b. HAYES as President Of
the United States. Such is the evidence,
proceeding from himself, which Mr.. SHEER
MAN has TO confront. and no charges or
proof in regard TO other subjects, brought
against JAMES l.. ANDERSON or any other
individual, can affect this evidence one Iot
or little.
This letter, with Mr.. SHERMAS'S sworn
statement concerning it, settles the fact
that he was concerned in n conspiracy
TO make RUTHERFORD b. HAYES Presi-
dent, when SAMUEL j. TILDEN had been
elected aud that with view OF con-
summating that conspiracy he promised
to the agents whom he used, that through
appointments to Office, or through other
means within the power Of the Federal Adj
ministraton, they should be rewarded for
their services by being provided for as
soon after the 4th OF March as may be prac-
ticable. and in such manner as will enable
you both to leave Louisiana should you
deem 1t necessary
BY no afterthought and by no device OF
his fertile cunning can Mr.. SHERMAN over
throw this evidence given by himself.