The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-08-15

A Mascot Stuff That Would be
Kicked Out Of Any Respeot-
able Court in Chris /
tendon.
NEw YORK, August 1.-THE Potter
Congressional Committee continued their
Investigations this morning.
Col. ". II. Roberts, OF the New Or
leans Timsi testified. BE said he was
familiar with VIVA. was going on and saw
all OF the visiting statesmen at New Or.
leans. They we're not consulted about
his visit to Ohio; be merelry mention.
ed to Stevenson, Matthews and Sherman
that the. situation Of the white people In
the State was desperate. We had been
defeated BY the Returning Board In 1872
and again In 1874. We were afraid Of
being defeated again in 1876. The epeo'
pie we're beginning TO think that slec.
lions were utterly useless. We consider.
ed the election affair and Just one. We
polled every white vote available, but we
feared being counted out by the Re-
turning Board. We all believed that
the Returning Board would not dare
TO have done what they did do without
they had received the moral support OF
the visiting stateamen. These appre.
tensions about the Returning Board were
wha, led 70 my visit TO Hayes. We
wanted to know what action he would
take if elected, He knew we'll | was
talking for the Democratic side. under.
stood Hayes to mean by fairness. .snd JUS
tice that the Returning Board cheating
should cease, aud that, as | told him We
had clear maiorityof over 1000 in the
State, the Nichols government would be
recognized. There was no determination
TO resist the establishment oil Hayes in
the Federal government. We were more
deeply interested In finding out what
would be done il the Democratic vote OF
Louisiana was thrown out and Hayes
counted in. did not hear Of any forged
electoral certificates Of Louisiana.
Ia conversation with Foster he said il
was strange that the Republican vote
was cast in East Feliciana. 10 my con-
versation with ConkliDg | told him [
thought Hayes was very fair man, and
that he had told me he would be President
OF all the United States or not at all. 1
detailed to the Senator all my converse
ton with Hayes. Conkling replied, lam
opposed to all this sort OF thing, II Hayes
Ia elected he should get 10 without any
concessions to Louisiana. and II he is not
he should not get in at all. In CONVERSE
tion with several gentlemen | remarked
that the crookedness Of the Returning
Boards in Loulsiana was so bad and glar.
ing that even the Republicans had to dis.
avow all connection with Il. This ap.
plies TO the previous elections. We un-
derstood that the military would be
withdrawn after the 4th OF March, and
they would be let down easily, but they
would be let down.
General Butler-Who do you mean by
they? -,
4. The Packard government. There
was a committee appointed to go down
TO Louisiaua, and we all knew very we'll
that they were intended simply TO let the
Packard government down easily. 1t
looked better, you know.
This ended Roberts testimony.
The next witness was John E. Leete,
who Ia a reporter on the New Orleans
Tfmss. BE testified that about 1872 he
was engaged In getting up facts and evil
dence in support Of the Kellogg govern
ment TO lay before Congress. Other peo.
ple made atiidavits and witness compiled
Them. There were endless commissions
aud committees and calls for more eyi.
dence from Senator Morton. We alleged
that the Democrats, with Yarmouth,
had .awindled us Republicans. All the
best offices had been traded to the Re-
turning Board in 1872 to get them to
count Ia Kellogg. Witness was TO get
| the best Office not traded of already, and
picked out the office Of Harbor Master;
never went near the Office except 10 draw
Imy pay; was constantly associated with
KELLOGG; jlost confidence In Governor
kellogg when ] was removed; l then got
position In the State Senate as clerk.
Kslloeg's excuse for all his failings was
that be was tied up and embarrassed, and
tcould not do what he wanted with his
patronage. He was selected just as Hayes
| l. now, BY the Returning Board Of 1875.
IfWitness believed that Anderson was on
both Boards. Witness stated that he was
afterwards made tax collector in small
town which, he o traded; off for q seat in
the Convention that nominated Packard
in 1875; witness was opposed to Packard,
and Kellogg wanted him to spring the
nomination ot, Williamson. Kellogg pre-.
tended to support Packard before the
tConyention, but never intended him to be
nominated. ..--- IN
q. Here Mr.. Roberts was recalled and
General Butler said when did you first
hear Of the appointment Of the McVsigh
eoumissiop.1 "A. About the 10th ot,Feb'
ruary. I think was speaking with sew.
Al parties, s(Mr. Foster among Others
1 land the question OF letting down the
Packard people easily came up, then the
commission with o majority Of Repub.
llicans on 1t was suggested. Mayor Vim.
ming said It was 8 capital idea. The idea
Vas that the commission, sanctioned BY
the President and Secretary Of State,
would make the Republicans in Loui.ia
ns yield and give the State to the Mich:
| ols government. II was we'll understood
| that the commission was under official
instructions.
o, By General Bu.ler. Then you
Hooked on the commission coming down
4 there as farce? A. Well, not exactly.
o. Butler-No matter what the eyi.
dence and state Of facts Werethe commits
sion had TO come to predetermined con.
clusion? A. Yes sir, We understood 60.
| o. Il was predetermined that one gov
ernment was to be let down easy! A.
lThats It exactly.
@. Then one Democrat was puton the
Commission to give II the appearance
Of fairness! A. Yes. We wanted cool
and collected man on the Commission
| who would let Us knoW what they were
doing The witness said he supposed the
\ President or Secretary Of State was aware
OF the objects and Instructions OF the
Commission; that the fairness and justice
ot our case was the wiping out and lifting
down Of the Packard government the
Nichols government having maiority
4 Of votes. -,
| Q. Then, on your own showing and on
the evidence that Nichols was elected
and Packard Rs not and on the decision
Of the Commission, should Il not have
haan decided bV them aIRo that Tilden