Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1878-07-11
Shutting out the Truth.

The Butler Committee (nee Potter) has
curious ideas of evidence. Its notions re-
semble those of the fellow who was arrested
for stealing pig. '.lt's no use of making
defense" said his lawyer; ''there are three
witnesses who swear they saw you carry off
the animal" ''Only three witnesses" replied
the man; "why, can bring twenty who will
swear they didn't see me-" Sherman offers
to produce one hundred witnesses who
will swear that arson, whipping, hanging
shooting and other bull-dozing elcctioneering
methods were practiced in the Feliciana par
.shes to intimidate the Republican voters.
sits of no use producing such testimony"
says Mr.. Morrison, of the Butler Committee,
''for we can bring five hundred witnesses
who viii swear that they saw nothing of the
kind going on" This is not Morrison's eX-
act language, but it is the gist of his answer
to Sherman's request. The sort of rebutting
testimony unnecessary is the same sort the
Democrats have been in the habit of pro-
ducing before Sourhern investigating CON-
mittees. On the part of the Republicans it
would be shown that A. B. had been shot,
c. D. hung, E. F. fogged nearly to death,
q. H. burned out of his house, and so on
through a long chapter OF atrocities. Then
the Democrats would put lot of Majors,
Colonels, and Judges on the stand, and they
would all swear that they never committed
any such crimes and never saw any commit
ted. This, according to Democratic reason
ing, was conclusive proof that the Republican
witnesses were liars. 1t did not help the poor
fellows who had been flogged and shot and
hung, however.
Dir. Morrison cannot palm this stale party
trick again off on the public at this late day.
He has charged Mr.. Sherman with bribing
men with promises of Office to report as un-
fair an election which was fair. Mr.. Sher.
mans answer was first that he offered no such
bribes, and second that the election in the
Felcianas was grossly unfair. The charge of
bribery has utterly fallen through, and now
the committee are trying to escape the test of
an investigation of the second part of their
allegation. Sherman offers proof that there
we're committed in those parishes inst before
the election of 1876 the following crimes:
In East Feliciana-Killed, g. wounded, 8;
hung, 2; whipped, "a; shot at, 4; expelled
from office and driven from home, s; by
threats of violence, 5; burned out, 2; threats
to individual persons, II. In West Feliciana
Killed, 25; wounded, 1; hung, 8; whipped,
z; shot at, z; expelled from office and driven
from home, IL: by threats of violence, 4;
threats to individuals, IS: burnt out, 13.
He further offers to prove that these crimes
were committed by Democrats, and that the
victims were Republicans. Now the COM
mittee refuse to hear the testimony because,
before some other committee sitting at an
other time and place, number of people
swore that they had no knowledge OF these
outrages. This refusal would be amazing in
its impudence if anything in the way of
meanness and unfairness proceeding from the
Butler. Potter committee could surprise u.s.
lClevelsnd Herald. ,-Tprl n nrr