The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-02-21

any other time (to my knowledge), of bar
gain by which anything was to be done in con-
sideration of anything relating to the Electoral
Count bill, to the Presidential succession. or TO
anything whatever, directly or indirectly con-
nected with it, or with the future of any poiti-
cal party existing or to be created"
'What was the nature of the paper which
Burke had?"
"The paper was simply memorandum,
without signature, stating, in substance. what
the Nichols Government would do In case it
should be sustained. 1t did not cover more.
than half-page of letter-paper. The general
idea of it was that the Nichols Government
would treat all citizens of Louisiana fairly; that
no person should be punished for opinions
sake that colored men should enjoy all the
rights guaranteed by the constitutional amend
mentS. The memorandum embodied Substan
TALLY an outline of the declarations which we're
subsequently made i'll the resolutions passed by
the Nichols Legislature"
WAS there any mention made in that men,
0randum, or in any memorandum, or at that
conference, of the Returning Board, or of any
action to be taken, or not taken, concerning
it?"
"The Returning Board was not mentioned
at the conference within my hearing, nor was
any reference made to it."
Was the meeting dinner party?"
1.-The meeting was entirely informal. There
der Nobody stated its object. There was no
Chairman. 1t consisted of general talk about
the room among the different gentlemen who
were there. Little groups were gathered at
different parts of the room, talking at the same
time. For this reason, doubtless, it happened
that Maj Burke read his paper to Garfield in
my hearing, and that the other persons in the
room at the time may not have known any
| thing about it. We sat 0n sofa apart to our-
/ selves.
| "Did anybody make any suggestions as TO.
| what the policy of the Nichols Government
would be except Burke?'
"Nobody that | remember said ANYTHING
| else about Nichols or his Government except
| Burke"
Were there any suggestions as to South Caro-
Gna?" >@
"South Carolina was not mentioned in the
conference, except in general way Of refer
ring to the policy which Gov. Hayes would be
likely to adopt-that of local elf-government.
The conference may have been two hours In
length"
"What became of that memorandum"
~ suppose Burke kept it he certainly die
not give it to anybody, or offer to give it to any
body, that I saw or heard. 1t is all the paper
of any kind that was shown at the meeting"
"Where is the letter of Gov. Hayes to yOuW
81 thought had it here among my papers.
I have number of letters from him, but
don't find it, and suppose 1 must have left it at
home"
"Can you remember the substance of it?'
81 can remember the substance and, I think,
the exact language. The letter was almost
identically this:
"'Accept nv thanks for your speech of Feb.
-. [ will not make statements to influence
results but, if the It suit is favorable your IN
derstanding of my policy will be found to be
correct"
"That is the substance think the very
language of the letter. There was not more
than six lines in it. It was substantial in
dorsement of what said in my speech of
believe the date was Feb. 90"
"What was your object in making that
speech?"
5 My only purpose in any statement that
made was to impress upon the opposition my
convictions as to the probable policy OF Gov.
= Hayes. If the opposition could be convinced
! that correctly represented Gov. Hayes views
l thought that could see a reasonable chance
for a peaceful execution of the Electoral Count
l bill. asked for no promises in return no
suggestion was ever made by me to anybody
! that certain things were to be done by the
other side in consideration Of certain things to
: be done by Gov. Hayes, should he be success
full. No mention was ever made of the Speak
ership. In fact, as far my name was con-
nected with that Office, nothing Of the kind
ever occurred to me until l saw the matter
mentioned in the public prints after the III
auguration of President Hayes. I never heard
suggestion about the Texas Pacific railroad
in connection with the matter. My labors
were directed exclusively to one purpose, and
that was peaceful solution Of the Presiden-
tial succession"
"Did Gov. Hayes know of any of these
steps which were taken, such as the Wormley
conference?"
"Gov. Hayes was not consulted by me, or 50
far as know, by anybody, with regard to any
thing that was done by myself or a&aa8s in
connection with this matter. 1 haze every
reason to believe that he absolutely knew moth
ing about the whole affair. That, so far as
know. anything about it. is an outline of the
Wormley conference and of my effort TO secure
a peaceful solution Of the Presidential diff
Guilty"