The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-06-08
THE LOUISIANA FILTHINESS
r. n HAYES. John Sherman and stanley Mat
thews all WalIOwing in the Mud.

] ed revelations OF the Potter investigation com
mittee. 1t was known that Jas. +. Anderson
ex republican supervisor of the election in one
of the Feliciana parishes in Louisiana in 1876
was to be examined, and that he had some
very damaging stories to tell but that he
would be able to back them up by irrefIagibIe
documentary proof-that he had his pockets
| full of letters from John Sherman, Stanley
Matthews and even President Hayes, that
showed beyond all reasonable question their
guilty participation in the frauds by when
lTilden was robbed of the electoral vote OF
Louisiana, was something that no one had sus.
pected. Yet such was the nature and backing
of Anderson's evidence.
! The story he tells is substantially this. That
| for several weeks before the Louisiana election
| in Nov. 1876, Anderson and Weber being SUI.
pcrvisors of election for East and West Fell
ciana parishes, and the registration showing
that the democrats had a large majority there,
Kellogg, Pitkln and other leading Louisiana
republicans tried hard to persuade Anderson
and Weber to hold no election there, and to cX-
cuse themselves on the ground that their lives
would be endangered to do So Anderson says
he felt his life would be more endangered by
not holding the election, and accordingly on
election day he and Weber went to the parishes
and held the election, which was as peaceable
and orderly as an election could possibly be
anywhere
The vote of these parishes gave Louisiana
to Tildcn beyond any possible dispute, and the
problem with the republican leaders was how
to get rid of that vote After great deal Of
negotiation, bargaining and bull-dozing, to
drive Anderson and Weber into appending to
the returns from those parishes lying protest
against them on the ground of intimidation,
the two drew up and signed paper stating
that although the election in the Feliclana par
ishes was 1.-THE most peaceable and orderly ever
witnessed by any one" yet, 1.-THE electoral vote
of Louisiana being necessary to secure the elec'
ton of Hayes, and to secure such vote 1t is
necessary to throw out the parishes of East
and West Felciana, therefore, for that reason
alone and no other, we have agreed to protest
against the counting of the vote as cast
This protest of course did not suit the repub-
lean ring masters, and they so changed its yer.
biagc by scratching out the interlining above
the signatures as completely to change Its
meaning. Anderson and Weber protested
against and denounced this as forgery and
threatened to expose it. About this time came
along the visiting republican statesmen from
the north, headed by John Sherman; and the
first effort to which they seem to have addressed
themselves was to persuade Anderson and Web
er to allow the forged protest in their name to
stand as genuine. The natural question with
Anderson seems to have been, "What will you
give?" Sherman promised that both he and
Weber should be literally provided for as soon
as Hayes was inaugurated. They wanted
something more than mere verbal promises
and after meeting Sherman at his request and
long interview with him, during which he
urged them to allow the forged protest to stand
he finally drew up, signed and gave them the
following paper:
New ORLEANS Nov. 90, 1S76-Messrs ID
A. WEBER and JAMES +. ANDERsON-Geatle
men,. Your note of even date has just been re
ceivcd Neither Mr.. Hayes, myself, the gen
tlcmcn who accompany me, or the country a
large, can ever forget the obligations under
which YOU will have placed us should you
stand firm in the position you have taken
From long intimate acquaintance with Gov
Hayes | am justified in assuming responsible
ity for the promises made, and will guarante,
that You will he provided for rs soon after III;
4th of March rs may be practicable and in sucl
manner as " i'll enable YOU both to leave Louisi
ana should you deem 1t necessary. Very trul.
yours, JOHN SHERMAN.
Though this, in all conscience was stron!
enough, Anderson wanted still other pledges
and next day he met Nash, the republican
Congressman from the 9th Louisiana distnc
(Which includes the Fclicianas) and obtained
from him this further agreement:
New ORLEANS, Noy. 81, ls16.-By an Al
rangemcnt entered into this day between jaime
+. Anderson, supervisor of registration for tn
parish of East Felciana La, and Charles L
| Nash, member of congress from the Sixth con
rrcssional district of Louisiana, IT is agree
that said Anderson shall suppress cvidcnc
showing that the said parish of East Felician
was fairly carried by the democratic party a
the election held in November, 1876, thcreb
elccting the entire democratic state ticket an,
congressman, in consideration of which tn
SAID Nash agrees 10 secure Ia sad Anderson
the position of naval officer at the port OF New
| Orleans, La. JAS r. ANDERSON,
G. +. NASH.
The above agreement was signed in on
presence this 2lst day of November, 1876
! J. VI. ToMIINsoN,
q. b. MORGAN.
Tie vote of the Feliclanas, as all the worl
knows. was thrown out, the fraud succeeded
and Hayes was inaugurated as president.
The 4th of March passed and April was d
hand; Weber, Anderson's chum, having show
signs of rclenting even before the frauduler
electoral commission had made their shamefu
decision, was set upon at night and ASSASSIN
atcd. But Anderson stood firm" His appl
cation for various offices had been presente