New-York tribune., 1878-06-24
TENkS.

The testimony of Mrs. Agnes d. jerks, in
teresting though it is, derives its importance
more from the light it throws upon the Potter
Committee than from any illumination it may
contribute to the history of the Louisiana
election. This ingenious lady seems to have
been q chief ingredient in the mixed politics
of the State which she blesses by living in it,
She has never attached herself permanently
to any particular party. @ had versatility in
"pOlitics,n she remarked; :" did not know
" in the morning what my politics would be in
" the evening" But she took a great interest
in public affairs she visited Washington merely
." to see that the legislative business glded
along smoothly; she associated with all
sorts of public characters, statesmen like Mr.
Stanley Matthews, and magnificent and sub
lime scOundres like the eminent Anderson.
lady with so few prejudices was well calcu-
lated to succeed in Louisiana and we were
not surprised when her husband observed in
an easy way to the committee " Mrs jerks
" you know, was kind of prominent among
" the politicians there" We should say, in
deed, that she was and Mr.. Potter's Com
mittee has now given her an advertisement
that ought to be worth a great deal.
Disentangled from superhuous embellish-
ments and anectatOns of mystery, the story
of Mrs. jerks amounts simply to the state
ment that there was a swindle in the Ander-
son operations which even Anderson did not
suspect. When that young man wrote
to MIR. Sherman asking a formal
guarantee that he and Wcbber should
be protected if they stood by their conscience
and spurned Major Burke's $4,000, it was
Mrs. jerks who carried the note and brought
the answer. But she testifes that she never
delivered the note, and that Sherman did not
write the answer. While she was waiting in
the reception-rOom at Mr.. Sherman's hotel,
she had the misfortune quite uncOnsciOusly to
bite off the end of the note, and then she
thought she would like to see what was in 1t,
and then she did not wish TO deliver it in a
mutilated condition and finally, without see
ing Mr.. Sherman at all, she dictated the reply
herself, Mr.. Shermans name was signed to it
she will not say by whOm-and she handed
it to Webber. That is the history of the fa-
nous Sherman guarantee, upon which was
constructed a plan for Tevolutionizing the
Government Of the United States.
The confessions of Mrs. jerks were not
needed to establish the good name of Mr..
Sherman, or to complete the vlndicatiOn of
the President. Andersons examination was
complete refutation of the charges he was
called to support, and any further evidence in
that direction can be only cumulative. But
what an illustration do Saturdays proceed
ings afford of the insane folly of this whole
investigation. An attack upon the title of the
President of the United States, scheme 70
overtum the entire machinery of Govern
ment, has nothing better to rest upon
than an alleged copy, which nobody has
proved, of a feigned letter, which no
body has seen, cOncOcted by woman
in politics, and interpreted by a miser-
able drunken adyenturer whom nobody
can believe on oath. To what a pitiable con-
dition do these latest developments reduce
Mr. POtter's Committee. 1t will be obliged to
report not only that the charges presented to
the House of Representatives with so much
emphasis and passion are not sustained, but
that there never was any ground for making
them. And the undeclared promoter of the
inquiry, who modestly cOnceals himself behind
the committee, may well add with Dogberry !:
"And masters, do not forget to specify, when
time and place shall serve, that am an ass"