Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-07-13
WHOLE NO. 2,246.
Louisiana witnesses.
~ ~ v,s n.

/
The celebrated Mrs. jerks retired
rather ingloriously yesterday from
the eminent position of the most
remarkable parsonage in the Potter
farce. For a number of days she
made what is called a real sensation.
The extraordinary story which she
told was interesting, but her way of
telling it attracted more attention.
She was fluent and fiippant and
quick-witted and, while the pTivi-
lege and protection of sex enabled
her to retort upon her examiners
with an inconsequent saucineSs
which would not have been tole-
| rated in a man, aside from this adj
vantage she preserved a cheerful
| temper and an even self-control
which thwarted the ingenious eff
forts of the experienced and not
very sensitive lawyers with whom
she was confronted. 1t may be said,
however, that she appeared at her
worst at the test, Her correspond
ence with Anderson certainly will
not raise her in the public esteem.
Anderson scarcely would have ven
tured to write such letters to a truth
full, self-respecting woman. Such
woman scarcely would have an
swered such letters. That Mrs.
jerks could have taken part in so
vulgar wrangle with so disreputa-
bic person leaves a very unpleas-
ant impression concerning her; and
the impression is not relieved by
her own letters. 1t may be that she
gets the better of Anderson, but
victory in such a dispute is not
creditable to her. His heated pro-
family compared with her cooler
coarseness- only suggests that she
was his superior in the art of low
political intrigue and that she prob
ably has outwitted him, as she
asserts that she has done. An un-
comfortable consciousness of this
truth appears in his letters.
Mrs. jerks letters will increase !
the distrust with which her testi- |
mony was received. 1t will he |
harder than ever to decide whether |
she has been telling the truth and |
there will be less care to know.
She and Anderson well characterize |
period of Louisiana politics which |
the people would gladly forget if |
the POtters and the Buffers would |
only permit them to do so. These
witnesses serve another purpose. |
They illustrate the improbable ma
ture of Investigations such as that /
which is now going on in Washing
ton. Mrs. jerks and Anderson
contradict each other fatty upon
every important question, and so
will all the witnesses on either side.
Mr.. Morrison uncOnsciously exposed
the weakness of the whole Potter
movement when he told Mr.. Sher-
man the other day that, no matter
to what his witness might testify,
other witnesses would testify to di-
rectly the opposite. 1t is strange
that it does not occur to Mr.. MOrri-
it does occur to him
now; but it is strange that it did
not occur to him when he consented
to serve on the Potter Committee
that this is the rule in respect to all
investigations. One set
of witnesses is sure to swear one
way, and the other set is sure to
swear the other way. The history
of the last ten years proves this.
The objection to the Potter move
ment was twofOld. There was
nothing to be done, even if the
truth could be ascertained but
and this is the most important and
really the first objectiOn-in the cir
the truth could not be
There may be ground
for a majority report by the Demo-
Gratis and there may be ground for a
report by the Republicans;
but such is the character of Louisi-
ana witnesses, so profoundly foul
are the depths of Louisiana politics,
that it is useless to look for any
clear and coherent history of events
upon which the disinterested public
can found a dispassionate opinion.
Mr., or "Captain," Thomas II.
jerks deserves to rank with his
more celebrated wife and his more
Infamous friend as a representative
Louisiana witness. There was pro-
duced and identified by a notary
before the subcommittee in New (
Orleans yesterday an affidavit,
dated May IL, 1877, in which jerks
swears that Senator Kellogg and his
associates tried to prevent Ander-
oOu I6luFu 10 the IlttSl E6ilCldlld
parish, so that there might be no
there and the election
might be declared irregular; that
he and Anderson were in the parish ,
on the day of election and that the !
was "peaceable and fair" /
that Anderson refused to sign a
protest, but afterward signed one
partly in blank. This affidavit does
not seem to confirm jerks testi-
mOny before the Potter committee,
which is not surprising; and it does
seem to confirm AndersOn's testi-
mOny, which is rather surprising.
There is only one more addition
to be made to the brilliant collection
Of Louisiana witnesses-which, in
deed, scarcely needs that further
Let William Pitt
Kellogg be called, a man to whom
4 majority of the Senators of the
United States not long ago awarded
4 seat in their once honorable body.
There is plenty for Kellogg to eX-
plain, and there is not a little for
him to contradict.