The daily gazette., 1878-06-07
THE INVESTIGATION.


WAsHINGToN, June 6.-The Potter
committee was occupied to-day entirely
in the examination of Levisee one OF the
Hayes electors for Louisiana. Mr.. Lev
isee told the old story which he repe ated
before the senate committee of his being
approached with offers of bribes to vote
for 1flden. On cross-examination he was
forced to confess that these alleged offers
did not come from any reputable or au-
thorized democratic source, but from
sporting men and their representatives.
Mr.. Levisee made further, the important
declaration that his name was forged to
two of the triplicate returns of the acti OF
OF the Louisiana electors required to be
sent to Washington under the law. The
genuine signature of w. p. Kellogg ap
pears at the bottom Of all these docu-
ments, testifying to them as true re-
turns.
The very important point that the
electoral vote of Louisiana was awarded
to Mr.. Hayes ON the strength of forged
returns, brought out in the examination
of Levisee, excites considerable COM
ment. The facts are briefly as follows
When the message from Louisiana
reached here with the record of the vote
of that State as cast by the republican
electors, it was found that the necessary
Endorsement on the envelope was lack
ing, and the return did not therefore ac-
cord with the return sent to the Presi-
dent of the Senate by mail. The re-
turns were theh sent back to New Or
leans for correction, which was done on
the eth of December. They were dated
on the 9th of December, the day of the
meeting of the electoral college, and the
name of Levisee was forged, as stated by
him to-day. Mr.. Kellogg, who was also
one of the electors, 1t is alleged, signed
thsse forgeries as Governor. The two
forged returns with the genuine received
by mail were submitted to the electoral
commission and their decision rendered
on the strength of the same.
Nobody on the democratic side knew
of these facts of the forgeries and they
were never brought out until to-day. The
duplicate original certificate which Gen.
eral Anderson had has never turned up,
and as Mr.. Ferry refused to relinquish
the first one he got by mail it was bound
to go in among the records.
THE PRESIDENTS TITLE.
The sentiment of the thoughtful men
of the democracy both in the Senate and
House very largely preponderates in IA
vor of decided expression at once that
the presidential title is res ddjudicata, and
that the acts resulting from the electoral
count are to be affirmed from the very
necessity of the case. 1t is probable that
a resolution covering this idea will pass
the House very soon. The investigation
is regarded by the democrats a success
thus far, and they say that If to its re-
suits be promptly added reco1 ignition of
the legal consequences flswing from the
acts of the ForJy-fourth Congress the po-
sition of their party will be impregnable.
1t crime Is proved against the President
or any one in power, committed while
in office, they say, it is to be treated as
eny other crime, and punished accord
ing to law; that this is very different
trOm au dttdCk OI Gu6 tlti6 lCNcH. lb IN
believed by them that this attitude will
enforce the respect and confidence Of the
conservative men OF all parties.
MIR. Butler then offered the following
resolution, which was unanimously
adopted:
ResoiUed, That Hon. Stanley Matthews
be invited to appear before this commit
tee at his convenience and make any
explanation regarding the letters from
Mr.. Andersen to himself, just read, as
he may desire, and to answer such ques-
items as may be pertinent to the subject
under Investigation.
ANDERsoN's LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT
SEARCH FOR THE DOCUMENT.
WASHINGTON, Jnne 6.
The President to-day received the reso
luton ofthe Potter committee requesting
him to furnish the originals or authenti-
Gated copies of the letter of Stanley Mat
thews to the President and the Presidents
reply in regard to securing an appoint
ment for James e. Anderson. Several
days may elapse before the request can be
complied with, as in the earlier part of
the administration thousands of letters
were received at the Executive Mansion
but for the want of time were notindors-
ed, and therefore it will be necessary to
make careful search for the desired let
tarS