New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-11-30

persons who still stand well at Washington
would be ruined by thorough investigation
Of course if the party is going to unload, IL
ought to know before it begins just where
the process is to stop, and whether there VIII
be ANYBODY left when it has got through.
After all it may be that circumstances over
which they will have no control VIII rel'eNe
the Democratic leaders from the embarrass-
ment of deciding the delicate question Oh
cipher policy The scandal has gone 100 lari
and whether it be determined that lie lklb-
UNE has already made all the disclosures
required, OF that there Is more "icheu-
ness that ought to be laid bare, IL
seems to us highly probable that the
future treatment of the matter VIII ne
decided at Washington without much defer-
ence to the Judgment of the Democratic
statesmen. The instructions to the IOtteI
Committee were carefully drawn so as 10
prevent their extending their inquiries INTO
alleged Democratic frauds, ana the
scope of their investigation was c0hilheu
TO Florida and Louisiana. When Mr.
Hale introduced an amendment requiring
them to take testimony respecting the oregon
and South Carolina cases, and the allegations
of violence and cheating by the Democrats
IN the other States, the House of Representa-
tiyes promptly voted him down. As the
matter now stands. 1t can be argued that the
committee has no power to touch the SCUM
Carolina scandal, or to take any notice OF
the attempts, even III Florida, 10 Diloe
members of the Returning Board, their
duty being simply to inquire INTO the
"allcged false and fraudulent canvass ana
"rcturn of votes by state, county, parish ana
"precmct officers" If The cipher kilograms
are referred to them, therefore their author
ify must be greatly enlarged or else the IN
Guiry will be sham, as all their past IN
quirics have been.
If new committee is appointed, or II
the Potter Committee should take up tins
inouiry in earnest, it is hardly ncccs-
sarv for us to say that THE TRIBUNE Will
give il all the assistance possible III getting
at the bottom facts. We trust that the COM
mittec will make dilgcnt inquiry for Republic
can cipher dispatches, and, if it find any,
that if will call upon the authors OF them for
the keys of translation. If the authors re-
fuse To dcciphcr them, and the committee
cannot, it will give liz great pleasure to
try our hand at the task, and III case
of success to make prompt puhlica-
ton of the results. IL Is minated
that the committee viii probably wish
to know how The TRIBUNE translated
the Florida and South Carolina ciphcrs. The
method was explained in THE TRIBUNE OF
October 7, but if a committee desire more
detailed account of the process we shall be ready
to give it. We axe willing 10 20 still further
TO aid IN the good work we shall gladly
point ont to the committee the few parilc-
uIms in which The TRBUNLs rraus-
lations are doubtful, and consequently
need to be tested by tho examination
of McSsrs. Weed, Marble, and Pelton; and We
shall also indicate the points at which, owing
to the loss of certain dispatches. there are
obscuIities whcl ought TO be- cleared away.
For example, it has never been clearly ascer-
tanned what took place between Mr.. Manton
Marble and Secretary Of State McLin, in
the last days Of the Florida canvass.
1t is not positively known how the
scheme for purchasing the Board for half
hundred best United States documents fell
through 1t j. not pr0yed-Ouly made highly
probable-that Colonel Pclton carried $780,
600 TO Smith Weed in Baltimore. 1t is not
known what passed between those two wOr-
tines at their now historic meeting on the
Goth Of November. The cause of the " little
delay about which Mr.. Weed thcreupon tel
cgraphcd to Senator Gordon has never been
revealed nor do the ciphers explain whether
the proposed purchase of the South Carolina
Canyasslng Board was defeated by this delay
or by the refusal of the Board to be bought.
Then again it will be remembered that Smith
Weed speaks of negotiating this affair through
the agency of an - ntorCcdcr," and the name
of this person has never been disclosed. His
testimony would be extremely interesting. Sew
eral eminent gentlemen could give valuable
information about "Gwin's plan" Witnesses
ought to be called to give an account of the
origin, development and collapse of the plot
for overturning the Electoral College of South
Carolina by the purchase of four " indi1pcnsa
"ble' votes in the State Senate aud couple
"new negroes in other House" And finally,
the committee might supply want which has
long been felt by calling Mr. MantOn Marble
and asking him how he cOuId be such "a fool
as to write that Letter Oh the Electoral Com
missiOn2
"SELF-GOVFRNMENT