New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-08-21
spTRIT OF THE PRoCEEDINGs.

New Orleans nv General Butler is not likely to be
full of startling developments. Major Burke told
his story at great length TO the subcommittee IN
New-OFleans about month ago. and ,he IS now re-
called simply TO give General Butler an opportunity
to put the testimony into such shape that 1T VIII DO
useful for hls personal purposes. Aplaln story'
told IN a straightforward manner may convey
truthful idea of what actually occurred, but when
it is interspersed with argumentative questions
such as General Butler of all men, knows how to
frame, it becomes much available for partisan
OF personal use.
Major Burke, as all the world knows, was sent to
Washington in January, 1877, to represent the
Nichols government No better or more efficient
agent could have been selected. Identified with
the liberal rather than the Bourbon wing of the
Democratic party, man of high character, who
was respected by all who knew him without re-
gard to party affiliations, of good address and
thoroughly familiar with the Louisiana question,
he had at the same time, a wide acquaintance
among public men in Washington. Unlike most
Democrats he had access 10 President Grant and
several members of his Cabinet, and was trusted by
Republican leaders in Congress to an extent not
enjoyed by most members of the opposition. The
success of his mission is part of the history
of the times.
From the 18th Of February, 1877 to the 4th OF
March of the same year Major Burke held frequent
consultations with influential Republicans, begin
Mug with Judge Stanley Matthews, and meeting at
different times Senator Sherman, Ex-Governor Den
nisOn, General Garfield Charles Foster and Others.
It is of the conversations held with these men prior
to and in the WormIey conference that General
Butler is anxious to get the full history provided ne
can get 1t in such shape chat he make effective
use oft.
Major Burke tells the story of his first long inter
view with Stanley Matthews on the night when the
Electoral Commission decided that the vote Of
Louisiana must be counted for Hayes, substantially
rs Senator Matthews told it to a correspondent of
TIE TRIBUNE at Cape May two weeks ago Con-
WINGED that if the count was completed Mr. Hayes
would be inaugurated the Louisiana Democrats
were anxious to save their State Govern
ment out of the wreck of the Democratic
cause that then seemed inevitable. Judge
Matthews seems to have been willing to help them
in this, for Major Burke nowhere says that he had
any trouble with Matthews, but he did have to
furnish guarantees to be used to convince other
Republicans. On the 18th of February the day
after the first long consultation with Mr. Matthews,
the Democrats in caucus resolved against flbuster
Ing, and on the 18th Major Burke submitted the
guarantees on behalf of the Nichols government,
which were subsequently embodied in resolutions
passed in April by the Nichols Legislature General
Butler read these guarantees over, one by one, to
show that they contained nothing but what was
enoined by the Constitution and laws Of the United
States, the Constitution and laws of Louisiana, or
had been promised by the platform of the Louisiana
Democracy, and he attempted to show that the Re-
publicans had been overreached in the bargain and
had sold the State Of Louisiana to The Democrats
for a consideration that turned out to be Of no
value.
Having established apparently to his own salts
faction this point he then went on to ask If 1t
not part Of this agreement that If the troops were
withdrawn from the Louisiana State House, the
Democrats of that State would stop the ilibuster-
ing in the House of Representatives, and allow Mr.
Hayes to be counted in. This question Major
Burke hesitated to answer, but Butler was per-
sstent, repeating it with emphasis, and finally the
witness replied in the affirmative. But the assur-
ances of President Hayess friends were not sufi-
cieut Major Burke had confidence in the good
faith of Mr.. Matthews, but he was afraid that the
great leaders of the Republican party would pre-
vent the new President from carrying out his
policy and would 60 so far as to defeat his Cabinet
in the Senate in order to preyentit. The Louisiana
Democrats determined to put the Republican party
in peril by aiding the flibusters in the House of
Representatives, in order to bring the Republicans
TO terms This brought them down to the date of
the WOrrnley conference.
Before that conference aud preliminary TO it,
thews and Ex-Governor Dennison of Ohio, in the
Finance Committee room of the Senate. There the
whole matter was talked over, and Major Burke
suggested that those gentlemen go t. General Grant
and inform him that the removal of the troops IN
Louisiana would not embaTTass the incoming Adj
unnistration Burke had that morning had con-
versaton with General Grant, in which the latter
had given as an excuse for not moving III the matter
at once that he did not wish TO embaass President
Hayes 10y starting policy that the latter might
not wish TO pursue. At this interview Major Burke
SAYS Senator Sherman evinced more anxiety about
the continuation Of Mr.. Hayes's Cabinet than about
the Louisiana Republicans, and suggested that
if Democratic Senators were sent up from
Louisiana and the question of their adj
mission was raised, it might cause a
discussion in the Senate that would defeat Hayess
Cabinet Finally 1t was agreed that if the Republic
cans would postpone the consideration of Kelloggs
case, the Democrats Of Louisiana would postpone
the election Of q long-term Senator until called
session Of tho Legislature. This agreement was ear
ried ont
MAJOR Burke's testimony was particularly interest
ing because it showed the early day at which Gem
aral Grant reached the conclusion that he could
longer sustain Southern State governments by the
bayonet Major Burke said that the President early
promised him 30 remove the troops when the cleo
toral count was completed, and all along through
February. when the orders to General Augur were
nominay 70 preserve the statusn quo, the President
quietly allowed Governor Nicbolls to get possession
OF ono parish after another. There is not shadow
of doubt that General Grant would have done ex-
actly what President Hayes did, II he had remained
in Office, although he might have done it IN a differ
ont way.
THE TESTIMONY.
MAJOR BURKE's MISSION TO WAsHIEaroN-THR