Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-07-26

ATLANTIC CRY, n. j., July 25.-Secretary
Sherman resumed his testimony this morning
before the Potter committee. There was, as
on previous occasions, a large attendance.
The secretary was Intercepted by Repre-
sentative Hiscock, and said that on the sew
enteenth of November the visiting Republi-
cans called on the returning-board to pay
their respects, having understood that the
visiting Democrats had paid a similar visit OF
courtesy the day before; the Republicans
stated that they came to New Orleans at the
request of President Grant and of political
organizations to witness the count-not to
interfere with the official duties of the board
and they expressed the hope that the pro-
ceedings would be conducted openly; the
board adopted a resolution inviting FIVE gen
tlemen onSach side to be present as witnesses
of the proceedings; the Republican visitors
thought the Democratic visitors were more
active than they were, minglIng with the
board and examining the papers; IN all other
respects the conduct of both parties was the
same; shortly after the board commenced
their business-on the twentieth of Novem-
ber-and testimony began to be taken under
the rules, it became necessary to prepare IN
terrogatories and neutrality-suspicious.; the
visiting Republicans endeavored to procure
copies as fast as they could; on the Republi-
can side, as these accumulated rapidly, the
work Of examining the bulldozed parishes
was divided, Cortlandt Parker beng assigned
to East Feliciana, General Garfield to West
Feliciana, Hale to East Baton Rouge, Gen
eral White to Ouachita, and Judge Kelly to
Morehouse parish; the Republican visitors
designated FIVE persons to attend the board !;
in pursuance of the invitation, the first day,
witness attended.
Ques.-Did you, or any of your associates,
meet privately with any member or mem
bers Of the board? Ans.-I reply, en-
phatically, no. / was never privately or
alone with any member of the board
treated the members the same as | would
have treated any other court or tribunal
before which have appeared either as a wit
ness or advocate; took dinners with them and
other guests, but never alone; | never men
toned the duties of the returning board, or
alluded to any investigation or protest to any
member of the returning board; while in
New Orleans, | was in the customhouse sew
eral times, but never transacted any business
there.
Ques.-When you were in New Orleans,
did you meet with d. A. Weber? Ans.-I
don't remember meeting either him or An
derson except in a casual way; l met with
hundreds OF persons without their making an
impression on my mind; | have a somewhat
indefinite recollection that Weber and An
derson came to me at restaurant and en-
gagged in a short and unconsequential talk,
present with me; | don't think | ever saw
them before.
In response to questions, Sherman denied
emphatically the truth of James E. Ander-
son S testimony as to an alleged conversation
between Sherman and Weber and Anderson
in which it was represented that Sherman
said:
81 wanted to see you, gentlemen, In refer
euce to your parishes. Now, this is a crisis
in which not only Louisiana but the whole
country is involved, and 1T is time when we
expect every true patriot to stand by US.
Now, hope, you, gentlemen, are going to
do that thing"
"Well, Mr.. Sherman" said Weber, "Mr.
Anderson and | have already done more
than the circumstances OF the case warrant
US in doing, and l have done a great deal
more than safety would warrant me in do
ing.
"What do you mean by that?" said he.
''The people of my parish, Weber replied,
'are considerably worked up. | have made a
protest which Is perhaps more sweeping than
it should have been, and if go back, | will
be in danger of my life"
"Well," said Mr.. Sherman, "what neces-
sity is there for your going back?"
"My family is there" said Weber, my
wife and children are there; my whole
property is there. What have l to do?'
You can be provided for elsewhere" ETC.,
said Mr.. Sherman.
Secretary Sherman, in reply to the above,
said that he never had such a CONVEX
sation; ne never could have made a speech
about controlling patronage, nor did anybody
mention to HIM anything of forged protest;
he never heard of such thing, and when in
New Orleans he was very cautious in his ex-
pressions, as were his associates; Secretary
Sherman was shown letter alleged to have
been written to him by Weber and Anderson,
dated November 20, 1876, and said he never
received such letter, and never saw or heard
of it until it was published; When" said
the secretary, this matter Came to my kuowl-
edge. sent to my home in Ohio for my pa
pers to be forwarded to me, In order that |
might find the original of this LITTER if 1T was
there; such letter could not have been sent
to me without my knowing it; any such letter
would have excited my resentment; the let
ter, on its face, is insulting"
Ques.-ln what respect Is the letter insult
ing? Ans.-It is suggestive of falsehood
and exceedingly improper; they say: ''We
have carefully considered the argument ad-
vanced by you IN our interview; your assur-
ance that we shall be taken care of is scarcely
specific enough; in case we pursue the course
suggested by you, we would be obliged to
leave the State; will you, therefore, state IN
writing who we shall look to for the fulfill
ment of these promises p
In response to further questions, Secretary
Sherman said he never suggested to these
mem employment for any service they might
render in connection with the returning
board, or In any other way; nor was any
promise of reward even intimated. With
reference to the alleged reply, Secre-
tary Sherman said most emphatically,
that he did not write such;
at the same time, however, as he stated when
this investigation began, there were things
in ii that ne would have written to these or
any other men who were engaged in the per-
Torrance of what he believed to be their duty
If he had been asked, but he did not think
that he wrote the letter; he believed that he
did say, in conversation with various gentle
men, that all Republicans in Louisiana who
stood by their guns deserved credit; if he had
been a citizen of Louisiana, he would prob
ably have been killed, for he should have
resisted the rife clubs who, In addition to
other crimes, drove the negroes from their
homes to the swamps; his conversations on
that subject were similar TO the remarks he
had uttered in the senate and ne would make
them In New Orleans to day. Applause by
the audience There never could be peace
and Quiet while these things occurred; in the
fall of 1876, 10 louisiana, there were
scores of instances of intimida-
ton, violence and wrong; he could not think
of these occurrences even now without feel
ing of resentment and without exciting his
anger; the testimony was overwhelming.
Secretary Sherman, in reply to a question,
handed IN a memorandum detailing the cir
eumstances OF Anderson S visit to him at the
treasury department in March last, and Civ
ing an account of the conversation as stated
at the time 10y the sscretary's stenographer.