Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-06-14

known of his application to the state depart
ment, or remembered it.
Ques.-In dealing with Anderson, did you
act on the committees letter? Ans.-No
sir; l never saw that letter until last week
1t was fled In the treasury before l was ap-
pointment clerk. was appointed May !, 1877,
and was not aware that this letter was on
file. | never looked on the files at all until
after the publication of that. letter to Ander-
son appeared In the newspapers.
| Ques.-Is it not usual when anybody APP
plies for position in the department to re-
quire some testimonials from outsiders as a
basis for the appointment, even when you
| have made up your mind to make the ap-
! poIntment? Ans.-Yes, sir.
| Ques.-What official papers had Anderson
on hle, to your knowledge, on which you
based your intention to appoint him to this
place that you picked out? Ans.-Nothing
whatever to base it on except the letter of
Mathews to me. l acted on that solely.
Ques.-And the particular letter on which
you acted is lost? Ans.-Yes, sir.
Ques.-And the letter which you wrote In
| reply to that particular letter on which you
acted you have no copy Off Ans.-I wrote
| no letter in reply to that; think it required
no reply, being recommendation for office;
l do not remember writing any reply to it;
the letter that is lost was the one on which /
based the intention to appoint him.
Ques.-Why would not the President see
son, but was very emphatic, and showed
great disgust or aversion.
Ques.-GIve US, as near as you can, what
the President said? Ans.-I can-only give
the substance: | went in to tell him that
Senator Mathews had recommended this
young man, a political refugee from Louisi
ana, for an appointment IN the treasury, and
that had offered him a minor place and he
had declined positively taking any place in
the treasury unless he could have large
salary, something like three thousand dollars,
and that he had told me that if | would see
him 1.-THE President) l would understand he
was to have larger place, and he wanted to
see him. The President declined seeing him;
he said he was not aware that any recognition
of that kind of his services was required; he
disavowed all knowledge of any such under
standing.
Ques.-What understanding? You must
have conveyed some understanding. Ans
This gentleman claiming there had been
promise to him personally of place that
Senator Mathews and the President would
know of.
Ques-The President disclaimed it?
Ans.-Yes.
Ques.-What did he say about his being
fit man to appoint to any place? Ans.-He |
said nothing about it. | can't say as to what
the President said, but understood the Pres
ident to convey the idea that there was no OBJ |
lection to appointing him to a minor place. |
He did not instruct me not to appoint him, |
and inasmuch as | named to him that had |
offered him that place, | certainly understood |
that l could appoint him to place without |
his objection.
Oues.-Did the President say to you, or |
convey to you that you should not appoint |
him? Ans.-No, no more than that he
showed his aversion to having anything to do |
with the man.
Ques-How did he show it? Ans.-The |
emphatic way in which he declined to see /
him.
Ques.-Give US the words? Ans-I can
not; l can only give you the impression left |
On my mind.
Ques.-Do you mean us to understand that
all the President declined to do was to re-
him for higher place? Ans.-All
ne declined to do was to countenance his be-
ng put in higher place.
Ques.-Why did it never occur to you to
90 and see Secretary Sherman, as the chief of
hat department? Ans.-For the reason that
when l would go to him with these minor APP
he would say; II can't attend
appointments. :" ~ ="
Ques.-Still, here was man who had been
Town in Louisiana, where Sherman had been,
md had performed valuable services; why,
hen, did you not go and see Sherman? Ans.
Because the man would not take the APP
oointment that offered.
Ques.-But when he claimed higher one,
why did you not go and see him? Ans
Because did not think that his claim was
matter that needed to take up Secretary
Sherman's attention.
Ques.-Still you took the trouble to go and
see the President? Ans.-I did, he asked
me to; if he had asked me to go to Mr.. Sher-
man should have done the same thing.
Ques-Did the President at this interview
say that Anderson had been appointed to a
Ans.-No, sir; he said nothing
about it.
After some further testimony on the same
subject the committee adjourned.
Mathews's Chamber.
The special committee of the senate, ap-
pointed at the instance of Senator Mathews |
to inquire into any connection he may have |
had with the election matters in Louisiana,
convened to-day. James E. Anderson ap |
peared in company with the sergeant-at-arms. |
The committee consists of Senators Edmunds, |
chairman; Allison, Ingalls,. Howe, Davis Ill. !, |
White, and Jones [Fla.l. Senator Allison |
presided. A note was read from Mr.. Morri- !
son, temporary chairman of the Potter COM |
mittee, stating that Mrs. jerks was to be
examined to-day, and it was necessary that |
Anderson should be present. Anderson then
retired, and the committee took a recess.