Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1878-08-29
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

TUESDAY, August. 90 Major E. a.
Burke, of New Orleans, was before the Potter
committee, and was examined at length. Gen.
Butler did all the questioning. The effect OF
| tt 20 examination Of Burke was to show that
| there was a bargain by which the Packard
government was to be OverthrOWn, and that
| the Nichols government was to be recognize
| ed, and that Hayes was privy to such bargain.
Partsans will accepto: reject Burkc's state
ments according to their preconclued notions,
and argue upon the definite indelinitcncss OF
| many Of his statements. The witness said he
| rcliSlously and seriously believes that Hayes
and Packard were defeated and Tilden and
| Nichols elected, and that was the opinion of
every honest man there. Witness went to
Washington, he said, the 18th Of JANUARY, as
| agent for Gov. Nichols, to secure non-Inter-
vention by government troops with the State
government. We had the moral and literal
| force Of the people Of Louisiana, sufficient to
establish ourselves. We never intended to
| have Il collision with the United States troops.
We were determined tn protect the interests
! of our State against any source whatever, and
! if All armed attack were made on the Nichols
government it would have been repelled' we
had become sick and tired Of the state Of
things. Cheated out Of two elections, and
| plundered, we determined not to stand it
longer, and would have forced a military gov
| eminent in preference to standing such things.
Gen. Grant modified his ideas after my visit
10 washington. 1WuS Ill w dSuluS lOu lOT lilc
purpose of getting the troops, not to interfere,
and got AL order to that effect on the after.
noon of the 2d of March. Question by Butler.
Then you got the order on Monday when Gen
Grants term expired at - O'Clock at night.
Now, did you not know that Hayes called on
Grant the same day at Il O'Clock in the morn.
ing. \. No, sir, /. did not hear. did not
know Of any confidence between Hayes and
Hrnnt.
WEDNESDAY. Aug. 21.-The Potter
committee continued their examination OF
Major Burke. He testified about the famous
Wormley conference and said: Il meyer
stated received any letter of guarantee or
assurances from Sherman or Others. of the
conference' Gen. Butler took the. witness
red between them Without concluding the
examination Of the witness the committee
adjourned.
THURSDAY, August 22.-Major Burke
again appeared before the Potter committee,
and testified as to various matters and things
against Republicans, and Favorable to Demo-
Gratis. At the conclusion Of Major Burke's
testimony, w. E. Howe was introduced. He
is resident of Texas. Butler took the wit
ness in charge. Hiscock (Rep.) insinuated
that Butler hada conference with the witness
last night and fixed up his line OF testimony.
Butler Jared up, end said these things came
with bad grace from: Hiscock. Hiscock re-
torted that it was bad grace on the part of a
disappointed candidate for honors to prompt
witnesses, and make it appear they were pos
sessed OF great secrets. " '-'
FRIDAY, August 23.-Major Burke was
again upon the witness stand. He said he
considered all the acts of the Louisiana re
turning board illegal, as the board was an il
legally constituted body. In responce to a
question from Gen. Butler, Maj or Burke stat
cd that none of the Packard legislature were
allowed to become members of the Nichols
legislature who We're not known to have been
elected by a ma jOrity of votes. The witness
further said that although the report of the
visiting stanesmen to the United States Sem
ate stated that the Nichols government was
founded on bloodshed and riots, such state
ments were unfounded and he (Burke) did
not propose to square their report for them
Gen. Butler continued the cross-questioning
at considerable, length; during which both
the witness and his questioner. got excited
and both spoke in loud tones. Of voice. Mr.
Hiscock read dispatch which he had inst re-
ceived from Gov Young, of Ohio. It states:
80 far as am concerned Mr.. Horn is at
liberty to testify all he knows. I have no Sc
crets to conceal as to our correspondence or
telegraph" Mr.. Potter then read the follow
ing telegram from R. l.. Gibson: Il neve,
had a conversation with Mr.. Sherman about
the settlement ofthe Louisiana question or
on Louisiana politics. In this Mr.. Burke is
in error. RANDOLPH l.. GIBSON"
SATURDAY, August 24.-Several minor
witnesses were examined before the. Potter
committee in a brief session, eliciting nothing
sensational or very important but about the
same run as to Louisiana crOckedness in pol
itics The committee adjourned, not to meet
again till called together by the chairman.