Sharp County record., 1878-08-16
THE ELECTORAL INVESTIGATION.
Proceedings of the Potter Committee.

23d. Present, Representatives TotteL, DutIeI,
Hiscock and Springer and MI. SheliaDarger
tilted he was a member of the Morrison Com
nittee that visited New Orleans, and there
met Jas. Z. Anderson, who tod MIN goou
many bulldOZing stories about MS parlsh
(East Feliciana). Anderson also tolu MN ne
had circulated the report that his parish was
going Democratic, the colored vote being
largely on that side, his purpose being TO get
fine Democrats to offer him money as Orlbe,
so that he might expose them
Representative Kelley, Of Pennsylvania,
testified on the 24th that he went to New Or
leans to witness the counting of the vote at
the request of President Grant. Never heard
any suggestion to manipulate the returns,
nor that the Returning Board was Influenced
by the visiting statesmen to open returns
believed in the evidence OF Eliza P1nkston
and others as to intimidation; Delleyed there
were frauds on both sides, but that there was
an honest majority for Hayes. ...Cort-
land T.. Parker, of New Jersey, also
visited Louisiana at the request OF
President Grant His evidence agreed
with that of Mr.. Kelley. .... Representative
Hale, of Maine, also went at the request OF
President Grant He was in company with
senator Sherman nearly every day, and did
not believe he ever wrote the letter attributed
to him by Anderson. He believed both Pack
ard and Hayes were elected. 80. .EX-Con-
gressman j. Hale Sypher, OF Louisiana, tes-
tilted that d. A. Weber consulted him re-
garding certain promises which had been
made him, as he said, by some OF the
visiting statesmen, mentioning particularly
sherman and Matthews; that subsequently
Weber handed him letter, which he read,
purporting to be signed by John sherman, he
could not remember the text of the letter. pre-
cisely, but believed it was the same as the
published letter offered in evidence; did not
know that it was Sherman's handwriting but
had no reason to suppose it to be forgery
the letter was written on note paper.
Secretary Sherman was examined at
length before the Committee on the 25th. He
gave detailed account of the visit of the
Northern Republicans to New Orleans to wit
ness the proceedings Ofthe Returning Board,
which he testified we're fairly conducted, so
far as he was able to determine, and without
the slightest collusiOn on the part of the Re
publican visitors. In regard to AndersOn'S
testimony as to interviews between Sher-
man, Weber and himself (Anderson), witness
said he had an indistinct recollection OF An
derson and Weber coming into restaurant
where he sat at table with Mr.. StOughtOn
and engaging in some incOnseQuential con-
yersatiOn, which he affirmed was III no re-
snect such as stated by Anderson in his teS
timOny; did not think he ever saw either of
them before, and was positive he never had
any such conversation as was imputed to
him by Anderson. Being shown the letter al
,leged to have been written by him to Ander-
son and Weber, witness most emphatlcally
denied ever having written it; as he had
previously stated on several OCCASIONS, there
were some things in the letter that he would
have written had he been requested to do so,
as he had freely expressed the opinion that
all Republicans in Louisiana who stood by
their guns deserved credit. Witness further
entered a general and explicit denial as to all
the evidence given by E. l.. Weber, Captain
fa, ~, ynNot
ed him as being cOgniZant of any scheme to
manipulate the vote of Louisiana or to re-
ward Others for doing so. Gen. Butler QueS-
toned witness regarding the recent appoint
ments to Office Of Louis j. Sauer, Henry G.
Clark, and Badger, Postmaster at New Or
leans, his intention being, as he said, to show
that these men were adherents of Senator
Kellogg, and appointed upon his recon-
mendatiOn. Mr.. Sherman refused to re-
late any conversations which had Oc-
Cured between him and the President
regarding these appointments, but
SAID he would give the exact facts when the
Committee returned to Washington. a letter
from Senator Sherman to Gov. Hayes was
submitted. 1t is dated New orleans, Nov. %,
1916. The writer gives full account of the
progress of the canvass OF the vote, speaks
of the serious Dlunder of emitting the names
of all but two Electors from the Republican
tickets in two parishes, the result of which
leaves the poll in one district so close as to
render it probable that one or more of the
Tilden Electors will have majority. The
Ritter says: 1--WE are now collecting teSti-
mony as to the bulldoZed parishes. 1t seems
more like a history of hell than Of civilized
and Christian communities. The means
adopted are almost incredible. That you
would have received at a fair election large
majority in Louisiana no honest man can
question. That you did not receive a
majority is equally clear; but that in
timidation of every kind and nature
provided against by the Louisiana law
did enter in and control the election at more
election polls than would change the result
and give YOU the VOTE believe as firmly as
that l write this The difficulty of gathering
the testimony and putting it in legal form has
been very great, but believe 1t has been
fully met The whole case rests upon the
action of the Returning Board. | have care
fully observed and have formed a high Opin-
ion of Gov. Wells and Col Anderson. They
are firm iudicious, and, as far as l can Judge,
thoroughly honest and conscientious. They
are personally familiar with the nature and
degree of intimidation in LOuiSiana........
We are in good hopes and spirits, not wish
ing the return to be in your favor unless it is
clear that 1t ought to be so, ana not willing
to be cheated out of it or bulldoZed or in
timidated The truth is palpable that you
ought to have the vote of Louisiana, and we
believe that you will have it by an honest and
fair return, according to the letter and spirit
VI IllC law VI LOulSldHd. Lie lGGlGE Ol OON.
Hayes in reply to the above was also put
in evidence. In it he says: A fair election
would have given us about 40 Electoral votes
at the South-at least that many; but we are
not to allow our friends to defeat one outrage
and fraud by another. There must be moth
ing crooked on our part. Let Mr. Tilden have
the place by violence, intimidation and fraud
rather than undertake to preventi it by means
thdU Will not bear the seVereSt scrutiny"
At the conclusion of his testimony Secretary
sherman delivered notice that the sub Com
mittee at New Orleans had determined to ad-
journ on the same day that he received no.
uce that the committee would permit him to
subpoena witnesses to prove intimidation of
Republican voters in Louisiana, and he in
tends on the first opportunity to avail him
sell or the privilege. General John a.
GARFIELD was next examined. He also went
TO New Orleans at the personal request of
President Grant. He said there was not
word of truth in the statement that visiting
Republicans advised the Returning Board
to stretch their powers to the utmost
extent, with view of throwing out Demo
cratic votes. $50 far as this relates to me it
Is lle, and is lie also so far as it relates to
any Dody else. 1t was the purpose Ofthe Wis