Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-06-30
Sends Letter to Mr.. Potter, i'm which
he Offers to Prove Acts or Intimi.
datiOn i'm East and West
Feliciana,
As If that had Anything to do with or
was any Offset to the Letter which
he Wrote to Anderson
and Weber,
In which he Corruptly Proposed to Re-
ward them with Office for Stealing
the Votes Of the People Of
those Parishes.

IstdeKatfoneof the Committee. Is nearly In lts
entirety as follows:
? Secretary Sherman says: The resolution
under which your commltteeis acting accuses
me of inducing certain election officers 81
[ Louisiana to falsify and fraudulently repre-
sent and protest the election of November Z,
; 1876, in East Feliciana and part of West
, Fehciana as not free and fair. AS to the al
! legation that said election was free and fair,
and the protest to the contrary false and
fraudulent, ask that the witnesses (which
the secretary names) be subpenaed and ex-
| amined at such times and places as you may
order. The secretary refers to their former
testimony to show that there were crimes
proved of whipping, threats of riot by armed
Democrats, killing, burning houses, shooting,
intimidation, hanging, driving from home,
expulsion from Office, shooting the sheriff,
| violence at the polls, property taken away,
etc. The secretary adds the following
statement of what he says the records of
congress authorize him to state, as the COM
bined result of the testimony of his witnesses
named:
First-The prevalence in the parishes above
named, as well as in those adjoining, before
and at the time of said election, and especi-
ally at the time and places for the registra-
ton OF voters preparatory to said election, of a
| thoroughly organized and executed system of
| intimidation of the Republican voters by the
| Democrats. This intimidation was enforced
by means of daily and nightly raids by armed
bodies of men upon the persons and property
of Republicans. Included in these acts of
| violence were the killing, wounding and
| whipping of Republicans, breaking into and
| burning houses and stores, and other out
| RACES, by means of which such state of ter
| ror was inaugurated in these and adjoining
| parishes that the leading Republicans in these
| localities were forced to leave their homes,
and prevented from organizing for the cam
| palgn, and the rank and file OF the party
| utterly dishearted. A large majority
| of them were forced against their wish either to
desst from voting or to vote the Democratic ticket;
tent that the large Republican majorities which had
AND S1e election Of 1875 were thereby sud-
denly converted into large Democratic majorities
parishes, to wit East FelIciana, not single Repub
second-I expect by this testimony TO show that
this violence and intimidation, though the Demo-
Third.f expect By this testimony to Show, in de-
spite of this claim that 1t was political directed by
organized violence was so timed to precede and
cover the time OF and to- TO- pr9Seds the
ton; and that victims of violence and
Intimidation hsye almost alwas been active against
FOURTH expect by this testimony to show, and |
VIII show, as am authorized to state by the records
enormes committed IN the oOWHg parishes
these Tor political ends above stated, namely: East
Office and driven from home, eight; BY threats of
persons, eleven. In west Feiiciana-Killed twenty
i've; wounded, one; hung three; whipped, seven
home, eleven; by threats of violence, four; threats
to individuals, fifteen burnt out, thirteen | make
cause wish to give the committee an opportunity |
to take action r. shall send END part
be done cn In case Of decision to
sG nd that sS To bnn
all the witnesses named here, then ask that this
committee and by the sub committee sent to Louisi-
ana as an application to have the witnesses named |
or sub committee shall decide it best to have them
appear Deeming 1t due to the committee and my
would be involved in an attempt to find out whether
any and which of the witnesses may be found,
to file it, and to say soon as notified that my
application will be granted, my counsel here and in
from the list the names OF any persons whose at |
tendance it shall be found to be impracpcable to
Secretary Sherman, in giving the above letter for |
publication says he refused to give to The press his
long delay, Without hotloe to him, a. paper Is
proposed reply of the committee to his formal re-
quest In which he is denied the right to prove the
there free and fair election in East and West
Felciana, and the subcommittee is now in Louis
The preten.e that he 1.-THE secretary csnno prove
that there not free and fair election because
frivolous to the last degree whether be Wrote
it not, the real thing that the committee wants to
ragd and VIOLENCE IN these two p1ishes 10 JUSTIFY
the returning In what hey did If so, that is
louisiana was Unlawful and improper then it may
become material to ascertain who participated. |
a trayesty of justice and fairness.
MR. MORRISON'S REPLY
The draft of letter has been prepared by Mr.. |
rotary Sherman, requesting to have Subpenaed from
Louisiana one hundred Witnesses, expected to give
Ion and the murder and intimidation of voters In |
all of East and parts of West Feielana MI. Mofri-
of congress to which refer and other records of
T the statement that for the
said witnesses, as numerous, as Intelligent and /
It is needeas to ADD thai Should these one hundred
witnesses again repeat their former testimony, i've
as they. will be ready again to contradict them.
Seven commissions or subeommissions of con-
fSS IN LOUISIANA and have heard the testmony
of twenty times one hundred witnesses, but no COM
encs or non+xistence of such intimidation. You
and your political associates of the visiting COM
ing board, which were based on the alleged intim-
dalton, and by which proceedings the said return
by their ballots actually cast, and then with all
associates made to bear witnesf to the Justice
of the conclusions. The gentlemen, most of them, |
until recently your political associates, with whom
you refused to JON ia an effort to SECURE fair count
ness presumably. all the proceedings of the return
arc witnessed 6y ySu were as par to de-
conclusions entitled to no respect whatever. In
actual fact this committee will not feel itself Just
fed in condemning or accusing any election officer
done any act based on intimidation by such officer
believed to exist. even though the com
and TnlaWfuIy annui and reverse the expressed viii
OF the people OF that State and all these States.
Neither Will this committee, in view OF all the facts,
enter again inquiry to the existence
nonexstence Of naturalization IN any OF Said paishes
lent canvass and return of votes by state, county,
parish and precinct Off GERS or in excuse OF any per-
suits of such false and fraudulent and return
OF votes. Before the contamination OF the acts al
ates met at New Orleans. Among others, Hon. L.
Trumbull, John NJ. Palmer and George W. Julian,
asked you and your associates to oin them In T the
exercise of such influence you together might pos
seSs in behalf of such canvass of the votes Of that
State as, by Its fairness. eomalaad ths re-
spect and acquleseenee OF people of all par
legged being strangers IN that State you had no right
ID control or influence aGy officers as to the
posed on them By its laws and because By nempt
ing 50 to influence them yop then further alleged
Union. which, in view of such refusal to D Join
in the exercise Of an influence over OH
fair count of the votes legally cast. and Of your
alleged .easOn therefor 1t is 70 this committee a
testimony of these witness s. or any inquiry as to
intimidation OF voters, ether INQUIRY involving
the wrongful acts OF others, is deemed By you neces
saTy TO Undcate you from the accusation OF having
interfered with having exercised any influence or
control over the officer OF that State for which they
your own statements should be condemned by the
people of every State In the Union. The reply con-
cludes as follows: Whatever OF accusation Is made
against you in the resolutions Of the house of rep
resentatves, under which THIS COMMITTEES Is acting.
rests. 80 Lar az any testimony ,et hean upon
the statement and allegation that to influence and
control Weber and James E. Anderson In their ON
eal acts. you made them verbal promises, and
wrote letter TO them, giving them assurances and
promises OF reward. IL the committee correctly
derstand your statement before ii, you denied wTi-
ting such letter and making such promises.
However material the evidence of witnesses you
ask to have summoned may be to the fact of the
numLe- q persons killed, Threatened, driven from
Office Or Otherwise illtlIloaiel as xou assure Tie
committee It Is II can In no way sffeet ysu persanal-
IT, II the COMMITTEES has correctly understood you 10
deny the allegation that you wrote the letter and
gave those promises and assurances, FOR such ale
cation viii be neither established nor DESTROYED BY
the evidence Of the number Of nen killed In the Fe