The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-08-15
PoTrER lNvEsTIaATIoN.
Testimony showing how the Packard gov
eminent was TO be s'let down easy"

eminent was to be "let down easy"
NEW YoRK, Aug. l4,-The Potter COM
mittee continued their Investigation this
morning. Col William Fl, Roberts of the
New Orleans Times testified. He said he
was familiar with what was going on; saw
all of the visiting statesmen at New Or
leans; they were not consulted about his
visit to Ohio; he merely mentioned it to
Stevenson, Matthews and Sherman; the
situation of the white people in the state
was desperate; we had been defeated by
the returning board in 1872 aud again in
1874, and we were afraid of being defeated
again in 1877, and the people were begin
ming to think an election was utterly use
less; we considered the election fair and
just one and we polled every white vote
available, but we feared being counted out
by the returning board: we all believed
the reterning board would not dare to have
done what they did do without they had
received the moral support of the visiting
statesmen: these apprehcnsions about the
returning Board were what led to my visit
to Gov. Hayes; we wanted to know what
action he would take if elected: he knew
perfectly we'll that was talking for the dem
ocratic side; understood Hayes to mean
|
| Board cheating should cease and that, as |
told him, We had a clear majority of over
1900 in the State, the Nichols govern
ment would be recognized: there was no
determination to resist the establishment
of Hayes in the federal government; we
were more deeply interested in finding out
what would be done if the Democratic vote
/ of Louisiana was thrown out and Hayes
l ka1 L hoar nf
electoral certificates of Louisiana; in con-
versation with Foster he saidit was strange
that no Republican vote was cast in East
| Feliciana; in conversation with several gen
tlemen remarked that the crookedness of
the Returning Board in Louisiana was SO
bad and glaring that even Republicans
had to disavow all connection with it; this
1 applied to previous elections; understood
1 that the military would be Withdrawn
after the 4th of March, and they would be
let down easily, but they would be let
down.
Gen. Butler-Who do you mean by
theyP A. The Packard government,
/ There was committee appointed to 90
i down to Louisiana, and we all knew very
well that they were intended simply to let
the Packard government down easily. 1t
looked better, you know. This ended
Roberts testimony.
Roberts was recalled and gave some tes-
timony regarding the formation of the
| MacV eigh Commission. 1t was under
stood that the business of the Commission
was predetermined and not dependent on
law or evidence; he supposed the Presi-
dent and Secretary of State knew the OBJ
iect of the Commission; that body should
also have seated Tilden; witness said he
: understood that after Hayes inauguration
this Com mission would be seat down TO
back up the Packard government,
II Witness said We were well prepared
for trouble; we had determined that.
come what might, we would have no coli-
7 sion with the United States tEoops; it was
} determined not to recognize the Packard
3 government at all; there was no doubt 10
{ the minds of the people of Louisiana that
neither kellogg nor Packard were elected
Governor, although Kellogg served four
D years; We had determined to take the
t State government by armed force FROM
e those who held it By forms of law; the
people of the State and courts recognized
e the Nichols government: the Packard
e government only held the State House aud
: some six acres in the vicinity thereof: the
/ militia amounted to 5000, all of whom were
g true to Nichols szeg ss54s
L By Butler-Then with Packard with
! only seventy y-hve men, and Nichols with
5000 TO oppose him it took solemn com
mission of four prominent Republicans anG
one prominent Democrat fifteen days Il
tread him down? A Yes, sir; I under
. stand Kellogg credentials for the Senate
we're laid on the table by Hoar, Dawes anC
% Burnside voting with the Democrats
e Witness said the only assurances he re.
II eeived that the Packard government woulC
! be let down easy were from Matthews
n Foster. Garfield and Dennison, and b
IS thought Evarts.
II Mr.. Leete was then recalled and saiC
Il the members of the Returning Board il
a 1876 were the same as in 1874, with on
a exception: in the census of 1875 it wa
~ deemed advisable to swell the census O
~ colored people as high as possible, SO tha
w the basis of registration could be high. a
every colored man was understood to be
~ Republican; the Democrats ignored tha
W. census as fraud; witness was told to fnt
esl large Republican census. meaning
= large eolored contingent. They told MT
\ said witness, to find them, no matter ho,
as | did; ] refused to do SO; only the loves
40 count was taken in my parish, which show
ed an increase OF whites and decrease o
~ colored people.
nj j. A. Anderson was recalled by Potter
,T who handed him letter, which he inder
!, tiged as having received from P. B. Dal
e. rail-. dated Morgan City, La, May /:
~ 1873. and expressing considerable bitte
ba ness toward the administration for il
- policy. aud advising Anderson to use h
Il documents diacreetly but not spare h
y administration. but to expose them.