Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-08-23
The Potter Committee.
OF URkE,s TIES.
TIMONY.

Z sAuuhi NoLumHktt Ttsulncu It's session To-Day.
Major Burke took the stand again at Is 05. and
was examn ned BY Potter.
he SAID be was connected for q long time with
politics In Louisiana. Ia the elec ton of 70 the
affairs of the State were 10 the hands Of the re-
publicans. There was what purported TO be a
census in rs by the State government, under the
republican party.
lie could not recollent the exact figure, that the
census gave. but 1t was utterly Incorrect and the
Legislature refused to use its apportionment on the
census.
II swelled the colored vote to fully 5000, II
was fraud. Here he submitted lot of statistics
showing the parishes in which the fraudulent cen.
sus ex isted.
In the parish Of Orleans the total fraudulent
number added TO the census was Is 800 persons.
There were for instance, fifteen polling places 10
The third ward. and il certificate of the reg
ton were issued, one man could vote the whole
hfteen parishes. There was nothing to prevent q
man voting IN whichever polling place he plea ed.
The regstrstors were all republicans. We Uffer-
ed TO prove frauds and desire to be accorded equal
representation on the board of registration, but
were laugh at. The census of the parish of
orleans Tor 1870 SLOWED colored population.
The census OF the parish OF Orleans for 1875
showed colored population of 81 647, aud on that
basis there ought to have been coored vote of
III 629; but in 1875 the registration Of the colored
vote amounted to "a. 300 We objected to this,
but were again laughed at.
The supervisor of reg stration was a republican
and liked matters rs he pleased. There were sew
tral thousand white votes thrown out, but the col
oied ones We're allowed to stand. There sre 81
parishes and 500 polling places IN Louisiana.
Witness recolected that there was but enc in
stance in which sffida,its in regard to riots and
iumult came up 10 the proper shape required by
law, and this was protest by the republicans
from the parish of CoDcordia. The returning
board took no notice OF it, and counted the whole
vote OF the parish tor the republicans. Tue charge
vas that prominent republican candidate VAS
found with his hand 10 one of the ballot boxes
and then some trouble followed.
Here witness gave long description of the
mode OF collecting returns and asceitsinipg of
full returns. The returns that witness got in sew
eral days before the republicans ascertsined their
full vote, Indicated maj rity for Nichols over
Packard OF nearly 5000, and of Tildens electors
over Hayes electors Of some 1000 to 5000.
The democratic party, he said, gained the sup
port of many colored republicans through oarbar-
Gus PERSUASION and other methods. Universal
pains were taken by the democrats to prevent in
tim,dAtlon. Intimidation of voters all came from
the republican side. -. .v
Anderson stated to Ewing that he had d ,fiiculty
with his clerk, and the reason he did return to
East Felicisna was that he was impecunious, aud
heard II he went back to complete registration
and hold election, the Republican party would
trump up charges sgainst him. When he next
saw Anderson the latter boasted his returns were
the first sent in from the State, and then made no
mention of a protest. The returning board con-
sisted OF four republicans and one vacancy. Sew
cral applications were made that the vacancy be
filed, but they were not needed 1t IVES also
claimed that the act constituting the returning
board WAS unconstitutional, being in conflict with
the lsw of the state, Several other protests
against the boa~d and its actions were sent in be-
fore they had completed.
ioes,tated mentioning his name, said witness,
as believe he was strictly opposed 10 the sur
render of two Senators, aud won Id not be a party
to any such proceedings.
Ia conversation with Mr.. Sherman on the 26th
OF February, the difficulties of recognizing the
~ icholls government were mentioned sad from
that conversation he believed that Mr.. Sherman
was o. posed TO the election Of two democratic u.
s. Senators.
Mitbe.s suggested that il could be overcome
by posponing the election BY the legislature for
U 5. Senators until alter the Inauguration of the
President and the formation of the Cabinet.
Q-Then after all this MAS not Cameron against
you.
A-Once, when he went to the telegraph Office
with Gov. Penn and stopped the eider issued by
President Grant Withdrawing the troops, aud said
thst"he was secretary Of war and would be
damned If he would let the order go that he was
secretary OF war and the order should have gone
through him."
Witness continuing said that he did not believe
that at any time after the 10th of January Gen'
Grant believed that the Packard governme ut
should be sustained. He believed Grants policy
favorable to the Nichols government began on
the 9Th Of January, when he refused kelogg's re-
quest loI more troops, tbht IN nis lu5al 10 rec
ognize either government and on and after the
20th If January he evinced desire to recognize
the Nichols government.
Nicholl, became Governor of Louisiana in full
possession January 8, 1871.
Q-Of what portion of the State was he not in
fuli possession
A-Ihe square of grou, d in New Orleans for.
meriy occupied by hotel, but then known as the
Sta c House. All the courts, Supreme and OF her
wise, recognized the Nichols government on and
az Ian, 4 L.l LII
the State House January 9, about 800 or 400 per-
sons.
By Mr.. Hiscock-Then ell your negotiations
VITO persons in Washington were simply with the
view of ge!tiog Hayes government; not to inter
fere With the Nichols governme Mt, as it had been
already legally established.
A-They were with that object
Witness said he believed the returning board
were acting Illegally when they attempted to can
vass the count for Governor aud Lieut. Gov, and
that they had only power to count the electoral
vote; and MIR. Wells, chairman of the board be-
heve, said witness, admit ted that was his opinion
also.
am free to say, continued witness, that think
MIR h"yes tad made up his mind, before these
conferences, ~ to the way he would act toward
Louisiana. believe Mr.. Sherman, Gen. Garfield
and other leading republicans In both houses were
influenced by the consideration proposed at the
ormley conference.
Q-Conceding the fact that Packard was de-
10 arguing that the government in full possession
OF the government should be subverted
Mr. Butler objected, and long wrsngle en-
sued between him and Hiscock.
Al could not assume to say that they believed
there WAS any Inconsistency in It. The substance
of what TRANSFERRED WAS gwen to the Associated
Press the following day. but the full account of
what trsnspired only came out In the evidences
before the conmiitee There was an account
published n the National Republican on the 18th
OF February, OF the LIST or 81 of March, foreshsd-
owing the Presidents policy towards Louisiana.
1t was also, think, foreshadowed by Mr.. Foster,
in speech on the floor Of the House, on the 23d
OF February.
A despatch was sent by President Grant, stat
ing that If either government was recognized It
should be the Packard government 1t was sent,
We believed, solely with the object OF keeping the
Packard legislature flom falling to pieces. We
were assured of this by our representatives.
10 conversations with Messrs- Howe, Fry, Wsd-
leigh and others, they aiways mentioned the poi
cy of recognizing the Packard government. Our
appreheusons were OF old republican leaders, and
not to Mr.. Hayes action. We waited the
troops Withdrawn before any issues we're raised
likely TO endsnger peace. We wanted to have as
many prominent republicans possible commit
ted to our policy in case anything should turn
up. We claimed there was fraudulent census
and = fraudulent registration, and fraudulent
vote in Louisiana. The persons who caused this
fraudulent census or registration to be done, or