National Republican., 1878-07-26
SHERMAN'S TESTIMONY.
1niinuei hom F1ra Pu0e.I


Tho Secretary declined TO answer, when
General Butler said. II want to prove that
nothing was said In the Cabinet about It."
Secretary Sherman then left tho committee
room and will return to Washington this even
ing. IL was understood that he will be further
examined In that city ou ques tions other
than those propouaded to-day.
General Garfield WIS next called, being ex-
amined by Mr. Hiscock, and testified that this
was tho sixteenth year Of his service In Con.
gress. Ho visited New Orleans In November,
1876. on the Invitation Of President Grant, IS
follows:
,,CEsrEssIAL Crowns, Friday, Nov. 10, 1876
10 Hon Z A. GdIfstd Hashing,on, D. c.:
smSS SS Ss vcs psS E2 % Es% o
counted Governor Kellogg requests that reliable
witnesses be sent to see that tho canvass Of the vote
Is fair one. Answer. US. GRANT
General Garfield subsequently had a conyer.
sation with President Grant, who said Gov
ernor Kellogg had tclegraphed him, saying
that the chairman Of the Democratic State
Committee had invited prominent Democrats
to visit New Orleans, and therefore Kellogg
sug ested that q corresponding number of Re.
publicans should come. The President stated
that there was likely to be . great deal of
feeling with regard TO the counting Of the
vote, and as IL would be matter of discussion
in Congress II was important, both for truths
sake and for members of Congress, that they
should bo familiar with the facts, and on this
ground tho President urged Goneral Garfield
to 20 to Louisiana. The President said
all ho wanted to know was the facts
of what transpired and TO have q
report. General Garfield said he
was more indebted to tho late d. A. Weber,
of elections of West Feliciana, for
information relative to that parish than to
any ono else. Weber said the whole trouble
there was founded on the suggestions of the
Democratic State committee, who advised tho
formation Of rifle clubs for the purpose Of in
Republicans, and to show that there
was physical as well as moral force In the
movement. Weber said he could not then re-
turn to West Feliciana without running the
risk Of being killed, although It might be safe
for him to return after the excitement was
over.
General Garfield was interrogated at length
as to the testimony Of L. l.. Weber, denying
the general statements Of this witness In re.
gard to events In Louisiana In connection with
the visiting Republicans. Many of his state
ments were utterly inconsistent with truth.
General Garfield did not know of any Of the
visitors having a conference with tho return
ing board ,or addressing 10 them arguments Is
to what rules should be adopted In the count
ing Of votes. There was not a word Of truth
In the statement that the visiting Republicans
advised the returning board TO stretch
their power TO the utmost extent with
a view Of throwing out Democratic
votes. SO far Is this relates to me, General
Garfield said II Is q lie, and Is also lie so far
as 1t relates TO anybody else. 1t was the pur-
pose Of the visitors on both sides not to meddle
being only to discover results.
General Garfield, having been interrupted
by Chairman Potter, said, among other things,
that the air Of New Orleans was full of stories.
That the colored members Of the returning
board might be tampercd with, but confidence
was expressed In the white members. The
General was also questioned as to affidavits
Of numerous persons among them Amy Mitch.
ell, In whose truthfulness he believed She
had testified to the murder of her husband.
Chairman Potter asked the witness whether
he had heard Of her recantation, and he said
that he was surprised at the statement, as she
had told him all tho particulars Of her hus.
bands death.
Mr.. Potter here read the Newspaper account
Of Amy Mitchel's recantation.
General Garfield said. In reply TO Mr.. His.
cock. that he examined the parties, In order 10
ascertain all tho truth in their statements
General Butler asked Have you any doubts
that, II the State was carried for Hayes, II was
also carried for Packard "A. / think Packard
was honestly elected; but the final outcome
was for Nichols.
General Butler-I thought the Legislature
declared for Packard and put him in as Gov.
ernor until the struggle which put him out
"A. do not so understand II.
q. Do you not understand that q majority
Of the duly elected members of tho Legislature
declared for Packard as Governor, and inaugu.
rated him on the LIST of January "A. But
understand that was promise case; but the
trial on its merits was subsequent.
q. Did the returning board make new sot
of returnsS-A. In the case of Presidential
electors tho determination Of the returning
board Is final, while Us to Governor tho Lcgis.
lature can reverse the finding.
Y. But did you not understand that the Legis-
lature did make q declaration that Packard
was elected Governor and inaugnrated him,
and that he remained Governor until he was
unseated by another powerf-A. This same Log
stature elected Kellogg as Senator, and the
United States Senate recognized him Rs legally
elected But | do not understand that tho
party opposed to Packard lost the power to
contest.
Q. After man has been declared elected
by the returning board aud been inaugurated
as Governor, do you understand that the Legis-
lature can turn him outP Do you understand
that can be done?-A. That depends on the
statute. l know that 1t can be done in case
Of q contest.
Q. Do you know of such q contest in that
Legislature "A. am not particularly famil.
lar with the proceedings
Y. Did not the Legislature and Governor
Packard maintain themselves for three
months IA. They maintained about eight
acres of Louisiana.
q. am asking for time, aud you give me
acres.-A. think about three months.
q. Did not they maintain themselves till the
President sent a body Of men down there to
break them upH--A. | think not.
q. Did they not maintain themselves until
the McNeagh commission was sent DOWN.
They were maintained by the troops
q. Do you know any act Of the troops or of
an order to maintain that Legislature
Mr. Hiscock objected to the question. All
this, he said, Is current history. 1t is notori.
ously known to one gentleman as TO another
Besides, such an examination does not come
within the letter of authority under which
the commission Is acting.
General Butler-Eyery time get this mat
ter TO a point my brother on the left objects.
lie was patient, however, to-day, while Secre-
tary Sherman was making irrelevant remarks
Mr.. Hiscock-All eau say is this: If the
gentleman considered the remarks improper
he could have objected to them.
Chairman Potter-I will leave the decision
of this question to my colleague (Mr. Springcr) ),
rs all the other members Of the committee
have expressed their views.
Mr.. Springer-Goneral Butler has Indicated
the line Of investigation and preiaced the case
by stating he proposed to show bargain by
which Hayes was to be counted In US Presi.
dent, and he In turn for such service was to
overthrow Packard as Governor aud recognize
Nichols. The question now put to the witness
relates to tho overthrow of the Packard gov
ar MI hu Nyit a t,,1 tha "a