The Portland daily press., 1878-08-23
THE INVESTIGATION.
Another Day of Major Burke.
Old Stories Rehearsed Before the
Committee.


to be census in 1875 by the state government
under the Republican party. He could not
recollect the exact figures OF that census, but it
was utterly incorrect, and the Legislature re-
fused to base its apportionments on the census.
1t swelled the colored vote to fully 25,0O0. 1t
was a fraud. Here he submitted lot of stat
istics showing the parishes in which fraudu-
lent census existed. In the parish of Orleans
the totali fraudulent number added to the CEN
sus was 25,000 persons. There were, for in
stance, Is polling places in the third ward, and
if certificates of registration we're issued. one
man could vote in the whole Is parishes, there
being nothing to prevent a man voting in which
polling place he pleased. The registers were
all Republicans.
We offered to prove the frauds, said the wit
ness, and desired to be accorded equal repre-
sentation on the board of registration, but were
laughed at The census of the parish of Or
leans for 1876 showed that the colored popula-
ton was 67 ,697, and on that basis there ought
to have been colored vote of 11.529. But in
1876 the registration of the colored vote amount
ed to "a, 800. We objected to this, but were
again laughed at. The supervisor of registra-
ton was a Republican, and fixed the matter as
he pleased. There were several thousand
white votes thrown out, but the colored ones
were allowed to stand. There are 81 parishes
and 800 polling places in Louisiana.
The witness recolIected that there was but
one instance in which afidavits in regard to
riots and tumults came up in the proper shape
publicans from the parish of Concordia. The
returning board took no notice of it and count
ed the whole vote of the parish for the Repub-
licans. A charge was made that a prominent
Republican candidate was found with his hand
in one of the ballot boxes and then some
trouble followed.
Here the witness gave a long description of
the mode of collecting returns and ascertainiug
full returns.
The returns that the witness got in several
doUc hpfnra tho RanuhIinapa nod fhor
full vote, indicated majority for Nichols
over Packard of nearly 5000, and for the Til
den electors over the HAYES electors, q majority
of some 1000 to 5000. The Democratic party.
be said, gained the support of many colored
Republicans through barbacues, persuasions
and other methods. Unusual pains were taken
BY the Democrats to prevent intimidation
Init anidation of voters all came from the Re.
publican side.
Anderson stated to the witness that he had Q
difficulty with his clerk, and the reason he did
not return to East Feliciana was that he was
impecunious and he had heard that il he went
back to complete the registration and hold the
election the Republican party would trump up
charges against him. When he next saw
Anderson the latter boasted that his returns
were the first sent in from the State.
The Returning Board consisted of four
Republicans and one vacancy. Several appli-
cations were made that the vacancy might be
filled, but they were unheeded. 1t was also
claimed that the act constituting the Returning
Board was unconstitutional, being in conflict
with the law of ths State. Several other pro-
tests ag ainst the board and its action were sent
in.
Q-What was the course of the board in
regard to ex-parte afidavits?
A-They first decided not to receive any
such, but afterwards changed their opinion
and received ex-parte atidavits from the
Republican side of the House, md then again
when the Democratic afidavits were sent in
they changed their ruling and refused to
receive them. 1t was after the 23d of Novem.
ber before we had an opportunity to receive
protests. When we handed in q large bundle
of ex-parte afidavits the board refused to
receive them, and said the witnesses should be
present.
In conversation with Sherman on the e5th of
February, the difficulties of reorganizing the
Nichols government were mentioned, and
from that conversation he believed Sherman
was opposed to the election of two Democratic
United States Senators. Witness suggested
that it could be overcome by postponing the
Senators till after the inauguration of the
President and the formation of the cabinet.
Q-Then after all this was not Cameron
against you?
-A-Once when he went to the telegraph
Office with the Governor of Pennsylvania and
stopped the order issued by President Grant
Withdrawing the troops, and said that 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 he did not believe
that any time after the 10th of January Gen.
Grant believed that the Packard government
should be sustained. He believed Grants
policy favorable to the Nichols government
began on the 9Th of January, when he refused
Kellogg request for more troops; that in his
refusal to recognize either government, and on
and after the 10th of January he evinced a
desire to recognize the Nichols government.
Nichols became governor of Louisiana in full
possession January 9, 1877.
Q-Of what portion of the state was he not
in full possession?
A-The square of ground in New Orleans
formerly occupied by hotel, but then known
as the state house. All the courts, supreme
and otherwise recognized the Nichols govern
had with him in the state house January 9th
about 800 or 400 persons.
Q-By Mr.. Hiscock-Then all your negotia-
tions with persons in Washington were simply
not to interfere with the Nichols government
as 1t had been already legally established.
A-They were with that object.
Witness said he believed the Returning
Board were acting illegally when they attempt.
ed to canvass the count for Governor and Lieu
to count the electoral vote, and Mr.. Wells,
chairman of the board, believe, said witness,
admitted that was his opinion also. 1 am free
to say, continued witness, that think Mr..
Hayes had made up his mind before these con-
ferenoes as to the way he would act towards
Louisiana. [ believe Mr.. Sherman, Gen. Gar
field and other leading Republicans in both
houses were influenced by the considerations
proposed at the Wormley conference.
GIN concediDg the fact that Packard was
defeated by bull-dozers,. ETC.. did that justify
them in arguing that the government should
be subverted?
Mr.. Butler objected and long wrangle en-
sued between him and Mr.. Hiscock.
:. Al could not assume to say that they be.
lieyed there was any inconsistency. in it. The
substance of what transpired was given to the
Associated Press the following day, but the
full account of what transpired only came out
in the evidence before this committee. There
was an account published in the National
Republican on the 28th of February or the 1st
or "a OF March, foreshadowing the Presidents
policy towards louisiana 1t was also, l think
foreshadOwed by Mr.. Foster in a speech on the
floor of the House on the 23d of February. A
despatch was sent by President Grant, stating
that II either government was recognized it
should be the Packard government. 1t was
sent, we believed, solely with the object of
keeping the Packard Legislature from falling
to pieces. We were assured of this by our
representatives. In conversation with Howe,
Frye, Wadleigh and others they always men,
toned the policy of recognizing the Packard
government Our apprehensions were Of old
Republican leaders, and not as to Mr.. Hayes
action. We wanted the troops withdrawn be-
fore any issues were raised likely to eudanger
peace. We wanted to have as many promi-
nent Republicans as possible committed to our
policy in case anything should turn up. We
claimed there was a fraudulent census and
fraudulent registration and q fraudulent vote
in Louisiana. The persons who caused this
fraudulent census or registration to be done or
did it themselves are Messrs. Blanchard, jew
ett, Cotton and Dibble. We have already
wiped out these obnoxious election laws which
the Republicans kept in force. My impression
of Mr.. Delano's visit to Columbus was that it
was for the puI pose of finding how far Hayes
would 60 in the matter of recognizing the
Nichols government on condition of Louisi.
ana's returning two Republican UNITED States
Senators. 1 think heard from some one that
Mr.. Hayes refused to have anything to do with
the matter.
Q-Who told you that?
The question was waived till tomorrow,
The following telegram was received
COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 1, 1877,
To Hon. W. E. Horn, Wizards Hotel:
Hayes in Washington tomorrow noon. Telegraph
me the result before you go to bed tonight. We are
waiting. Thanks for fayOrs.