The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-06-10
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Washington.
THE ToBAccO-TAX: QUESTION; THE CHANCES
FOR THE REDUCTION FAVORABLE IN THE SEN
+ ATE-THE POTTER INVESTIGATION AND MIR.
| GARFIELD; LEyISEE BEFORE THE COMMIT
TEE AGAIN-FERRY TELLS WHAT HE KNOWS
| STANLEY MATTHEW'S DECLINES TO APPEAR
BEFORE THE CoMMITTEE-THE BOTTOM FACTS
wANTED-THE NORTHERN DEM0CRATs-PER-
SoNAL-DISTRlCT MATTERS - GOVERNMENT
| CLAIMS-BRIEF ITEMS. &c.
tFrom Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, June 81 spent hours to-
| day trying to ascertain what strength the
reduction of the tobacco tax has in the Sem
ate, and whether when the bill comes from
the House it will be reported by the Senate
Finance Committee or be permitted to die
there. found Senator Ransom thoroughly
interested and doing. his best bothsSvith
senators and the members Of the commit
tee. Senators Merrimon and Hereford, and
our Virginia senators also, were actively at
work, as were number OF others from to-
bacco sections. All agreed that the in
dications are that il the bill is report
ed it will pass the Senate. Becoming
very we'll satisfied on this point, / then
ascertained that the committee will
report the bill back to the Senate,
Mr.. Allison. Republican,, most intfuen-
tai member, saying that the tobacco clause
OF the bill should be reported, even if it
has to be separated from the rest Of the bill.
am not certain as yet, however, whether
the report will be with recommendation
that it pass, or simply in such form as will
bring it before the Senate and afford
an opportunity for action on it. In either
event the friends OF reduction think they
can win. II am mistaken in what I have
stated, then this mistake IS shared by sena-
confidence.
This evening, after the House had dis
posed OF the deficiency bill, Conger, Harry
White, and other malignants, by dilatory
motions prevented the majority from TAX
Ing I'D the revenue bill containing the to-
bacco-taX section.
THE POTTER INrESTIGATION-TH PIoUs GAR
FIELD COMES TO THE FRoNT-WH0 NEXT
Mr.. McKcnny, clerk OF the Electoral Com
mission, was before the committee o.day,
and was questioned in regard to the forged
| certificates. The important fact elected
was that General Garfield called to sec l1n
five weeks ago, and examined the printed
copies OF the electoral returns from Lou
isiana. During the examination he held one
copy and Garfield another, and the Reprb-
| lican leader OF the House informed him OF
the forgeries, and told him that it was an
important matter-the Importance OF which
he would understand in few days. This
disclosure created no little sensation, for it
showed why Garfield so persistently and
bitterly opposed the adoption by the House
OF the Potter resolution.
LEy1sEE swoRE HE VOTED FOR PRESIDENT
AND YICE-PREsIDENT AT THE SANE TINE.
At the close of his testimony Levisee
swore. that as an eector he voted. and so
did the other electors, for President and
Vice-President at the same time, and the
Constitution requires that there shall be
separate vote. This causes no little talk
in political circles, and proves that not only
was there fraud and forgery in order to get
the vote of Louisiana for Hayes, but that
after it was stolen the Constitution and the
law were violated in casting it.
PROTEIN. NONRESIDENT FERRY BEFORE TIE
COMMITTEE.
Senator Ferry, who was President OF the
Senate when the electoral vote was counted,
came before the committee at 2:20 and re-
mai0ed until twenty minutes to 4. His tes-
timony elected nothing OF special import.
He remembered that Returning An
derson brought him the returns, and find
ing the endorsement on the envelope was
not in form, he so told him; whereupon
Anderson took them away. When they
were brought again Anderson was not the
messenger. He found wrong endorse
tons on returns from sundry other
States, including Virginia and North Caro-
lima, and suggested the fact to the messen-
gers before receiving them. He could not
recall whether he talked with his party
friends about the informality OF the Lou
isiana returns. He did not remember to
whom he first com municated that there were
two sets OF returns from Louisiana. Mr..
Mcmahon pressed him on this point, and
asked if he remembered any member OF the
House with whom he talked IN regard to
this matter, but he could not remember.
Mr.. Potter wanted to know that rs he re-
ceived one set OF returns by mail with an
informal endorsation, which he did not re-
turn, and one came by messenger with an
informal endorsation, which he did not re-
ceiye, but which were returned to Louis
lana, was he not surprised on the I'd OF JAN
uary to receive two sets Of returns with
correct endorsation-on by mail and one
by messenger. He said he was not SUI
prised, and did not suppose from this cir
cumstance that there had been any change
made in the returns. He finally recolleeted
that Mr.. kassou, and he believed Mr.. Car
field, came over to the Senate and asked him
what he intended to do with the extra re-
turns, and that he told them that he would
Law them before the House. He remembered
that Mr.. Tucker, of Virginia. expressed
surprise when they were laid before the
House that there were two sets OF Re-
publican returns from Louisiana. Mr..
McMahon asked him please to state the
name Of any Democratic member OF
Congress to whom he stated there were
two sets OF Republican returns before these
returns were laid before the House, but ne