Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-05-23
Secretary Sherman's Letter to the
Investigating Committee.

The following is the letter of Secretary Sher-
man TO GARRISON y. Potter, on the jeCt of the
Potter resolution:
May 20. 1873.
| Hon. Csrkson n Potter, Chairman:
Sir observe that the resolution of the House,
under which your comm ttee is organized, singles
me out personally by name, from among twenty
| ur more gentlemen who were present ut the re-
quest of President Grant, or the chairman of the
democratic LalioDal committee, 10 attend and
witness the action of the Returning Board upon
| the Presidential election returns III the State OF
| Louisiana in 1876, and In substance charges that
tue election liz East Feicisna parish and part III
West Fenciana parish In Louisana, the iepubli
| eau vote was withheld and not cast IN pursuance
and execution OF conspiracy by such voters
that IN fun tberance of such conspiracy JAS +. An
de rson, Supervisor OF Registration in +. FeicIa-
| IA, and DIR. A. Weber, Supervisor OF Registra
ton in West FeliciaLa, falsely protested that said
| election III such parishes has not been free and
fair, and that theteupon the returning board Of said
state falsely and irsudulenty excluded the votes
| OF SAID precincts, and by means thereof and OF
other false and fraudulent action of SAID return
ing board, the choice Of the people OF the State
WAS sDnulled and reversed, aud that such action
| by said W ebber and Anderson was induced or en-
Outraged by assurances from John Sherman, now
| Secretary of the Treasury. This resolution re.
quIres you 10 investigate these allegations and
upon the truth OF these depends the accusation.
against me, viz
| First, that there was conspiracy among the
| voters to withhold and not Cast the votes with
a view to make false charge rs to the election.
| Second, that 10 point oil fact there was free
| and fair election in East and West Feciana
which was falsely protested and returned by said
| Anderson and Weber by which the votes Of these
parishes were falsely ana iiaudulently excluded by
| the Returning Board.
| Third, that the offence of Anderson and Weber
was encouraged by assurances from me with the
| view therefor 10 meet this accusation which so
far as it affects me, declare and know to be alb
soutely destitute of even shadow OF truth.
| respectfully ask and now make formal applca
ton for leave to be represented before your com
| mittee by counsel in the investigation of all the
charges affecting myself personally. tender and
offer to prove that IN pout OF TACT the election III
| East and West Feciana parishes were governed
| and controlled by force, violence and lntlmids
| tion so revolving as to excite the common indig-
nation as all who became conversant with 1t, and
| that proof was submitted to that effect not only
| before the Returning Board 10 evidence contained
| in the ex-doc., No. ?, second session OF
| the 44th Congress, but also IN the testi-
| mony taken by the committee of the Senate
on privileges and election report No. 7Ol,
second session of the 4in Congress. will, II al
| lowed, furnish the names Of witnesses whom de-
| sire to examine before you to prove the truth OF
| this statement as to sad parishes, aud that the
protests referred to were true, supported by testi-
mony and properly acted upon and sustained by
| the returning board. TO my personal conduct
during this examination l invite your fair and
candid scrutiny with the entire confidence that not
only myself, but my associates OF botn political
parties acted honestly aud properly from sense
| of public duty. | have requested Hon. Samuel
Shellabarger to deliver this to you, and respect
| fully desig nate him as the gentleman | would
| desire on my part to be present TO cross examine
witnesses teslfying in relation to charges against
me. and who will Is my counsel tender evidence
in proof OF this statement
The favor of an early answer is requested.
Very respectfully,
(Signed) JOHN SHERMAN.