Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-07-27
TelegramS to The Star.
THE POTTER INQUIRY.
Testimony To-Day.
SECRETARY THOMPSON'S CRUISE
SARATOGA RACES,
THE POTTER INVESTIGATION.
The TeSlimauN Todnu

ATLANTIC CITY, n. j., July 27SGen. Gar
held appeared in the Potter committee room
recovered from his sickness OF YESTERDAY. He
TOOK farewell OF the members of the committee
ana other friends, and then left for his home
THE EXAMINATION OF FRANK MoREY.
OF Louisiana, was resumed. In response To
questions by Chairman Potter, he eXplaiu~i
maj Illat IN ms testimony Yesterday he used the
word mob as applied to the Nichols parLy
IN New Orleans in merely legal sense AS a
matter OF fact the friends of Nichols claimed
mat he had been elected governor, that his
troops were the legal militia, that they had
Deen cheated by the returning board and that
IL was 1or the purpose of maintaining their
ilShtS me militia was organized. The witne
no federal troops had been in New Orleans the
NICHOLS government would have established
l.eh. The witness replied thar il il had been
mere question oI physical tOrce the Nichols
party Would have overcome Packard
TIE PACKARD GOVERNMENT COULD HAVE
MAINTAINED ITSELF.
O. DO you believe that Packard could have
m? int aimed himself without the support Of
iGderal troops? y. My impression is that If
tie Packard government had been recognizri
IN the first place, as the Kellogg government
had been, and had the President said he IN
tended 70 maintain the Packard government
and given to ii the necessary moral support,
there would have been no trouble in maintain
Ing it.
The witness said. during further interroga.
tories, that the Nichols government eStab-
hShed Itself without the aid OF the federal gov
ernment further than the withdrawal of the
troops. Gen. Butter asked, suppose Governor
Iiden, on the 18th of March, ls77. had estab.
lished himself by the aid OF the New York mil
itia in the city of New York as President OF
the United States, on the ground that the peo-
pie had elected him, but that he had been
cheated out of the election by the returning
board of Louisiana, and had sent a commits
sion to Congress in order to secure recogni-
ton, and after certain proceedings of bribery
intimidation nd off ~.
bonds OF the United States had gone down 50
cents on the dollar on account of trouble and
anarchy, and suppoSing the majority in Con
gress were bondholders, and to save these
bonds had come to conclusion to recognize
Iilden as President, and the majority of mem
bers OF both houses had agreed to that and
agreed TO form Congress to receive advan-
tageS from him, sending him messages and
bills for his approval, have you any doubt
there would have been a change in the gov
erninenC OF the united States, as In the case Of
a change OF government in Louisiana? A. |
have not the Least doubt of it.
In response to questions by Chairman Pot
Ter the witness gave his opinion that il was the
duty OF the President to decide which was the
legal government, but if any Outrages exist
the question was for the determination OF the
courts.
During the examination by Mr.. Hiscock the
witness incidentally said he had one or two
INTERVIEWS WITH THE PRESIDENT
al great length, during which the witness
agreed that the withdrawal of the troops from
New Orleans and not maintaining the Pack
ard government would be the destruction of
the republican party in the south. The Presi
dent took the position that the republican
party could no longer maintain that policy
which had lost New York to the republicans aud
the party had become weaker in consequence
therefrom; the good OF ithe republican party
demanded change. The President treated
the subject as OF national concern. The wit
ness said SO far as he knew no returns had
been thrown out by the returning board on IN
adequate and insufficient proof. There was
movement to make Nichols governor, even to
the extent of violence.
Gen; Butler interposed, saying And in this
Mlcho!lS had the aid OF the President and the
McNeigh commission"
The witness remarked: wish, gentlemen.
you would distribute these questions among
OtherS.'
Gen. Butler.-We have been asking many of
them because it is so rare that we have an
honest witness.
A. There are many of them if you would
only look after them. | find the people of
Louisiana as honest as those anywhere.
Mr.. HlScock.-AS in Massachusetts or New
York.