Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-06-22
"a VISITING STATESMAN
Important Interview with Governor
Moves, the American Minister to
France-What he VIII Testify
Before the Congressional
Investigating Com
mittee.


had left Liverpool on the sixth instant, came
up slowly to anchorage at quarantine, and
soon DIR. Thompson was on board and attend
ed to the routine duties of his office. The
doctor was accompanied by representative
of the Herald, who, after slight delay, found
his way to the state-room OF Minister Noyes
and there obtained through Captain Leech an
introduction to the American representative
at Paris, called home by subpoena to testify
before the Potter investigating committee,
now in session at Washington. Minister
Noyes, who is gentleman fully advanced
in the forties, tall and erect, with flowing
beard just tinoed with a few gray hairs,
moved about his cabin as IT he had never lost
a leg In the war of the rebellion. With the
cheer so characteristic of all Americans when
once more they reach their native soil, the
minister made the Herald representative feel
at home in his state-room. The engrossing
subject which led to the temporary absence
of the American minister from his post In
Paris soon became topic of conversation.
81 ought not, perhaps" said Minister
Moves, "enter into conversation at all on the
subject, as in few days now my testimony
before the Potter investigating committee
will become matter OF public record. Meth
er do | wish to appear as saying anything
that might add more Importance to this trip
than it actually deserves. | must leave the
American people to judge of that testimony
us
can say this, however, that my desire is that
congress should know all that has transpired
in Florida in regard to the counting of
the electoral votes at the time
that we, or as you call them ''the visiting
statesmen" were there. Let them call every
body, Democrats as well as Republicans, ex-
anime them and cross-examine them thor
oughly, and l shall be exceedingly pleased to
let all of that testimony go in the public rec
ords. Manton Marble, for instance, and his
fellow-D Democrats should all be called. | am
sure was anxious enough to appear before
the committee, and am anxious now to give
my testimony. | wrote at once to General
Garfield, to have the committee subpoena me,
but no answer was received. | then wrote a
letter to Secretary Evarts demanding that
my testimony be taken, and told him that if
no answer were received from the committee
| would sail for America anyhow on June 9th,
subpoena or not. You know that l have sixty
days leave of absence, the same as all United
States ministers abroad are entitled to once
a year, during which time | might have en-
loved myself in various parts of Europe,
which l was anxious tie see; but l insisted
upon testifying, and SO made up my mind to
appear before the investigating committee
rather than enjoy few months of leisure and
pleasure travel. No answer came; neverthe-
less | continued to make my preparations for
departure, and it was only two days before
sailed that l received my subpoena in full by
cable. | would have come anyway If the
subpoena had not reached me"
'How about the main charges brought
against you by M Limp" asked the Herald
reporter. -,
really the only point care to talk about just
now. M Lin was originally northern man.
l have known him before as a man OF great
integrity and responsibility, and always re-
garded him as man OF character. When he
came to say, however, that l promised him
certain position provided the vote of the State
of Florida was cast for Hayes, he told false.
hood have never seen M Lin or Cowgirl
alone from the time the voting took
place in Florida until the time that the
electoral vote was declared. Neither have l,
in any manner or shape, suggested or men
toned that rewrrd in the shape of appoint
ments or emoluments would be given to either
of these men, or to any one whose subsequent
acquaintance l made when in Florida. | de-
fly him to show or prove where, when, or how
| ever made any promise to use my influence,
if l possessed it at all, with the President
elect, or with the President since his inau-
guration. What told these men distinctly
all the time was to declare their votes hon
estly, to give the State OF Florida to TIlden
if he had the majority of votes, but if this
majority should honestly show to have been
cast for Hayes then l insisted that the vote
of the State should so be declared. AS to
my making any overtures that the vote should
be declared for Hayes regardless of the fact,
or that would see to it, this vote being so
declared, that these men should be rewarded
is simply preposterous. The thought never
entered my mind, neither did any of my as
sociates ever hint such thing to me. "
''You said that before this electoral busI-
ness occurred you knew MIR. nj Lin to be a
man of integrity. How do you account for
the fact, then, that he should now make
statement which you brand as false?"
81 repeat that / knew him to be a man of
integrity, and even spoke favorably OF him to
the then Governor Hayes, and recommended
him at one time. This was before we knew
of any probable complication In Florida. As
to why he subsequently turned around and
made these atrocIous charges against me your
experience as a newspaper man ought to be
able to tell you. desire to express no opin-
ion on that subject"
81 suppose you have read the latest pa
pers?"
"Just before you came on board we got the
latest papers, and / see that the Democratic
congress has graciousy decided not to inter
fere with the Presidents title. Well, how
good they are!"
ibid you notice that the Florida sub-com-
mlttee has returned to Washington"
A'No, 1 did not. They have returned, have
they? What did they fnd?"
''Their report has not yet been made pub
lie, but | understand that they have found
nothing new beyond what has already been
ascertained by previous committees Wash
ington dispatches read as if they will have
nothing new to report to the general COM
mlttee."
'Well, | will give them something new to
occupy their minds with, but | am going to
reserve that point until the time that l am
examined under oath. l am glad, indeed,
that the committee is not sitting with closed
doors, and that all the world can hear the
testimony. Only / want them, as | have
already stated, to cite everybody. Let them
call every man from the north who went
to Florida at the time, and then we will see
how things were managed.
sWill you leave at once for Washington,
General?''
mo. l see congress will not adjourn until
Thursday. l had no sleep last night on ship
rest before proceeding to the capital. / shall
leave with the limited express for Washing
ton on Monday morning"
"How long do you expect to tarry in the
country?'
Il should like to get back to my post at
once if l could, but 1 understand all the
berths are taken on the outgoing steamers for
weeks to come, and l shall take the City of
Richmond on her outward trip on July 9th.
| am exceedingly pleased with the ship and
her officers
Here growl on the part of one of pair
OF trained bears on board that were being
carefully guarded by some Italians prepara-
tory to their street performances in sundry
American cities and villages, seemed to de-
note dissent from the minister's remarks.
The general, only slightly disconnected by
this noisy interruption, soon regained his
composure, and, after mentioning the fact
that he would visit his home at Cincinnati
before his return, fell into raptures at beis's:
once more in America.