Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-02-10
THE POTTER COMMITTEE.
Governor Tiidcn Comes up Smiling.
HE DENIES ANY INFORMATION OF
THE ELECTORAL VOTE NEGOTLA-
TONS.
He Afterwards Recollects the Fact was
Mentioned to Him.
HE SAYS HE REJECTED ALL SUCH
OFFERS.

A. lllden OF Lebanon, John Bigelow and
henry T. Dimmock. The governor came in
shiiih8' ana TOOK MS seat quietly. lie was
at once sworn by MIR. Hunton, Chairman.
MT. Hunton.-GoV. Illden, we received
your note expressing your willingness to tes-
my.
Al nave cold and can't speak very
ioud. Ire publication and TRANSACTIONS in
inc Ne" iork papers nave read. did not
recognize single WORD, either cipher or
lrahsiatioh, whlch have seen before.
never ehtereu INTO any arrangement TO pur-
chase the vote OF south carolina and Florida.
hao no information, no suspicion that any
sucn communications were being carried out
u",ii puoiisheu III the New iork tribune.
liau no kho"ieoee' no ueaiihgs with any party
" 'nose negotiations, III any FORM Whatever
IN 'he morning OF NOV. zoth, 1876, Mrs Col
ei,oh h,en'ioheu III my presence that her
husband hao gone lor the DAY dldnt know
ne hau sohv U, was gong OUT OF the city. lie
went 10 rhiiaaeiphia, oeheve' Later IN the
gay l was caiied on by Mr.; cooper, who was
on ms way oowh town. ana was told he had
reeei'eu an oher from some party, onering TO
QUAIL LOT money, the vote OF 80. Carolina
l saio ~ouiu authorize no sueh transaction,
nor spenu money ioE any such purpose. The
"hoie conversation occupied only lev min
utes:
WIN regard to FLORIDA, never sew tele-
gram, ether IN cipher or translation. was
not informed OF any esotiations gong on IN
reearu 10 iiiegaiiy ootaihlng eertihcates OF the
returning BOARD some time afterwards Mr.
MAI o'e caiieu anu toiu me III casuai KIND OF
way ABOUT the corruption CT the Florida re-
'uihiiie 1oaru' IN regaru 10 the oregon as
patches, uiun know oil any dispatches IN
cipher uhtii aiter the meeting OF the commit
zee 10 investigate them.
some dispatches were addressed to my resi-
dehce. 90 not know that they were delrv-
ereu' uay OF TWO atter eiectlon ten. Grant
wrote letter recommending committees to
go south and see fair count had nothing
10 40 with the selection OF those committees,
was n Observation-Disclosures s;anad hv o, 1u ora.
and others. was very busy about that time
and did not undertake to correct the idea that
/ they were my agents. which had no founda-
| ton. They represented the democratic party.
None of them, so far as know. were author
| lied to do anything that gentlemen might not
do. From the 9TH of November, 1875, to
| December 9th of the same wear. under no cir
cumstances did enter into any competition
for procuring certificates by venal induce
ments. There never was an hour or minute
that entertained such thought.
| 'N pS"Pie' WIN, 10 i peiiSNc, eicckSu
me President; to the four millions of citizens
who were defrauded. owed it to proclaim
would not yield one Jot or title of my right.
Whatever evils may result from suppression
OF electoral systems and free government,
| resolved would enter into no auction for the
purchase of the chief magistracy. [Cheers,
| winch the chairman suppressed. was re-
| solved that would continue to protest against
the wrong by which the peoplewere defraudsd
ont OF their rights
Iildens voice was husky, and it was diff
cult to hear him.
| Wv no Is your private secretary!
A-George W. Smith.
| Mr.. iliden, l nnd IN cipher No. 40, this
despatch. translation;
Tallahassee, Nov. 9th.
Ceoroe w Smith X Cr,m.-ov PAIL
| az hos ham sra,aa.ad 60 hn. .,o
Coyarnor ~ 0ronon 70 -, 60 -, Va.
cer,ifcatc in faver 81 :. ;ro,;a;hia oino,;oua
| III a,I,;sod 49, VIZ ~. oS.a;I ~"
talaaranh him o,Cnnnor,s oo;n;o,sp Gu u NV
aas,a,nh ., 60 '' my
| (S;oroJN AZ
Ns"
| Q'-Have you any knowledge OF 1t!
Al have not.
Q'--0ok over sne translation. have you
| any recoiiectloh OF having received II!
q, ha'e not
| O. gu nave READ 'he tribune clpher oe'
sPaches!
al ana al 'he time they came out.
| I'm, uid your private secretary snow
you any OF these despatches'
a'-ne ulu NOT;
V-ne must nave hao ciPhers; 90 you
know II ne did'
a. 90 not.
" nat 40 you kho" Oh tne ciphersf
A'-i kho" mourning ABOUT 'hem,
u" men Coi. Ieitoh returned rom BAL
li'hore' "ha' was 'he nature oi your inter-
Vlsws
Al said something 10 MN ABOUT MS ac-
toh' ana ne maze no reply. did not get
rom MN any Information ABOUT ciphers or
negotiations uhtli l saw tnem puDhshed.
uio not oeiieVe feitoh nau any power De-
| cause ne nad no AUTHORIZATION. .,
w NAT was your conversation with Ed
waru cooper!
A-he came 10 me ana said ne nau receN-
eu proPosai 10 &c. ,he notes Oh ooutn Caro-
| INA lor money; me substance OF 'he con-
Versa'1on was lhat votes were ior SAFE.
| V-Dia ne meh'ioh reitons manner
A-m M, olu not
| Y" men uiu you next mere Vi corrup'
attempt IN any otate!