Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-01-29
Washington Letter.

Mss l'EA1iuuH EflASAA AAN app Z. '''@-
bills was broken yesterday by the intro
duc,ion Of the Potter resolution TO inTes-
tiglte the cipher kilograms. For tue first
time in weeks the gallery Of the House
was corwded in anticipation Of sensations.
and when Mr.. Potter arose 10 make the
motion expectation was on iiptoe. Mr.
Potter gave his reasons for making the
motion now. and fJ- not having made Il,
before, in slow and measured words, and
with elaboration of speech altogether at
variance with his usual lightning dietion.
lie Is usually the most difficult member
Of the House for the stenOgrAphers 10 take
down. ui,ering more words TO the minute
than any other representative. After be
had auimsiverteI against the misrepTe-
sensations Of the press. and squared him
self before the country, he yielded twenty
minutes Of his time to he gentleman from
Massachusetts, This was the moment
looked Tor. Gen. Butler arose. rested his
left hlnl on the corner of his desk. crossed
his short left leg before his right and plac-
ing his RICH, hand on his hip. was 10:
simi'e in prose Of Florence in the Al
mighty Dollar" Bu; those who expected
to hear something rich and racy about
election frauds in Massachusetts, were dis
appointed. His short speech contained 4
hint on this subject. but ii was 50 yelled
in phraseology that few discerned it, and
the best csrics,ured statesman in America,
after opposing the investigation on the
broad grounds that it would not pay. sat
down leaving all who had come 10 see
fun disappointed. The next star was Mr.,
Eugene Hale of Maine. His speech was
impromplu, and the most vindictive Of the
programme. He spoke with bitter irony
of The guileless old man, surrounded by
friends and nephews, who would now
have IN opportunity 10 vindicate himself
from the charges of having attempted 10
purchase through fraad, with money, the
high Office to which he was not elected by
the people Mr.. Hale was followed by
Omer D. Conger from Michigan, whose
speech was hardly up 10 hi. usual efforts
in 59,.tT: o-atory. To Mr.. Hewett Of New
York. as chairman OF the democratic
national campaign committee, was accord.
e The privilege of concluding the debate.
He read from i printed manuscript u
s,rong argumen: in favor OF the inTes;ig.-
lion. The motion authorizing the Potter
committee 10 investigate The cipher te,e-
gains, and apprapria.ing ten thousand
dollars 10 defray the expense OF such inves
tgation, was passed. wiki sctrcely dis
s=n;ing voice.
Mr.. Po'ter's com ni,tee held long pri-
va,e session this morning. The demo-
cratic members first brough. up the ones
lion whether S; Martin should b,, called
AS a witness by the republicans or dis
charged by the committee.
Mr.. Shelabar-er, in behalf Of Secretary
Sherm N, thereupon presented leiter,i in
which, after cr;ticising the course Of the
committee in 10: recalling St. Martin On
heir own motion. he asked ths, ST. Martin
be re led fir further cross examinston
on he testimony given in New Orleans
ana or the ati5avl;s which he recently
fled with the committee. The democratic
members manifested disposition TO &C.
q1iesce in this request, although it was
sill con,endej iht: the republicans ought
20 cal. 5. Martin Is their own witness.
The slfjec: was. however. laid over until
Tomorrow without definite action. The
question then arose whether the committee
sho3ii cal any witnesses in regard to the
cipher ;e,egrms in advance OF the passage
By The Senate OF the HoQsc bill making
IN appropriation fog the expenses OF the
Investigation. their funds being wholly
exhausted. Tbs question also went over
for decision tomorrow.
The sending OF = subcommittee 10 New
York 10 investigate the cipher dispatches
Was discussed. No conclusion was resch-
e., but The committee seemed to be abou.
event; divided, whether 10 conduc. the
investigation in Ills ely or New York. Il
Is though: that all Of the witnesses Lee ed
vii, he summoned 10 Washington except
Gov. Ti,don, and that sub committee
will sit in New York 10 take his testimo-
nv. Gen. Butler informed lie committee
that lie hsd in his possession cipher tele-
grams Numbering from one 10 six hundred
and ninety. inclusive. He said he did not
know precisely how lie became the custo-
dian of them, but that he had a suspicion
which he did not disclose. He lad left
them with his clerk last summer, and one
day when be asked for them he was in
formed that his messenger had called for
them and taken the = away. Subsequently
after the Tribune had published the cipher
dispatches, he found the originals in his
Office among some old papers There are
about one hundred and forty.one of these
dispatches, which he will lay before the
committee tomorrow. {.
DARTMOUTH CoLLEGE--President Bart
lett has returned from New York civ
l