The New York herald., 1879-03-07

south Carolina to give the certificates u the demo
COMMITTEES had informstion that tho precinct no
turns showed majority for the democratic
electors. Information reached the communities
4 by the county canvassers. Under these cnsoun.
stances it communicated to me that majority OF
| the Returning Board-while admitting that the dem
ocratic electors had by the precinct returns anna
tority of the votes cashad determined to exact
for giving the certificates to the democratic olectDrs
or in even. of this being refused. to issue ther
| tiiicates to the Hayes electors.
RrpoRrEn-Then these telcgrsms wcro to you ami
Colonel prLroN--Certainiy. They were received BY
personally. and the answers to them were sent by
REpoRrER--what knowledge had Governor Tildel
or the National Committee OF them?
Colonel PELroye-Nonc whatever. This much L
desire to say in justice to Mr.. Tilden and to the
members OF tho Democratic Nsflonal COMMITTED
that IN ans%sfng the So~sn @ re
sponsihiiity. without consultation with or advice
from any
THE DISPATCHES TO anAsaERcY PxRK.
REpoRTER-There has been q great deal OF tax
about dispatches being addressed to you at Gram
Colonel pELros--well, as a matter OF fact. the
kilograms addressed to me at Gramercy Bark were
Everett House where / was usually to be found
had given orders to that eject. The teleg ram al
dressed to Mr.. Smith. at No: Is Granncrcy Park.
about which the Potter COMMITTEES inquired 80 par
recollect
REpoRTYn-when you went to Baltimore to meet
Mr.. Weed did you have any money with you?
Colonel PEIrox-Only enough for my personai.ex-
pcnses.
REPonrER--Then you were not prepared to close
the proposed bargain?
Colonel PELroS-No; was not prepared to accept
Returning Board OF South Carolina; but deemed q
best for the interest of the party that should ente
tain the proposals and consult about them.
REPoRTER-what assurance had you that such pro-
posals had really been made?
Colonel PELroN-why, when Mr.. Weed telegraphed'
me that he had received such propositions that was
enough for me. knew 1t to be true.
REPonTEn-How about the offer from Florida?
Colonel PELToN-Telegrams were received by me
from Florida naming the price at which the Return
ing Board of that State could be bought. replied
to one that the price was too hgh and to the others
sssenting to the proposition. acted with the haste
of the occasion-the time was very SORT and action
seemed necessary While l assented to the proposi-
self nor the authority from any ono to consummate
1t.
NO dosEY TO BUY VOTES.
Neither at the time sent those telegrams, nor be-
fore after. did have control the amount of
money that would have been needed TO consummate
any Of these transactions.
kEponrER-Why, then. did you assent to the pro-
posals?
Colonel PELroN-I moved by the belief that
the opposite party determined to result
favorable to themselves at any hazard and at once
and that to thwart this immediate action on our
part was necessary. therefore concluded. without
hesitation, to reply did, and although the terms
have been under the circumstances, entirely incom
plete and my assent to the proposition purely ex-
perinental. Besides this was prompted by wish
ready to sell their votes This effected intended to
place the whole matter before the Democratic Ma
tonal Committee for such action as the committee
might think proper 10 take.
REPoRTER-But understood you to say that these
offers to sell were not communicated to the commit
tee?
colonel PErToN-That is true. In the Of
South Carolina the negotiation was stopped at once
by my recall from Baltimore. In the Florida case
the telegram saying it was 'too late' followed
closely upon my assent that such communication
to the committee necessary and none was made.
GOVERNOR TILpESs INNOCENCE.
REPoETER-But did you not report your action in
these matters to Mr.. Tilden?
Colonel PELrON-No; did not inform MT. Tilden
of the existence of the correspondence either with
South Carolina or Florida. l purposely kept from
him all information had on such subjects.
REPoRrER-Do you know how the proposals to sell
the Returning Boards votes came to be made?
ositions originated in the states from which they
came. They were not invited or sought by u.s. Ger
tainly no person was sent to South Carolina or
Florida by the Democratic National Committee or
by any one within my knowledge OF by myself with
any instructions authority to buy any canvasscrs
returning boards electors, to influence them
! REPoRrER-Do 1 understand you to deny that
money used in any Of the States for the purpose
OF securing any eecor or the members of any board
Colonel PEITpN--l say most positively that no
money was used for any such purpose. In no case
1 within my knowledge any money raised, pro-
vided sent from New York or elsewhere. for the
purpose Of purchasing or influencing the votes or
| actions of any returning board or electors. The
small referred 10 in Of the kilograms
either for the purpose of paying the expenses OF some
or the gentlemen went from mere or IOr the ex-
4 penees of the local managers.
THE POTTER COMMITTEE MINORITY REPORT
| REroRrER-Have you read the minority report Of
the Potter Committeeg
Colonel PELroS--Yes.
REponTER--well. what do you think Of it?
Colonel PELToN--It Is unfair and untrue.
REPoRrEn-Untrue from your standpoint?
Colonel PELroS-No. Untrue because it deliber-
ately fasefes the evidence taken by the committee.
REPoETER--In what respect?
Colonel PRLTON-lt asserts that the returning
boards of South Carolina and Florida not for
sale, when it is a matter OF public notoriety that
they Certainly fact moro clearly proven
| by the testimony taken by the committee.
RRpoETER-Well. you have some personal knowl-
| edge Of the subject?
colonel PELroN--I know that VIC could havo bought
! the returning boards Of both those States had we
| chosen to do 80. know. also that We did not buy
| them and that the certificates were given to the
Hayes electors l know also, that the republicans
connected with them have received Office il they did
| not receive money. But either by money Office
they certainly bought to give tho certificates in