New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-01-23
THE PROLOGLE.

of our faith to giFd at the Democrats for
their reluctance to take up this duty. but
the Democrats would be more-or less
than human if they did not shun
such an inquiry. Now that they have
begun il, we must in fairness give
them credit for anything they may do that Is
really creditable. Mr.. Potters opening speech
was that of a gentleman. 1t was frank and
honest, as his conduct has been throughout
the embarrassing circumstances of the past
few weeks. and as a personal explanation it
must be deemed entirely satisfactory. Cen
eral Butler was expected to enlven the de-
bate with vehement assaults all along the
line, with scandalous disclosures and menaccs,
and we know not what other demonstrations;
and because he did nothing of the kind
the spectators were disappointed, and most of
the correspondents called his address fan
IRE. We do not think this was just General
Buffers position on the question is a wrong
one, but it seems 10 us that he defended 1t
with ability and decOrum. If the scene III the
House on Tuesday did not amount to much,
considered as dog-tiGht, it was highly respect
able and interesting as a debate upon grave
National question.
We take il for granted that the inquiry will
be pursued at the Capital before the whole Com
mittee, rs pl Opriety seems TO demand; and that
subcommittee Will not be sent abOut the land
! to take testimony here ana there FOR the con-
veuience of witnesses. Then the question
arises, what is the object of the inquiry The
first step is TO- verify the cipher dispatches.
Ii the Committee wish for assurances that the
cipheIs have been correctly printed by 1HE
/ TRIBUNE we can put them In the way OF
ascerainng that fact to their full salts
faction. If they desire further proof
of the accuracy Of the TRANSACTIONS we shall
be happy to answer any questions on
that head, and also to explain--if explanation
he thought necessaTy--the evidence upon
which we have fixed the authorship of anony
nous or pseudonymous dispatches. Next, we
suppose, will come the examination of the
persons who appear from these kilograms
to have been concerned in the schemes
of bribery, and to anything they may
have to say in their own defence the
Committee will undoubtedly give pa
tent hearing. After this the real business
of investigation may be said to begin.
With regard to the "fetch contract" in Flor
ida, Messrs. Marble and Wooley will have TO
say with which of the two Republican mem
beers of the Returning Board they negotiated,
and whether they dealt with him personally or
through a middle-nan. Ii there was an agent,
his name must be given and he must be sum
lnOned. So, too, must the member of the
Board from whom the Bolivia" is supposed
10 have emanated. With the aid of these two
Witnesses we may be able to get at the inner
history of transaction which is only ont
lined i'll the cipher dispatches As late as the
9TH of December (the day before the casting
of the electoral vOtes) Marble seemed to be con
fident that he had secured the stipulated result.
although Woolley, better informed, telegraphed
on the 18th that power" had been secured
TOO late What was meant by power y
How did Mr.. Woolley know on the 4th Of
December that the Board wOuld decide
against his client OH the GthY What was the
contract to which there is frequent alu-
sion in these eleventh-hour dispatches? And
what happened on the last day of the count
which so rankles in the bOsoms Of the cOpar-
ceners that they cannot think OF the dread
ful time without breaking into furious
imprfcations upon Mci.in? The history of
the closing days in Tallahassee must
be thoroughly exposed. And then there
is the matter of money. What was the draft or
acceptance that W" tclegraphed cooley not
to Use If it was true "that Board have given
us one vote" I Was money transferred from
New York to Tallahassee about that times
Were draft, from Tallahassee accepted IN New
York; Who furnished the funds Who were
the bankers?
The story Of South Carolina, up to a Ger
tain point. If so plain that it will not give
the Committee much trouble. AT least there
is no ambiguity in the kilograms Of Mr..
Smith NJ. Weed. BIT the finale of tins
part of the scandal is obscure, like that
of Florida. 1t is known that Weed did
negotiate through a middle The
"iuterceder," he te'egiaphcd, would want
$4,000 for himself. Who was the iS,"lccdcr?
Did Weed deal directly with nm, or were
there still other Intermediates at Columbia
| The scheme was 10 buy three o. the i've
members of the CanvaSsing Beard. Which
three were they? What were their relation,
with the intcrcedcT! All these persons must
| be summoned and examined upon the detail,
Of the negotiation. Thea We shall probably
know whether there was Il bona Gde purpose.
on the part Of the Republican officials to
sell their votes and with whom the
! corrupt proposal originated. The means
of asccrtaining whether the money WAS
actually disbursed are not far to seek
We know that Mr.. Weed went 10 Baltimore
TO get IT. We know that he asked Colonel
Pcton to meet him there with $4,000 III
three packs. We know that Colonel Pcton
did meet smith Weed ~ Baltimore at the
aupointed time Did Colonel Pclton carry
the money with him1 What did he
and Smith Weed do in Baltimore OH
the Goth of November Why did they
return together to Ncw-York that night