The Rock Island Argus., 1879-01-22
Speech of the Hon. A. 8. Hewitt, on the
Cipher Investigation.


Hewitt, of New York. supported the
resolution, he called the attention OF
Butler to the fact that there were occasions
In this life when there was somethinghl9her
than a judge or member OF congress,
it was when the sense OF man
hood struck into the human heart, he
stood here in that spirit of manhood, |
to invite the fullest investigation OF the
kilograms, those which had been published
and those which had not. Justice to Sam
uel j. Tilden demanded that the iuyesti-
cation should be made; justice to the great
democratic party demanded 1t; justice to
the American people who had elected him
to the highest Office in their gift demanded
it. Let Tilden have an opportunity to con-
| front his accusers and traducers, and show
the world that at least one of the candidates
at the late presidential election was not a
miserable trickster, and willing to bargain
for the highest Office in the gift of the
people.
Whe:her the cipher dispatches published
in the Tribune are genuine or not [ nave
no means of knowing. never received
one OF them. | was never cognizant of
their existence until they were published
by the Tribune. Neither do know Wheth-
er the alleged translatious are false. But
this do know, that no one of them. con-
tanning reference Of money to influence
returning boards or electoral votes. was
ever addressed to or received by any
officer of the national democratic com
nlttee. am aware that the newspapers
have credited one Of the persons to whom
the kilograms were addressed, with hav-
ing been an officer of the democratic COM
mlttee, but | say to this House and to the
country that this is an error. He never
. held any official connection With the com
mlttee. These dispatches came from, and
were addressed to persons who had 10 Of
tcIal position II the organization. That
? they were jealous democrats, and anxious
to secure points OF victory which We had
unquestionably won in a contest OF un
PARALLEL effort on both sides is very evil
, dent, but what they did was the action of
9 purely voluntary and individual nature,
a without consultation either with me, who
vas charged with the conduct of the cam
paign, or, as am authorized here TO say,
= with the candidate of the democratic
1 party 10 that memorable struggle. [Satiri-
cal laughter on the republican side of the
House. The most hagrant efforts have
been made to show that he had personal
Q knowledge of the operations of bis over
jealous friends Now stand here to declare
: that there is not particle of evidence to
connect him with this knowledge On the
: contrary, the EVIDENCE is, 80 far as
produced, aud the production Of it ha.
been skillfully managed to give az
Iopposits impression, proves conclusively
i that he had no such knowledge, fol-
in no case was any sush purchase of votel
y effected, and in every case it broke dowr
for want of money. Is it to be supposed
. for moment that if Samuel j. Tildel
had decided to buy those votes the pur
u chase would have failed for want of money
Laughter on the Republican side. 1t i
not absolutely clear that When it reached
the point where money ssala.4s
D. Mr.. Townsend IN. Y. interrupting. =
D Did not the money 60 to Oregon?
t Mr.. Hewitt, without noticing Mr.. Town
E. sends Interruption money was re
If quired it failed, and is not the conclgsio
to irresistible that when, IN the last resort, i
es was necessary to go to him for money, b
s, Indignantly stamped on the suggestion O
e. one to which he could give neither appro
st val nor assistance.
ul The hour allowed for discussion havin
10 closed. Mr.. Garfield moved to reconside
at the vote ordering the main question.
y Mr., Atkins moved to lay the motion 0
Y. the table, aud it was SO ordered-Yes
re, 1913, nays 100.
OF The House then proceeded to vote O
a the resolution. and it was adopted witho,
lie division.