Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-01-22
HOUSE.
The Cipher Telegrams.
aIIUurlIt,I


journal Mr.. Potter called up for action
the resolution presented hy him yestcr-
day, directing the Committee on the
Investigation of the Election Frauds To-
inquire into the cipher dispatches, "
and apprupriating SlO,O0 Ia delray the
expenses uf such inquiry.
Mr. Potter moved the previous qurs-
tiun, which was seconded, ami the main
question ordered, thus leaving one hour
lot discussion. which was thcrcupuu
opened hv Mr.. Potter. who said:
MR. SPEAKER: | offered this rrsulu-
lion btc.tu~r | Was instructed To- offer IL.
| dO not propOs, To discuss it, except To
sav u few words in reply to an attack
made on me by the gentleman from
Michigan Congrrl. | Was not Ia the
House at the time, and when the gentle
mar : attention was called To the TACT,
lac stated that had lett to avoid hearing
him. Ii the gentleman thought 50, he
Was mistaken. think ! listen To the
sprightly and aimahle utteranCes OF the
gentleman from Michigan with as much
satisfaction as any gentleman IN the
House, but it is not possible Tor man
L. he ALWAYS in his seat, and the gem
tleman ought not to infer from my all
senc, that had any disinclnatlun 10
hear mm Had he informed me that he
proposed to refer tu the cipher dispatch
~, | should certainly, at whatever IN
convenience, have remained, because |
could then have better said IN regard Ia
this resolution what am about To say
now, but as he had risen many times
that day il Was impossible ior me to
divine, that when he arose he intended
L. discuss that subject. The gen
tlrnIau accused me because
hal not permitted an Investigation ul
these dispatches. Mr.. Speaker, II Is a.
open to the gentleman from Michigan,
and has been ever since this session ui
Congress assembled, and to every mem
hrr III the House. aS II IL L. myself To
propose such all Investigation. lie did
not propose IL; nO one uu that side ut
the House proposed IT, and Tor reasons
which. perhaps. it is not difficult Ia
divine: but at any rate, Tor reasons
satisfactory tu themselves. No gentle
man on this side had proposed IL, and
the gentleman from Michigan said that
| hal not permitted them Ia do -. Mr..
speaker. | neither hal power tu pre-
vent them. nor had | sought Ia prevent
them. The only wish had eN-
pressed on the subject was that II
such resolution Was introduced II
might be- referred To another committee
than that ut which ! was member, tut
| neither sought To- influence any hudy
nor tn prevent any one from action IN
respect Ia il. simply refused to volun,
teer to introduce such u resolution my
sell and iur these reasons, at the last
session of Congress, I introduced resn-
luton iur committee To inquire into
the certain alleged and confessed Wrongs
i'm Florida and Louisiana, which had
taken place under the color ut the State
Law. and which were said tu have nrru
perpr1ratrd under the influence "t Fed
rrai visitors and under the protection ni
Federal troops, AMI which wrongs the
Electoral Committee dcCided IL Was im-
possible for the states la reCtIty or
recall. Such matter Was
Ia proper subject Tor Con
greSSional legislation. For II Con
gresS could not correct the wrong
which had taken place IN the states,
themselves il could at least adopt such
legislation rs would afford thuse States
am opportunity To cOrrcCt AMI recall the
action taken under color ut Law. IL
was therefore proper subject ior
investigation, and when introduced
that resolution | declined Ia yield TO an
amendment which the gentleman from
Maine IIslel desired 10 Otier, proposing
an inquiry into certain cipher dis
patches in Oregon, because in
sisted that 70 Was M; within the
province of Congress to inquire into
the individual wrong OF any citizen
which it could neither prevent nor pun-
ish. ami that at any rate this lnvestI-
CATION ought not L. lie oyerSloughed by
such an inquiry. did not then sus-
rect the existence ui the dispatches
! which have been since published, but
I the analogy between those dispatches
I and those which the gentleman from
Maine sought to have inquired into IS
perfect, and the House having sustained
! me in my view oi the question, it is not
| for me now 10 seek 10 put on loot my sell
an Investigation OF the kind, nor to pre-