The Portland daily press., 1879-02-10
THE CIPHER TELEGRAMS.
Tilden Before the Potter Commit
tee.
He Denies ala Knowledge of Pei
toms Scheme.
The subcommittee Work Concluded.

ms uD'COlhmittSeS WORK C0ncIUGeQ.
NEW YORK, Feb. s.-The Potter subcommittee
reassembled at noon to-day. Gov, TIlien entered,
accompanied by his brother, Henry A. len of Leb-
anon, John Bigelow and Henry e. Dinmock. The
Governor came in milling and took his seat quietly
He was at once sworn by Mr.. Huntou, chairman.
Mr.. acknowledgements Tilden we received your
note expressing your willingness to testify.
Al have cold and can't speak very loud. The
publication and translation in the New York papers.
have read. 1 did not recognize a single word
either of the cipher or translation which have ever
seen before. L entered into any arrangements
o purchase the vote of South Carolina or Florida.
had no information and no suspicion that any such
communication was being carried out until published
in the New York Tribune. had no knowledge no
dealings with any party to these negotiations
never authorized any such negotiations in any form
whatever. On the morning Of Nov. 20, 1876 Mrs,
Col Pelton mentioned in my presence that her hus-
band had gone for the day. did not know he had
gone or was going out of the city, He went to Phila-
delphia, believe. Later in the day was called on
by Mr.. Cooper, who was on his way down town, and
was told that he hal received an offer from some
party, offering to obtain for money the vote Of
South Carolina. 1 said would authorize no such
trans action or lend money for such purpose The
whole conversation occupied only few minutes. 1
obtained Col. Pelton's address in Baltimore and tel
egraphed him to come. 1 knew nothing of the
ciphers passing between him and others. could not
have translated them. With regard to Florida /
never of the telegraws either in cipher or
trans alton. was not informed Of any negotiations
going on in regard to Illegally obtaining the certi-
cate OF the returning board. Some time after Mr..
Marble called and told me, in casual kind of a
way, about the corruption Of the Florida returning
board Inever saw any one of those dispatches re.
lating to Florida either in cipher or translation In
regard to the Oregon dispatches did not know they
came in cipher until after the meeting of the COM
mittee to investigate them. Some dispatches were
addressed to my residence but do not know that
any we're delivered there Colonel Pelton' habits !
mind and mine are very different. day or two
after the election General Grant wrote letter rec
ommending that committee go South TO see fair
count. had nothing to do with the selection OF
that com mittee. never heard from them but once,
and that was acommunica ton sgued by Ottendorfer
and others. was very busy all that time and did
not undertake to the idea that they were my
personal agents. which had no foundation They
represented the Democratic party. None OF them SO
far as know were authorized to do anything thai a
gentleman might not do From the 7th of NAV
1876 10 December 9Th of the same year under no
circumstances did enter into any combination for
procuring certificates by venal inducement. There
never was an hour nor minute that 1 entertained
such thoughts. To the people who, as 1 believe,
elected me President to four millions of citizens who
were defauded owed it to proclaim that I would
not yield one jot or title of my right. Whatever
evils may result from subversion of the electoral
system and tree government resolved would enter
into no auction for the purpose of obtaining the
chief magistracy. was resolved that would con-
tnue to protest against the wrong by which the peo-
pie were defraaoed outef their rights.
Mr. Tilden's voice was husky and it was difficult
to hear him.
Q-Who is your private secretary.
A-George W. Smith.
Q-Mr Tildep, l find in cipher No 40 this dis
patch.
TALLAHASSEE. Nov. OF.
George W Smith, Is Grdmmercy PARK:
1t has been suggested from here to the Governor of
Oregon to refrain from issuing he certificate favor
OF an lneiigios eector, until advised thereon. Why
not OBTAIN and telegraph him OConnor's opinions?
See my dispatch ito Spain." (Sgned) M.
Have you any knowledge Of it?
Al have not.
Q-Look over the translation; have you any recol-
lection of having received it?
Al have not.
Q-You have read the Tribune cipher disclosures?
Al did at the time they came out.
Odd your private secretary show you any Of
these dispatches?
Ale did not.
Gle must have had the cipher? Do you know
if he bad?
Al do not.
Q-What do you know of the ciphers?
Al know nothing about them.
Q-When Col. Pelton returned from Baltimore
what was the nature of your interview?
Al said something to him aoout his action and
he made reply. did not get from him any infor.
nation about the ciphers or negotiations until saw
them published did not believe Pelton had apy
power because he had no authorization.
Q-What your conversation with Edward
Cooper?
Ale came to me and said he had received pro-
posa to get the votes of Sonth Carolina for money
The substance of the conversation was that the votes
were for sale.
Q-Did he mention Pelton's nance
Ale did not
Q-when did you next hsar Of corrupt attempt
in any Stale?
Al never head.
Q-Do you mean to say you never heard of any
attempt TO bribe?
A-Not till the publication of the fact
Q-When did you first hear of the criminal attem nj
to buy or SELL or heard of FELTON, being Baltimore
Al heard nothing except from the published
reports.
Q-Wben did you first hear of the Florida bribery
A-From Marble. He simply mentioned the cir
cumstance after he returned from Florida He gave
me no details and made no inquiries
Mr.. Observation-Disclosures Tilden are you entirely
clear that McLin was Influenced in his action by the
hope of office?
Al swear SO to the best of my recollection. be-
eye shall be just to every one in this examination
and shall protect myself fully without going into
matters connected with my family relatinos.
Odd you make any inquiries from your nephew
about these corrupt propositions?
Al did not.
Q-Then you had no interest in them?
A-Only an interest in stopping it.
Mr.. Tilden stated further in reply to a question
that he had no conversation with Weed, Marble or
Pelton regarding the purchase of electoral votes and
that he did not refer to the Baltimore transaction in
his card to the public because it was not pertinent.
Q-Do you not see your statement that you lad no
knowledge of the negotiations excep thr ough the
Tribune is likely to deceive because you had heard of
the Baltimore negotiations?
This question seemed to stagger Tilden somewhat,
but he said he did not know of the cipher.
Reed then cross-examined The witness who reiter-
ated his former testimony
Mr.. Hiscock then cross-examined the Witness
In reply to question Mr.. Tilden said, II declare
before God apa my country that the votes of Lou
isiana and Florida were bought, (meaning BY the
Reputacaus.l I would scorn and condemn nv
righteous title ii the Democratic party had secured
my seat by fraud"
Mr.. Hiscock said Mr.. McLin testified that he was
approached by Manton Marble with an offer for the
purchase of votes He deemed it his duty to make
this refuaion in the face of Gov Tidens aspersons
on his character.
Mr.. Hiscock further cross examined Tden to find
out who gave him the information that tne returning
boards of South Carolina aud Florida were for sale.
but Tilden would not tell the name of the ntormer
Further DISCRIMINATION by Hiscock developed no
new points,
E. L. Paris and Geo. W. Smith, Tiden's private
secretary, testified briefly but they could remember
nothing. and their testimony was of no importance.
Committee concluded the taking OF testimony and
returned to Washington in the evening.
EUROPE.
n