The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-03-13
glltste11nentrs.
THE STOLEN PRESIDENCY.
ABSTRACT OF THE REPORT OF
GENERAL BUTLER.
Hayes Not the Choice Of tho PeOple--The Decl
sion Of the Electoral Commission Should
Have No Legal Force.

Washington, March 4-The report OF
the majority of the Potter Committee
upon the cipher dispatches says general
ly the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany seem to have exercised due care in
respect of the preservation and privacy
of their dispatches, and the theft and
publication of certain dispatches did not
seem to be their fault. At the same
time they could not but suspect that Or.
ton, President of the company, (since de-
Ceased) who was an earnest and active
Republican leader, forwarded the dis
patches in the custody of the company to
the Republican Committee of the Senate
rather than to the Democratic Commit
tee of the House. He had also shown
his bias by allowing certain of the dis
patches to be withdrawn. On the exam.
instion of Indiana dispatches in which
Zach Chandler was asked by Mr. Tyner
to "appoint two Indian agents." one
could see how very naturally telegraph
officials should have failed to recognize
these most improvable cipher dispatches
to have any concealed meaning, but re-
Varded them rather as corrupt dis
patches. That they could recall them 30
we'll was credit to the efficiency of the
company, and suggests that nothing in
the protection of dispatches by telegraph
would be gained by transferring that bu-
siness to the Government 1t was not
for the Committee, however, to suggest
whether any legislation was required to
prevent private kilograms from being
purloined or exposed, or tor their pro-
duction In proper cases. Considering
the watchful, competent and intelligent
partizan custody of the dispatches for IA
months, it was to be expected that moth
ing would come to light not wanted by
the parties in charge, and it would have
been too much to expect that any mes.
Bages rthecting seriously on the conduct
of the Republican party would be found
among these bundles. The translations
of cipher dispatches disclose negotiations
on the part of certain near friends of Mr.
Tilden after the election to secure the
electoral votes of South Carolina and
Florida. These persons seemed to have
apprehended that the electoral vote of
those States which they believed belong
ed to Mr.. Tilden would be declared for
Hayes, and to have regarded themselves
as justifable in endeavoring to defeat
this corrupt and fraudulent action by
submitting to the payment of moneys
which they were informed Canvassing
boards demanded by way of blaCkmail.
The committee did not in any way justi.
fy their action and considered it gross
wrong. But these negotiations were not
authorized by the National Democratic
Committee or any person entitled to
speak for them. All persons who had
been connected with the negotiations, so
far as the committee had secured their
testimony, declaring that in no way were
they authorized by Samuel j. Tilden,
whose particular friends they we're, and
Mr.. Tilden had himself voluntarily ap.
peared to Corroborate that statement un.
der oath. No charge from any source
whatever had at any time attached to
the name of Mr.. Hendricks.
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