Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-02-12
The Potter Committee.

This investigating committee is at
length closing its labors and will no
doubt make some kind of report. The
prediction Of A. II. Stephens when be OPP
posed the resolution of appointing the
committee last spring. that the result
would he either tragedy or farce has
but partly come true for the performance
has been n sort Of tragi-comedy from The
beginning and neither farce nor tragedy
pure and simple.
Last week Wednesday the sub-commit-
tee that went to New York began taking
the testimony from the senders of the
cipher dispatches. Smith NJ. Weed was
put on the stand. He was and is leading
democrat Of that state and went down to
South Carolina in 1876 as visiting states
men to see to things after election.
Mr.. Weed had forgotten great deal
about the cipher which he used but testified
in pretty straightforward manner. He
claimed that he was offered terms BIZ re-
publican residents of that state TO have
the vote or part of it turned ever to Til
den, that be telegraphed to Pelton and
tried to make the arrangement to buy but
that on meeting Pelton by appointment in
Baltimore the funds were not forthcoming
and the thing fell through.
Thursday Col VIM. T. Pel;on, Gov.
Tilden' S nephew, and the acting secretary
rs be tells it Of the democratic national
committee in 1876, testified for long
time. He was very forgetiul, but told
plainly the story Of how he negotiated
through Weed, Marble and Woolley for
the purchase Of South Carolina and tlori-
da votes.
Manton Marble, the man of tremendous
sentences and high morality testified Fri.
day and unlike Weed and Pelton wrig-
gled and twisted ana claimed that when
be was in Florida lie sent word TO Pelton
of corrupt offers merely as matters of news
and was not engaged in any mercantile
efforts himself.
The story of Mr.. Marble was of the
thinnest texture throughout while Pelton
md Weed seem to have stepped up like
inen and told the truth. All three of them
testify that Mr., Tilden himself was nno-
cent of knowledge of the dispatches and
negotiations.
Saturday Mr.. Tilden appeared before
the committee and said he knew nothing
Of the dispatches and first found out Pei
ton was trying to buy when the latter had
gone to Baltimore. Mr.. Tilden was in
formed by Mayor Cooper who had Just
found ont what Pelton was up to and Mr..
Tilden nj once recalled his scrapegrace
nephew.
OF course Mr.. Tilden's statement will
be derided and be will be by many believ-
ed to have had convenient want OF
knowledge that was suited to corrupt plr-
poses. But examining the testimony given
we think will show any impartial man
NA''l WI E IIhClli ~ Iil as llt lCSllLtS 10
things within his own knowledge, tells the
truth. or course it will hurt him to have
it known that men in his confidence were
doing things they ought not TO have done,
but it is much pleasanter to believe that
the candidate Of u great party for the first
office in the land WAS not himself guilty of
attempted bribery.
We believe Mr.. Tilden has told the
truth about his personal connection with
the corrupt negotiations. His relations
with the negotiators, however, as personal
and family matters, were things that the
old gentleman didn't propose TO discus,
fully before the committee.
The Subcommittee after these unbur
denings and few minor unloadings oil
information upon them packed up and
went back 10 Washington.