Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 January 1879 — THE BLAINE INVESTIGATION. [ARTICLE]

THE BLAINE INVESTIGATION.

Responses of Senators Blaine and Thurman to the Call of the Committee for Evidence. RLAINK. Mr. H. M. Teller, United State* Senate. Cliafrinan of; Senate Committee, etc. Dear Sib : I have this morning received your favor inclosing the following resolution adopted by your committee: SMoltul. Tliat the Son, JfMjpe* G. Blaine, thorn over of tlje resolution. be requested to specify in writing the particular class of frauds, outrages, and violence committed in the recent elections which the committee is expected to investigate, and to furnish such information and evidence as may be in his possession, and the names of witnesses he may wish to be examined. It cannot, of course, be the purpose of your honorable committee to limit the investigation to any particular class of frauds, outrages, and violence committed in the recent elections that may be ‘“specified ”by me. The resolution is the action of the Senate, speaking almost unanimously, and it is not for me to say what your committee is “ expected ” to investigate beyond what is expressed in the resolution itself in very explicit terms. It would be gro-s assumption in me to “ specify ” where the Senate itself has directed. But, anxious to indicate any detail&that mav expedite the labors of the committee, I Will call your attention specially to the tissue-ballot frauds in South Carolina; to the laws of that State, which made free voting impossible in certain counties; to the practice in that State of breaking up all meetings held to oppose the Democratic party unless Democratic speakers were allowed to take part in the discussions, and to all the methods by which in Sumter and other counties a full and free election was prevented. In Louisiana I invite your attention to the murders in Tensas parish on election day, anid to the frauds committed in the same; to the frauds and outrages upon the ballot in the city of New Orleans, and, even while I write, to the allege dassassinations of two witnesses while on their way to the United States Court to .testify against those who had robbed them of their rights on the day of election. I could make further specifications in these two States and in other Southern States, but I have not time. I am'just leaving for New England, and am compelled to postpone further details until after my return Among the witnesses I would name are James i B. Campbell, E. W. M. Mackey, and C. G. Mimminyer, of South Carolina; Gov. Nicholls; his j agent, Col. Zachary; ex-Chief Justice Ludeling, i of Louisiana; the Hon. Reuben Davis, of Mississippi ; J. Cole Davis, of Helena, Ark.; and the editor of the AvoZanc/te, a Democratic paper published in Memphis, Tenn. But I beg especially to refer you to a large mass of valuable information in the office of the Attorney General of the United States, already called for by the Senate, and soon, I presume, to be laid before your committee. This is official in its character, and in many cases has the weight and value of legal evidence, not requiring further examination of witnesses to authenticate and confirm it. In offering the resolution in the Senate I did not assume the part of Public Prosecutor, but especially declined any such service. The invitation of your honorable committee, however, is one which “ cannot disregard, and on the reassembling of Congress I shall from time to time lay such facts before you and make such suggestions as may seem to constitute a full and fair compliance with all the requirements of your resolution. With great respect, your obedient servant, J. G. Blaine.

THURMAN. The Hon. H. M. Teller, Chairman of the Select Committee of Investigation. Dear Sir : I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of yours of the 21st ult, inclosing a copy of the resolution adopted by your committee requesting me to furnish in writing such facts anu such evidence as may be in my possession touching the matter involved in the amendment made on my motion to the resolution under which the committee is acting. Of course the committee does not suppose that the matters embraced in that amendment are within my personal knowledge, or that of any one nian. They relate to elections in every, part of the republic, and the allegations are for the most part to be found. In the opening of his speech in support of his resolutions, Dec. 11, the Senator from Maine distinctly stated that the resolution was based on accounts given in the press, which has teemed with statements which, if true, require the investigation proposed by my amendment, and I have no doubt the members of the committee read the newspapers quite as diligently as I do. It is probable they know where to look for the sources of information as fully as I do, and they are charged witn the responsibility of making investigation, and I am not. I l>eg respectfully to say that I take no part of it upon my shoulders. Nevertheless, as the amendment was offered in perfect good faith, and with a firm belief that the matters -it embraces require investigation quite as much as the matters contained in the original resolution, it will be proper for me, especially since your committee has requested it, to furnish such information touching the subject as may, from time to time, come under my observation. I therefore send herewith installment No. 1, consisting of 1. An editorial article cut from this morning's Washington Pont.

2. A copy of a petition of sixty-odd citizens of 1 New York to the House of Representatives, complaining of the illegal and oppressive conduct of John I. Davenport and other Federal officials at the late election in New York city, and I am authorized fay the Hon. Fernando Wood, who presented the petition, to say that its statements are proved by sundry affidavits in his hands, and that he will, if required, furnish the names of the affiants, and other witnesses to the same facts. 3. A copy of an opinion of Judge Feedman touching the rights of certain naturalized 'Citizens of New York, which rights Were grossly violated by the eaid Davenport, as set forth in said petition. 4. I respectfully refer you to that portion of the speech of Senator Wallace, one of your number, delivered in the Senate Dec. 8, 1878, ■which relates to the last election in Pennsylvania. (See Congressional Record. Dec. 18,p. 28.) I also beg leave to refer you to the published letter of the Hon. William D. Kelley, of Pennsylvania, showing the means employee! by the Federal officials and others to defeat his nomination and election. You have, no doubt, seen the letter in the newspapers. If net, -F will have a copy prepared for you. 5. An editorial article from the Arants and Patriot, a newspaper of Montpelier, Vt, touching the election at Bennington, in that State. 6. A copy of the President’s civil-service order of June 22, 1877, and, as showing what attention has been paid to it, also what means were resorted to by the Republican Congressional Committee of 1878. I inclose a circular of that committee, signed by George C. Gorham, its Secretary. This circular it is said, was sent to nearly every person in the civil service of the Government and to public contractors and others having relations with the Government I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, A G. Thurman. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE FROM THURMAN,. Washington, D. C., Jan. 4. Hon. H. M. Teller, Chairman Select Committee of Investigation. Dear Sir : In further compliance with the request of your committee, communicated to me by your letter of the 21st ult, I have the honor now to inclose to you “ installment No. 2” of facts relating to the late election, and especially to the misconduct of United States Supervisors and Deputy Marshals, to wit: 1. A letter from James H. Paine, of Jacksonville, Fla., relative to the misconduct of United States Supervisors and Deputy Marshals at the late elections in the Second Congressional district in that State. 2. An affidavit of Owen J. Sommers, of Duvall county, Fla., relating to the same subject 3. Statements of F. C. Randolph, of Montgomery, Ala., shoving misconduct of United States Deputy Marshals at the late election in that State. I am assured that these three gentlemen are citizens of high standing and respectability, and I beg leave to commend their statements to earnest consideration of your committee. I am, Mr, very respectfully, your obedient servant, A G.'Thurman. Bayard Taylor’s Family. He married the daughter of the astronomer at Gotha, an accomplished lady, whose fine critical taste and learning have been of so much advantage to him in his learning, and so perfect was her familiarity with his purposes and herkno wladgaot-his literary material, that there is room to hope sne may do the work ho designed in the life of Goethe. He leaves one child, his daughter Lilian, wh<w is a re*

markable reproduction of his own- as it appears in the portrait that shows him as he walked in Eutope when a boy. His father and mother are living at Cedarcroft, the houseJllAt ®K&uilt Mthiif a milb of his birfn-pacfe, on ground that his ancestors owned for 200 years. It has* been nearly ten years since their golden wedding, and in April last t,hey sa\y with cjieerful hopefnliiesA their adveiiturolisJihd famous son set forth bn the last of his long journeys,— Cincinnati Commercials--'