The Blaise Investigation

Mr. H. M. Teller, United States 8euta, Hiairman Scnato C'ommittee, etc. Deak Sik : I have thia moming received your favor inclosing the followin resolution adopted by your eommittee : Jtetolved, That the Hon. James (. Blaine. the mover of the resolutiou, be requestud t speclíy ín writing the particular class oL fruuds. uutrage. and violence committed in the recent eU-ctions which the eommittee is expected to inví-stigatc. and to íurnidh sui-h Information and evideuce na may be in hifi possessiou. and tJie ñames of witnesses he niay wieh to examined. It cannot, of course; bo the purpose of your honorable committee to limit the investigation to any particular claas of frauda, outrages, and violence committed In the recont elections that may bo "specified" by me. The resolution is the actiou of tho Senáte, speaking abnost uniuiimously, and it is not for mo to say what your eommittee is " expocted " to investígate bevond what i exprossod in the resolution itaelf in'vory explicit terma. It would bo gross assumption in me to "specify " where the Sonate itself has directed But, anxious to indícate any details that mav oxpedite tho labora of the eommitteo, I will cali your attention speeially to the tissue-ballot frauda in South Carolina; to the laws of that State, which made freo voting impossiblo iu cortain counties to tlie practice in that Stato of breaking up all meetings held to oppose the Democratie party unlcss Demoeratic speakers wcro allowed to take part in the discussions, and to all tho ,mcthods by which in Sumpter and other counties a full'and freo election was preven te d. In Louisiana I invite your attention to the murdera in Tensas parie h on election day, and to the frauds committed in tho same; to the frauda and outragea upon the ballot in the city of New Orleana, and, even while I writo, to the alleged asaassinations of two witnesses whilo on their way to the United States Court to testify againat those who robbed them of their rights on the day of oloction. I could make further f]oc-ifieations in these two Ktates and in other Southern States, but I have not time. I am juat leaving for New Englaud, and am amipelled to poatpone further details untü after my return. Among the witnesscsl Touldname are James B. Campbell, E. W. M. Mackey, and C. G. Mimminyer, óf Sonth Carolina ; öov. Nicholla ; his agent, Col. Zachary; ex-Chief Juatice Ludeling, of Louisiana; the Hon. Reuben Davis, of Mississippi ; J. Cole Da via, of Helena, Ark. : and the editor of the .1 calanche, a Democratie paper published iu Memphia, Tenu. But I beg especially to refer you to a large masa of valnablo information in the office of tho Attorney (1. n eral of the United States, alroady called for by the Senate, and aoon, I presume, to bo laid boforo your committee. This is official in its character, and in many cases has the weight and value of logal cridènce, not requiring further examination of witneases to anthenticate and eonfirm it. In offering the resolution in the Senate I did not asaume the part of Public ProHeeutor, but especially deeüned any such service. The inyitation of your honorable committee, Bowever, is one which I cannot disregard, and on the reassembling of Congi'ess I Hhall from time to time lay such facta before you and mak such Buggestions a may soem to constitute a full and fair complianee with all the requirements of your resolution. With groat respect, your obedient servant, J. G. Blaine. THUKMAN. The Hon. II. M. Teller. Chairman oL the Select Committee of Inveeitigation. Dkae kir : Í havo tho honor to acknowledge thi' r'coipt of yours of tbe 21st uit. iuelosing a oopy ol the reaolution adopted ly your commitfeê requesting me to furmsh in Vriting such facts and such evidonce as may be in mv poasession touching the matter iuvolved in the amendment made on my motion to the reaolution 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 man. They relate to eloctiona in every part of the republie, and the allegations are for the most part to bo found. In the opening of his speech iu support of his resolntions, Dec. 11, the Senator from Maine distinctly stated that the resoiution waa baaed on accounts given in the presa, which has teemed with statements which, if trne, require rae mvusiigauon proposea Dy my amenument, and I have no doubt the membeía of the eommittee read the newspapera quite as diligently as I do. It is probable they knpw where to look for the Bonrcea of information as fullv as I do, and they are charged with the respoiisibility of máking inveatigation, and I am not. I bog respectf ully to say tlmt I take no part of it ujrou my shoulders. Noverthaloes, as the amendment was offored in perfect good faith, and, with a firrn belief that the mattere it embraces requiro inveatigation quite as much aa the matters coutained in the original reaolution, it wül be proper for me, especiaJiy since your committee has requested it, to furniah such iuformation touehing the subject as may, I from timo to time, come under my obaorvation. I therefore send herewith installment No 1, coneisting of 1. An editorial article cut from thia morning'a Washington Post. 2. A copy of a petition of sixty-odd citizensof New York to the House of tíepresontatives, complaining of the illegal and oppresaive eonduet of ! John I. Davenport and other Federal oflicials at the late election in New York city, and I am au thorized by the Hon. Fernando Wood, who presented the petition, to say that its statements are proved by sundry aftidavits in hia hauda, and that he wül, if reqnired, furniah the ñames of the amants, and other witnessea to the same faets. 3. A copy of an opinión of Judge Feedman touehing the rights of certein natufalized citizens of New York, which rights were grosBly viola ted by the said Davenport, as set forth in said petition. 4. I respeetftilly refer yon to that portion of tho speecn of .Senator Wallaee, one of your number, delivered in the Senate, Dec. 8, Í878, which relates to the last election iu Fonnsylvania. (See ('ojujressional liecord, Dec. 18, p. 38). I also beg leave to refer you to the published letter of the Hon. William D. Kelley, of Pennsylvania, showing the nieans employed by the Federal oflicials and others to defeat bis nomination and election. You have, no doubt, seen the letter in the newspapers. If not, I will have a copy prepared for you. 5. Ad editorial article from the A rèm and Patriot, a newspaper of Montpelier, Yt. , touehing the election at Bennington, in that State. 0. A eopy of the President's Civil-Service order of Juné 2;í, 1 877, and, as showing what attention has been paid to it, alao what meana were resorted to by tho Republican i gressional Committee "of 1878. I include a circular of that committee, aigned by Goorge C. ] Qorham, ite Secretary. Thia circular, it is said, ' was sent to nearly every person in the civil , vico bf the Government and to public { j tractors and others having relations with the i Goverument. I am, very respectfully, yonr obodieut servant, A. G. Thotmav. HÜPPLEMBNTAKY NOTE FKOM THUltMAX. Washington, D. C, Jan. '4. Hon. H. M. Teller, ('hainnan Seleet Committee of InvestiKatioa. DearSir: In fnrther compliance with the request of your committee, communicated to me by your letter of the !31stult.,I have the honor now to inclose to yon " installment No. 2 " of f acts relating to the late eleetions, and pecially to the n-isconduct of United States j pervisora and Doputy Marshals, ti wit: 1. A letter from James H. IV. iio. of sonville Fia., relativo to the 2 -ouduct of i United States Supervisors and Depttty Marshals at the late eleetious in the SecondCougromional j Ëistriot in that Stat.. a An affidavit nf Owen J. Homninrs, of Duvall eounty, Fla. , velating to the sanio nubject. 3, Statements of F. C. Eandolph, of Jl.nitgomery. Ala., showing miaconduct of United States Deputv Alarshals at the late election in ' that State. I am assured that these three gentlemen are citizens of high standing and respectability, and I beg loave to commend their statements to earneat consideration of your committee. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient ! eervant, A. G. Thuuman.