Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-04-04
Our Washington Letter.


WASHINGTON, d. c., March 31st, 1877
Messrs. Editors The principal topic Of the day
Is the anticipated settlement Of the political affairs
OF South Carolina and Louisiana. The status Of
THE SOUTH CAROLINA CONTROVERSY
has undergone no material change during the
week but the election in that state has been pretty
thoroughly ventilated by the President and his
Cabinet within the last few days The views of
the contesting parties to the gubernatorial chair
have been fully stated by the contestants in per-
son, and the decision in the case will undoubt-
eddy be made ere this reaches YOU The Presi-
dent, in conversation to-day with friend, il
understood to have said that, Notwithstanding
the circumstances attending the contests in the
states Of South Carolina and Louisiana, he did
not believe in military interference in the polit.
ical affairs of those states, as 1t was not war
ranted by the constitution the laws; that there
was no objection to the presence of troops in those
states, for 1t was in the discretion Of the President
to station them anywhere within the United States
that he might see fit; that there were troops sta.
toned in Pennsylvania and Ohio and many Other
states, and there was no reason why they slould
not be stationed in South Carolina and Louisiana
occupying the state houses and other state build.
ings, particularly in support OF one Of the rival
claimants for gubernatorial authority that the
circumstances under which troops are to be used
in any state IL well defined by laws on the sub
iect, and that when the troops are withdrawn from
the state houses at Columbia and New Orleans.
provided it should be so decided, the troops viii
| be kept near at hand against any emergency that
might arise
In carrying out this constitutional method Of re.
storing these states to the full exercise of thei1
rights, there is no disposition to evade any re-
sponsibty vested in the government, and there
need be no disquietude in the minds Of any on ac.
count OF the proposed change. 1t Is believed here
that the order Withdrawing the troops from the
| state house at Columbia will be issued in very few
| days, while in the case Of Louisiana nothing will
| be done until after the return OF the commission
| Governors Hampton and Chamberlain are both still
in the city, but will probably leave early in the
week. General Hampton has evidently aided hi,
case much by his presence here and has gained
many friends outside of his own political party
Governor Chamberlain has proposed an arrange
ment of the matter by which Hampton shall b,
given the governorship and he be made United
| pttIts ptlhlOT, IL REORGANIZATION OF I'll,
legislature upon Republican basis. This propo
stion, however, is not likely to be acceptable to tn
taxpayers of South Carolina, and it now looks ver
much as if Governor Chamberlain would be pro
| vided for by foreign mission, and that Hampton
and the ma jority of South Carolina people will wis
hima pleasant voyage. They cannot but concede t
him the possession of abilities of no mean order
and will doubtless cheerfully see him afforded
proper field for their exercise-outside of Sout
| Carolina
There has been considerable said of late in re
gard to the
| REPORTED PLEDGES TO THE SOUTH,
which are alleged to have been made by some q
President Hayes friends on the eve of the con
petion of the electoral count. Whatever pedg
or paper was drawn up, there is at least one def
ntely ascertaned fact, that President Hayes neve
authorized any pledge. His only pledges are
his inaugural address, and these he will stand b
honoraby fairly and to the letter. His polio
has not yet had full opportunity for develop
ment Many people have been entirely too in
patient They expected Hayes to solvein wee
a problem which President Grant and Congre.
were not able to work ont after years OF effor
President Hayes wants a peaceable administer
ton, and the line of action he has marked out fC
himself will assuredly bring that about To AZ
complish that end each state must have local sci
government without federal interference qua
anteed to it. In the language of Charles Foste
in his speech in Congress- it is the Presidents de
SIRE That .ne nag sinai no'' over states not prov
'"oes' Inns uie"hs an aosoiu'e aoahuon'hent
o'yohet rune III '''e SOUTH Ley the PRESIDENT
that ut.tta tI,.tr Il
'ssureu 'll't 'he suites eau control 'heir OWN II
'ernal "nairs peacei"'iy' 'iat the rights Oh
cH'Sses VIII DC respec'eu' anu 'ne people Oh oou'
N"ro'h" anu Lon'si"l" VIII pe leit as Tree 10 col
'ro 'he'r own """'rs "s are 'he people OF vernon
ana massachusetts ine'e Is soou reason To d.
"eNe ''ia' lew u'ys VIII Witness eons''i''''a,io
VI inns nn"ci'-ueSreu emu ana that carPe'-o'
rune WIN p'Ss away nun '"e '"u." rue piunue
"s VI VIC P,'p'' P''''''' "''
"'i ue'Se, All" ''''o "''' oe NV iio'e neou VI 'e'
v,"' 'n''''p,'"o i"'' '"1 'o'"'' "' "''
'07'D"' ''"s '.,"e' D'' Nv p''D7 80.
' " - "
'"o''u We u""'
~ ~ 80. - =,
'''"ss III Tue ''"'" may possibly oe s"o"" III I'll
ORGANIZATION OF THE HOUSE
At the coming extra session OF Congress. 1t is
'''~' VI '"N' '' VIZ '''''''" "N"''"'0 W.
holu the na'ahee oil power III that oody' ana col
'equentIy can arrange It's organization rs they sc
Ut. There VIII be one hundred ana lorty dem'
Gratis ana one hundred ana thlity-two hepuoI
cans whose seats are uhdisputed' In audltioi
there are twenty-one seats contested from III
best data attanaOe, II IL found That IN these cor
tested cases nine democrats ana twelve hepuol
cans have the prdnd Jdc'e rlght, and must :
placed on the roll, which makes total OF on
hundred and forty-nine democrats and one hui
dred and forty-iour Republicans Now, II
Northern democrats IN the next House numb'
'"'' my '' ga ' ~ ~
are 'neie'oie .ho P'i''' i"e uo'no',"0S Va
10 hothins "l'nou' '"e'i'' anu " Is oeooi'ii
more ana more evident that they are get'ii
heartily SICK Oh hanging OH 10 tra' Northerh co
porai guard "hheh mas leu them INTO 'fouu
ana theh ueserteu 'hehi' II reIli"'hs' ulereiof
with the representatives oil the south 10 say no
the House snail be organized ana governe
lhey cannot but see that their real saiVauoh AS
community lies IN the direction OF union OF u
) conservative element OF the south with the III
element OF the North, and IN the effort TO bui
up new party. 1t Is upon the honesty ana goo
N