The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-04-06

TO the electoral bill, but to the majority Of
the commission, whom We had agreed TO
trust. / told him | had received dispatch
es and letters from home from cherished
and trusted friends, conveying most EN-
phatic remonstrances againstmy course
but that with nv convictions about the
question, ifa petition signed by every vo-
ter in my district should be sent 10 me
requesting me to support the dillatory mo
tons, it would not by hair alter my pur-
pose. said further to him, that there was
but one thing which would change me,
and it was if thought that by voting to
complete the count which was TO result in
the Inauguration of Mr.. HAYES ! should
be aiding, directly or indirectly in per-
petuating the usurpations of Packard and
Chamberlain, in the States OF Louisiana
and South Carolina, would reverse my
action and do my very utmost TO defeat
the execution of the bill regardless Of con-
sequences, calamitous to the country as
lieved they wonld be. | furthermore
told him that if changed my position |
knew Of several prominent gentlemen
who would Join me, and if, at that critical
hour when the daily and nightly scenes
surpassed by far in wild excitement and
violence, anything ever witnessed in the
legislative history of the country, the line
of Democrats who were voting TO execute
the law should be broken il would result
in stampede among them and Mr. Hayes
would no more be the President than he
(Foster) would be.
Mr. Foster said he believed this / have
the highest respect for Charles Foster.
/ believe him to be an honorable gentle
man, and told him that it was INV con-
fidence in him that had brought me to
him. He represented the district of Mr.
Hayes He had just made manly and
patriotic speech, in which he had said
that under Hayes, if inaugurated, the
flag should float over States, not progin-
ces-over freemen, not subjects. 1 re-
ferred to this speech. .and told him i had
come to request of him written assuran-
ces that if Hayes was inaugurated he
would restore home rule in the States of |
Louisiana and South Carolina; that the |
people of these States should control |
their OWN affairs in their own way, as
free from any Intervention by the FEEDER
nj authorities as the State of Ohio. This
|
told Mr. Foster that / wanted to make no
bargain, no agreement, that / had de-
clineda re eelection to Congress, WAS vol
UNFAIRLY Withdrawing from political life.
wanted no Office that President could
give me, and that my object was unset
fish, but ! desired a written assurance
from him that the policy of Mr. Mr. HAYES
would be as indicated, and from him
specially, by reason Of his very intimate
relations with Mr. Hayes. His reply to
all this was frank, full, earnest, and salts
factory to my friend General Gordon
and myself Indeed, Mr. Foster said he
had in his pocket letter just received;
Mr. HAYES, thanking him for the speech
10 which have alluded, ard endorsing
it. He offered this letter to General |
Gordon and myself to read, but we de-
clined. He agreed TO give me the de-
sired letter, and said he would also re- |
quest Hon Stanley Matthews to sign ii. |
He promised to meet me that night at |
my rooms. He came about midnight; |
said that by reason of his interview with
General Gordon and myself he had that |
evening procured meeting of some
gentlemen of Louisiana and South Caro- |
lima, at Wormley's Hotel, at which also |
Hon Henry Watterson was present, and |
at the conclusion of the conference these
gentlemen had expressed great satisfac- |
aon at what had been said to them. On |
leaving he remarked that / should have
the letters next Monday.
On the next day he came to my desk |
in the House of Representatives and !
handed Inc an unsigned letter. read |
it, took nv pen and erased one para
graph, told him that it could be made |
fuller and stronger, but that from the |
honorable men who gave it in good |
faith IL was sufficient. In an hour / !
went to his desk and he delivered to me |
Il letter signed by himself and Mathews.
observed that it vas in a different
hand writing, read it hastily, and re-
marked to him that it contained some
generalities did lot like. He replied
that MFR. Matthews had written it.
and added: Brown, it is intended to
cover the whole case, and promise you
that there will be no doubt about the
fulfillment of all the assurances have
given you" Noticed the original let
ter on his desk and said, "Sign this
also, and he replied, Certainly, with
pleasure. As ] was leaving lac called
me back and told me that President
Grant would, as soon as the count was
issue certain order to Gen.
Augur in Louisiana. He requested me
rot to mention this fact for several
lays, but expressly gave me permission
% make any use of the letters | might
iesire The order referred to was is
ued by President Grant. L gave copies
# the letters to Messrs. Levy, Ellis, ,
md Burke. of Louisiana, ana 70 Gen. ;
Il. C. Butler, OF South Carolina, with
authority 10 use them whenever they
pleased. When | saw that the Demo- 1
ratio victory so fairly won was lost, &
Nv deepest concern was for my suffer -,
ng Southern countrymen. To con
ribute to their deliverance from bond l
lge was the passionate aspiration of i
ny heart. /
Had believed that the policy of Mr. 9
Hayes, if inaugurated, would not re-
eye them from hateful anG uDrepub ll
can supervision by the army, and the a
urther plundering and oppression by a
len alien to them in birth and sympa- c
hies. I should never have voted as !
ID. Hon. Charles Foster secured the
of the president, Bet C
Or his speech and these letters the $
esult would never have been reached. =,
he conversation and contents of the
,tter were made known TO many.
he confidence of the Democrats in a
i'm, and in his authorization to say Il
that he did, composed the representa- h
ives and cansed them to remain IN
haken to do what they thought was II
ght amid the storm that was raging
round them, and in the face of the Ia
arrest circumstances of their consti- "
uents. If few had faltered the :,
anic would have been fruitless, and
'efore this time, in my opinion, a hur- =
icane of war would have been sweep d
ng over the land Hope deferred has il
ickened the hearts of Southern men. =,
do not understand, nor do l appreci-
te, the delay of President Hayes. He e.
'ught not to hesitate. The whole a
expected this great and good T
york at his hands. Passionate men =.
re heaping invectives upon the heads !
f these Democrats who voted to stand
" ths Electoral bill. This pains me, Z
mt causes no regret for my action. ID
In conclusion will say that have
uIl faith in the f1lfiIlment of the as-i !.
urances contained in the letters of !.
dessrs. Foster and Matthews They Z
ire honorable men. ! cannot believe I