The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-03-30
Friday. March 80. ls77.
The Pledges to the South.

The revelations made in regard to the
bargain by which Mr.. Hayes purchased
the support of certain southern Democrats
during the progress of the electoral count
have created great excitement. and the
president is making a desperate effort to
shirk all responsibility for the compact IN
which he was one of the contracting par
ties 1t is not easy to see how he can clear
himself His conduct since his Inaugural
ton has been that of a man who felt him.
self bound in honor to adopt just policy
towards the south and was slowly yield
ing to party pressure, Moreover, he has
shown by his conduct to the men who car
ried on the negotiations with the south
erners and pledged him to the recognition
of the Nichols aud Hampton governments
that he approved of their action; and it Is
a settled rule of law that the principal who
accepts the work Of one unauthorized to
represent him, by the approval makes him
an agent. But there is another rule OF
law which holds that principal is bound
by the acts of person whom he allows to
appear before the world as his agent and
transact business for him. Mr.. Hayes
knew that Stanley Matthews aud Foster
were representing themselves as authorized
TO make promises for him, and not only
failed to warn the country against them but
praised what they had done. His relations
with Stanley Matthews were such that
only the most specific warning could put
the southern politicians on their guard
against that gentleman, for he was the
counsel of Mr.. Hayes before the electoral
commission, and as such empowered
to act in his behalf IN all negotia-
tions touching the settlement of his
clients title to the presidency. If the
denials of Mr.. Hayes are to be taken as
anything more than statements that there
was no formal agency on the part of
Messrs. Matthews and Foster to enter in
to any bargain with the south, then those
gentlemen stand before the country con-
victed of making pretenses to powers they
did not possess, giving pledges they could
not redeem, and deliberately deceiving
reputable people by their fraudulent rep
reservations. But we cannot believe them
guilty of conduct which in ordinary bust
ness transactions, would render them
worthy of the penitentiary. 1t is to be
presumed that without formal authorize
ton they were virtually the agents of the
president, and that they then considered
themselves as such and have since been
considered as such by him.
1t seems clear. moreover, that other lead
ing Republicans, notably Secretary Sher
man and Congressman Garfield, are Gin
volved in this bargain to secure the ac.
quiescence of the south in Mr.. Hayes's in.
auguration, and that the affair was carried
so far that General Grant actually issued
an order directing the withdrawal of the
troops from Louisiana The evidence OF
this point is conclusive it sustains the
charge, and the result of the revelation
must be the moral and political ruin of th
Republicans engaged III the compact
The treachery of such bargain toward
their allies lisgraces them as partsans
The treachery towards those with WHOM
they made the treaty, in refusing to carr
out their agreement, disgraces them a
men,