The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-04-26
LOUISIANA FREE.

| 'aiheu ior thc past elBHt or ten years
inongrcl government Of unparalleled in
fanny over her people. Such combina-
ton Of villainy, fraud, corruption and
ignorance has never been cxhibted-no,
not even in South Carolina-in the high
places Of any government. and the civili-
zation OF America has repeatedly blIshcd
over the degradation and low cunning of
the rulers Of the Crescent State, who were
protected by the strong arm Of the ma
tons soldiery. The day of deliverance
has, however, arrived, and the withdrawal
Of the Federal army will doubtless be
followed by the speedy restoration Of
peace to the much burdcned and long
suffering people Of Louisiana through
the efficiency and patriotism of the
Nichols government, which has now alb
sorbed all the functions of the State gov
ernmcnt. The contamination Of this
much desired result ia in certain sense
due to the action of President Hayes,
and he deserves credit and commenda-
ton for having, in the cases Of South
Carolina ard Louisiana, enforced Justly
and with reasonable promptncss provis-
ions nf the National Constitution which
he rs President is sworn to obey, but
which his predecessor frequently ignored.
While the President is due credit for
having done an act, right in itself, yet it
is proper foi the information of our
readers, and in the effort to keep alive
the healthy public opinion which, like q
furious storm, has swept the noxious
vapors from the political skics of South
Carolina, for liz to make few obscrva-
tions upon the course of President Hayes
and his political friends. Just after 90
election, when it was thought Mr.. Hayes
mind his defeat on his own account nor
on the country's account, for they could
stand it, but that he was sorry for the
poor negro, who would be left to the
mercy nf Southern Democrats His ac-
ton i'll turning over these States to the
Democracy is in positive contravention
of the principles he announced at that
time. How is this to be accounted for :?
We believe it is the result OF bargain
made between some Southern Democrats
and Me5srs. Foster and Matthews, hia
agents, acting for him, who pledged that
if enough Of the Southern Democrats
would unite with the Republicans to
complete the count, and thereby make
him President, after the outrage upon
law and public opinion perpetrated by
the Electoral Commission, in return for
these services hc would remove the troops
and allow the Southern States to govern
themselves. No well-informed man can
doubt that Foster and Matthews were
acting with Hayes knowledge and con-
sent, for the letter from Hayes to Foster,
approving his course in Congress, was
shown to several persons in Washington,
and the pledges made by them have been
scrupulously fulfilled by Iir. Hayes.
Then the President occupies before the
nation one of two unenviahle positions.
Either he sought by corrupt agreement
to obtain an office to which he knew he
was not elected, or he made an agree
ment to surrender his own views already
expressed to obtain an Office to which he
believed he was elected. In either event
his course was discreditable to himself
and to the nation which allowed him to
become It's chief magistrate. The cnse
! stood so that members of Congress ought
as matter Of duty to have supported or
opposed the c. mpletion of the electoral
count, and in neither event was it proper
for him directly nor indirectly to en-
deavor to influrnce by contract the ac-
tion of men in the performance of n
sworn duty. Never did President be-
fore seek or obtain position by such
questionable means. The action of the
President liz the Louisiana case is much
more damaging to hia character than in
the South Carolina case. Hayes title to
the Presidency was no better than Pack
ards title to the Govcrnorship of Louisi-
ana. If Hayes was elected President,
Packard was elected Governor, and if
Packard was not elected, Hayes was not.
The apologists for Mr.. Hayes may twist
this problem as much as they please, it
will solve in but one way, and that way
Is discreditable to the Returning Board
President. If Packard was elected Gov
ernor, it is the Presidents duty to sus-
tain him in his office, and the order re-
moving the troops is nothing more nor
less than decision by the President that
Packard WAS not elected, or it was viii
full neglect and violation of his duty in
failing to sustain the legitimate govern
ulcnt of n State. We believe it was o
decision by the President that Packard
was not elected, and that the Louisiana
Returning Board acted fraudulently.
Therefore, Mr.. Hayes to-day stands be-
fore the world a solf-confessed usurper Of
the rights of she people. It shows be-
yond controversy that Mr.. Hayes knew
be was defeated, and that he was willing
to accept the frauds of Returning Boards
as far as thoy were necessary to assist
him in obtaining what did not belong to
him. 1t is, however, crcditable to him
thnt he is unwilling for other people to
tbe adya need by the same rascally means
which he has utilized. FroHs;; general
summing up of the Presidents actions,