New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-03-30
FREELY INTERPRETED. THE LEGAL VOTERS
Statements of Foster and Brown
HON. CHARLES rosrER's STATEMENT.

The Associated Press furnishes the fol-
lowing from Cleveland, Ohio, March %:
The ReuieiU, of FOstoria, will publish to.
morrow an interview with the Hon. Charles
Foster, in which that gentleman says. in
regard to the compact between Hon. Stan
ley Matthews and himself on one part end
certain Southern gentlemen on the other
that there is nothing in it.
During the final hours OF the count under
the electoral bill certain Southern gentle
meD, who were opposing the flibustering |
movement, we're s0licitOus that they should |
have definite assurances from Hayes as to |
bis Southern policy. An informal meeting |
was arranged, at which were present as
friends of Hayes. Messrs Sherman, Gar
field, DennisOn, Matthews sn1 myself.
The obi sct Of the meeting was simply to |
arrive at better understanding in regard |
to the policy of the incoming administra- |
ton. They on their part did not claim that |
the assurances they asked for were to deter |
mine their action as to the carrying out of |
the provisions of the electoral bill, but they |
desired them as a guarantee to their people |
that they acted in good faith. To this END |
they desired that Hayes give to them only
such guarantees as he had already given to |
his own friends In reply it was stated by
us that it would be improper and indel-
ieate, at this time, for Hayes to give any
assurances forshadowing his policy, but
that we telt fully justified in stating from
our knowledge OF the views aud inten-
tiOns of Hayes that his policy would be to
favor local self.government and home rule
in the South. We gave no assurance as
coming directly from Hayes. We simply
stated our belief as to his course, based
upon communications from and converaa-
tions with him. Whatever may have been
| said with regard to the withdrawal OF
troops was simply in the nature of belief
| that such would be the result of the policy
| which we believed the President would
adopt. There was no written compact en-
tered into, and the allegations to this effect,
| 80 far as l have any knowledge, are the
merest moonshine. There being no COM
pact, it is simply impossible that Hayes
should approve or disapprove of i; at least
l know nothing of suoh q thing. We
had no authority to make a compact
binding Hayee, and we distinctly
stated the improperly and indelicacy of
making such o compact at that time
and under the circumstances. The letter
written TO John Young Brown and Senator
| Gordon was the result of a conversation
had with Brown, in which he asked for a
written assurance for his future iustiica-
tion, He distinctly stated that he did not
ask this as a condition of carrying out the
provisions of the electoral bill; that he re.
gsrded that as matter Of personal honor,
and that no power cOnld coeree him to dc
otherwise than faithfully stand by the pro.
: visions of the bill. He asked that a paper
, be signed by Matthews and myself, and bt
addressed to him and Senator Gordon.
expressed willingness to accede to hi
wishes, and paper was prepared, signed
| an delivered.
& have no recollection of having any con
versation with Senator Gordon on the sub
D ject of writing this letter. The letter was
+ statement By Matthews and myself, as t.
z what we believed would be the policy o
! President Hayes in dealing with the South
ern question. 1t contained nothing NOR
+ | ri xuaa contained in m qnaaah N
: subject
| Ws did not retain a copy of the letter
and can not give its exact contents. Th
J. object of the publication of fslse reports rt
i garding this matter is evidently to weake
L, and cripple the administration in dealin
with this Southern question, and to disai
feet the Southern men who were workin
a in good faith to uphold and sustain tn
{. President.
3. HON. JOHN YOUNG BROWNS STATEMENT
10 LOUISVILLE, March % Tomorrow
- Courier. Journal will contain an interview
~ with Hon. John Young Brown, of ReI
l. tueky, who says: Herewith publish th
" letters of Hon. Charles Foster and Stanle
AZ Matthews. addressed to Hon. j. B. GOrdO
and myself. The circumstances Rttendin
g. their origin are, in brief, as follows:
10 On the twenty-sixth of February last,
sent q page from the House of Representa-
tiyes to the Senate Chamber for my dis til
aU guished friend General Gordon, and
K came over in few minutes. l told hii
n that l wanted an interview with HoI
n Charles FosGer, at which desired his PREF
enee.
IN / outlined 20 General Gordon what il
Il tended to say to Mr.. Foster, and he said
ma would with pleasure accompany me. W
found Mr.. Foster in the room of the Con
III mittee on Appropriations. No one else W.
Oh present during the interview. l told Nj
H. Foster that had, as he knew, been votin
against all dilatory motions; had in speeC
~ advocated the infexible execution of I'll
as electoral bill; had stated in Democrat
" caucus that would so vote If were Il
L only man from the South to do so; that tt
io vote was approved by my judgment; that
ls- felt under obligations of honor to stand
of the, result, bitter as it was, feeling that Il
m | situation was not chargeable to Il
:. electoral bill, but to the majority
ilU the commission, whom We had agree
Oh to trust. | told him / had receive
Ii dispatches and letters from home from che
- ished and trusted friends, conveying mo
NO emphatic remonstrance against my cours
m- but that, with my conviction about IL
nd Question, if a petition, sigued by evel
ist voter in my die.sict, should be sent to u
u requesting me to support the dllat0ry m
'u- tiOns, would not by hair alter my pu
- pose said further to him that there W
but one thing which would change me, al
-, Z
:" the count which was to result in the ina
M guration of Mr.. Hayes, would be aidiI
We directly or indirectly in perpetuating Il
ed usurpatiOna of Packard and Chamberlain
the States of Louisiana and South CarOlin
IwOuld reverse my action and do my We
he utmost to defeat the execution Of &
a bill, regardless of consequences, calaI
w itous to the country as it is evident th
= would be. / furthermore told him If
AE changed my position, l knew of sever
prominent gentlemen who would join n
and II at that critical hour, when the dai
snd nightly scenes, SURPRISING by far
ed wild excitement and violence anything ev
4. witnessed in the legislative history of /
country, the line Of the ID smocrats wi
ne were voting TO execute the law should
broken, is would result in q stampe
tn among them, and Mr.. Hayes w0uld no mo
Il be the President than he tFosteIl would
~ Foster said he believed this. l have {
is. highest respect for Charles Foster. /
lieve him to be an honorable gentlems
and told him that it was my confidence
ed him that had brought me to him. He r.
Of resented tho district Of Mr.. Hayes; he b
no Just made manly and patriotic speech,
Id which be had said that under Hayes, II
In augurated, the fiag shall hoat over Stat
I'D NOT provinces; over freemen, not anbiso
no referred to this speech, and told him b
ID ccEne to request OF him written aasurans
sir that IL Hayes Was inauguratod he VOL
re- restore home rule In the States Of Louisin
III and South Carolina; that the people of thu
TO- States should control their own atfairs
zee their own way, as free from any interpl
81 tlen bv the Federal authorities as the 81
"a Of Ohio.
ca Thia eonVer1aticn wa long aud earDl
aN I told hfr. taattE t1at wanted % make
M.ro .|4 41Is aaIf.stI IS a1st 4tnt rnnr#n"