The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-03-06
JAS. o. BROADHEAD.
ne Writes with a Level Head to Senator
Gordon.


ST LOUIS, Feb, %,
Gen. John D. Gordon, United States Senate:
My DEAR S1R-It il very evident, from dsve1-
opments already before the country. that II the
Electoral Commission is allowed to proceed with
it's work Mr.. Hayes will be declared the Presi-
dent elect. In view of the unanimity, l might
say the enthusiasm. with which the act Of Con-
gross was passed constituting the Commission,
cannot well see how the members OF the Demo-
cratic party can afford to make faotious oppos,-
ton to its acts the result of which might post
pone the count Of the electoral votes beyond the
4th Of March.
There is no disputng the facts that the acts tf
| the majority OF the Com mission have been part-
San in the highest degree-to use no harsher
expression that they have afforded cause
OF just Indignation but it seems to me 1t is too
late now. after having voluntarily and deliber-
ately placed 1t in the power OF the Republican
party to have Mr.. Hayes declared President, to
undertake to defeat that result by any other
than orderly and legal met ans. The effect Of
different course upon the peace aud prosperity
of the country would be 80 disastrous as to reooil
upon the party or the politicians who might
sdoptit.
The wrong was already committed before the
appointment of the Electoral Commission. The
arbitrary and unconstitutional aets OF the Admin
istration, both at and before the election, in
placing the standing army at the disposal OF
the corrupt and interruptions tfficers of the
State governments in Louisiana, South Carolina
| and Florida. which enabled them under the
forms of law to defeat the will tf the people,
was the great wrong which needed TO be re-
whether that wrong should triumph or
whether the expressed will Of more than four
millions of veters should find utteranoe In the
declaration that Samuel J. Tilden was the duly
elected President Of tie United States. There
was but one way TO meet this issue and declare
this result, and that was In the hands OF the
lower house Of Congress, the direct representa-
tives of the people. The frauds and the
| TO- .tx~11
try would have acquiesced in the result
and justified the act; but different policy
prevailed and honor and patriotism unite in
demanding that we shall stand the " hazard
of the de-" In this condition OF things shall we
give up alias lost2 Is it not rather the part OF
wisdom to make the most OF what cannot be
avoided without plugging the country into
state OF hopeless anarchy IL the people OF Lou
isana and South Carolina can be permitted to
have government of Their own choice, the
| cause of popular government may be made &c.
cure. Those are the leprous spots upon the body
! polite. IL is there the latest and meanest and
| most vulgar acts of despotism have been perpe-
| tratod It Is IN those States that thieves and
vagabonds have held high carnival with the con.
| nivabcs of the Federal authorities. and under
| the protection OF standing army fed and main
| tanned from the public treasury.
The House OF Representatives holds the purse
strings of the nation, and not ration can be
furnished to q soldier with out their consent Let
| them exercise this power for the purpose OF Sc
| curing the recognition in some form OF the
| Nichols government in Louisiana and the Hamp-
| ton government ia South Carolina.
| MIR, Hayes has promised iry in his letter OF
| acceptance. II he should fulfil those promises,
it will need coercive measures 10 secure safety
and Justice to the South. The rehs biliiation of
the south means the restoration of the whole
| country to condition OF peace and prosperity.
You are in posi- ion to know whether there is
any hope for contamination go devoutly to be
wished for. Yours truly,
JAS o. BROADHEAD.