New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-28
WAR Upon THE PRESIDENT.


WAR UPON THE PRESIDENT.
ar Chambers LETTER THE FIRST GUN-THE
FIGHT BEGINS WITH AN ASSERTION, HOWEVER,
WHICH Will BE HARD TO PROVE.
lBr TELEGRAPH rHE TRIBUNE.l
WASHINGTON, Dec 27.-The letter prepared by
Mr. William i. Chandler and so widely published
to-day through the Associated Press has cansed
more comment in Washington than any recent po-
lucal document not of an official nature Taken
In connection with recent utterances attr1b-
nted to other prominent Republicans it has
unite generally been accepted as a sign
of a speedy and open declaration of war
on the part OF the Radical wing of the Republican
party against the policy of President Hayes and
especially against that portion Of 1t relating to the
South.
II has been generally expectedever since Congress
met that General Butler would introduce a resou-
ton calling for an investigation into the methods by
which the Louisiana Commission accomplished the
work it was dispatched TO do. The accusations now
made by Mr. Chandler will, IT is believed be used as
the basis for moving for such an inquiry.
The assertion of the friends of Governor Packard,
with whom Dir. Chandler is quite intimate, and in
whose interest in part, his letter was written, is
that from $4,000 10 $50, goo of the $4,000 raised
by the Nichols men TO set their Government on its
feet. was used at the time the Commissioners were
i'm New-Orleans to induce Returning Board MEM
bers of Plckard's Lower House of the Legisa-
ture to 20 over to the Nichols House, and so 10 give
Governor Nichols a Returning Board Legislature
IN both branches 1t is III connection With this mat
ter that General Butler had his controversy of last
Summer with Wayne MacYeagh, from which at
that time, General Butler by common consent, came
out second best.
Asto the alleged bargain with Southern men, to
..c ~ Hon "A
much OF his letter il is not believed Washington,
by those best informed OH the subject that VIII be
possible TO show any promise made by Mr. Hayes, or
env authority from him for promising, that if Dem
pcrats allowed the electoral count 10 proceed he
would. when inauCurated, withdraw the troops from
the state houses i'm South Carolina ard Louisiana
So fsr rs could be ascertained at the time by those
who gave the closes attention 10 the matter those
Democrats who opposed fiibusterng and favored
the completion Of the count were actuated by two
motives There was a general feeling among them
that as Democrats had supported the Electoral Com
mission Bill il would be- an act of party dsh0nor to
attempt to defeat its decisions solely because they
were different from what they had hoped
for. Beyond all this, and much more DO
tent among Southern Democrats was a
feeling Of great dissatisfaction with Mr.. Tlden and
with the whole NeW-YOrk management OF their
party affairs II is also true that these gentlemen
learned at an carly day in the session that the utter
ances in the letter of acceptance in regard to the
South ike all the rest of the letter, had been wit
ten by Mr. Hayes in thorough earnest, and were not
intended IN the remotest degree for buncombe.
They also understood as did every else IN Wash
iugton. that in general a friendly policy toward
the South would be adopted aud carried out
in case Mr.. Hayes was inaugurated. Many OF them
. reasoned that such policy from a Republican Pres
ident would bring more general quiet TO the South
than To have Mr.. Tden come into power, aud with
his administration a continuation Of the heated
political strifes which had long been in progress
throughout the South and IL the North over the at
fairs of the States beyond the Potomac River.
Most of the Southern men who voted against fill
clustering were further influenced by their full
knowledge of what civil war involved. and q con-
scien tious desire on their part TO take no steps
which should imper the peace Of the country.
These were certainly some or the main considera-
tIons which influenced the Democrats who refused
10 ion the revolutionary wing of the party 70 defeat
the lawful decisions of the commission they had
helped 10 create.
II any bargains were made or any understanding
arrived at IN regard 10 definite acts under the PTeS-
dents paicy toward the South before the count was
cornBleted all the efforts of Republicans who have
been opposed to President Hayes policy since his
inauguration as we'll as those of Democrats who led
the tihbusters and were determined that he should
not become President Of the United States, have
failed 70 discover the evidence OF them.