The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1877-04-14
Hayes Next DEOve-He Wants
"a the House.
memphis Appeal. !

TT lis stated here that the real cause of
the change is to capture the new House,
and organize it on a. Hayes basis.
Matthews, the champi6a agreement
signer, has the undertaking in hand.
The thing looks well, but it will be
good deal like Hayes southern policy
when the time comes to put It IN pfac-
tice. The policy of Hayes, Foster,
Matthews & Co, is to have the L0nl-
siana commission return to washington
with it's report few days IN advance
of the special session. Hayes and his
c9binet are to announce enough good
intention to reform a harlot, but are to
withhold any action until a qnid pro quo
is forthcoming. The price. will be
enough Democratic votes to elect either
Foster or Garfield speaker. The cleo
ton of the former is outIOf the question,
but If the southern Democrats lend
themselves to a second series OF dis
graceful bargainiDgs to secure home
rule i'm Louisiana, enough might be
secured to put Foster through, II the
carpetbag element will stand by the
Republican party. This charge of
Hayes and Matthews to capture the
House organization, again reiterated,
will be pooh-poolled alike by Democfats
and Republicans. Some will say it is
impraeticable-nay, impossible. Those
who will say it will be the same doubt
ing ones who doubted that Matthews
and Foster traded with enough South
ern Democrats to let Hayes into the
presidency. Louisiana is a very con-
venient sword of Damocles, and the
commission intend to hold it over the
heads Of enough Democrats to make
Cancellation work both ways. That is,
we will give you Louisiana, it you will
meet us half way and give us the
House. Then the administration can
use, as an argument in favor OF its
policy, that the lion and the lamb have
embraced, and that the bloody chasm is
indeed bridged. The Importance of
Hayes, because he is afraid of the
senate. The four carpetbaggers' votes
against him will give a Democratic
majority in that body. Indeed, not
only will the carpetbaggers vote against
his Southern policy, but Jim Blaine will
take the leadership, and Morton, in a
quiet way, will do the scheming.-[Cin-
cinnati Enquirer.
We copy the above in this place be-
cause the Appeal was one of the first
among Southern journals to discredit
the statement of bargain aud agree
ment between Foster and Matthews on
one side and certain Southern Demo-
Gratis on the other. We did not think
such a thing possible, because we did
not see any necessity for it. South
Carolina and Louisiana were both in
the hands of the Democrats, who had
sworn to hold them, and we were quite
sure they would hold them, or force the
alternative of nilitay governments.
Besides Hayes was12 pledged to the
policy the agreement purchased his
consent to, and we could not realize,
having no faith in the man, that any
further pledge from him could more
thoroughly assure to the country what
he has not yet completed or fulfilled.
Caught once, we trust Southern Demo
again in the mesh OF Radical promises
Tf they are, with the recently furnished
examples before them, they may reason
ably expect to be held to a strict &C
countability by their constituencies, as
unworthy of the confidence now re-
nosed in them. No matter what the
marty dissensions or their origin, no
matter what the personal feuds OF
leaders in the. House, the Southern
Democrat who casts a vote for Re-
publican speaker may expect to De
elassed, and ought at once, Ike Key,
fo take his place, with that party In the
fntr1re. To surrender TO pne EhIeFes
who have plundered the South, now,
when the likelihood is that we shall be
able to shape and control the legislation
| Of the country, and direct it in chan
nels of economy and reform, would De
to hetray the people who, through SO
| much Of political and social yicissitude,
have stood by the Democratic party
and made victory possible. This would
he to cover the party that has passed
| through so many heroic struggles, with
disgrace Forewarned is to be fore
| armed. Members of the House from
| the South will do well to make a note
| Of this statement of the. Enquirer..s,
and watch for the developments IN
/ Louisiana. IF, as we are inclined to
believe, they will pan out ACCORDING, to
1 the EnquiIer's programme, 1t will tnen
| be apparent that Matthews, who has
been everything by turns in politics,
and nothing long, has another agree,
| ment on hand, by which Hayes will
1 seek to have and to hold the House. OF
] Representatives as rod OF terrorism
4 over the Senate. The Democrat who
| gives his consent to this, seals his own
disgrace.