Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1877-06-06
A Letter from B. F. Butler, and a
Reply from Wayne MacVeagh.

The following letters are relative TO
Louisiara affairs, as shaped by commits
sioners shat President Hayes sent down
there at the time it was thought best
By the Administration to take q def
mite stand with its moral influence for
Packard or Nichols. Right or wrong,
the Administration did throw the weight
of its moral influence 10 favor of the
Nichols party. he country is not
yet settled in its opinion as to approval
or disapproval of the policy Of PIesi-
dent Hayes, on the Southern question,
and anything and everything that was
done by the agents of the Government,
or BY the President, in the case is of
Importance, as giving just that much
more light on the question
WASHINGTON, b. q. May 20-.My
Dear P,tkin have yours of the l5,n
lust, informing me that when you
we're in Washington both the President
and Mr.. Devens, the Attorney General,
gave you substantial assurance tha,
you would not be disturbed in your
Office as United States Marshal, being a
native of the State of Louisiana and
good Republican, and against whom no
officlal malfessance or personal derelic
tion from the path of right had been
shown, and who, therefore came emil
DeptIy within the provisions of civil
service reform, which is the corner
stone, as | understand it, of our Repub-
lican administration.
| am certain, therefore, that the
President and the Attorney General
would Dever have asked your resignation
of the office of Marshal, as you say they
have done, in contiavention of their
assurance anG in disregard of the priu.
ciples Of civil service reform. | am
bound therefore from what | know of
both these gentleman, to believe that
they intend in good faith to carry out
their assurances and preserve their
principles. One fault which l fud
with your letter is that you do not make
sufficient allowance for political necess-
tiles and eutangIements, BY which good
men are compelled to do that which
they would rather not do.
lt is an open secret here, as am in
formed, that Colonel Wharton, your
competitor, aided Mr.. MacVesgh, one
of the commissioners at New Orleans.
very largely In getting portion Of the
members of the Republican Legislature
was put under the control of Nichols,
and then that Legislature enabled the
commission to advise that, as the Leg
islature had recognized the Nichols
Government, the President was bound
to withdraw the troops.
1t is also asserted that $4,000 was
to be paid to the leading deserting leg
islators and only 5000 to others, dis
guised in the latter case in the shape
of mileage, so that Mr. johnson, q col
ored man, speaking out of the limo
cence Of his heart, said on the floor
of the House that all be wanted
was to get his mileage and % home.
1t IS also asserted here that Colonel
Wharton, being the instrument se-
lected by MacVeage to do this piece of
business, had his promise of being
made Marshal If he SUCCESSFULLY accom-
plished 1t Now, Wharton performed
his side of the bargain, and think
you ere very unreasonable in hjectine
that the administration should carry
out their side of it, or, at least, do
the best they can so to do.
1t ought TO satisfy Wharton that
they have asked you to resign and you
won't and therefore they have dens