The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-03-31
Current Political Events.

II il difficult to keep pace with the
cverehangiug phases Of political events at
Washington. Mondays papers teemed
with statements that while the Electoral
count was in progress, Stanley Matthews,
Representative Foster, and Senator Sher-
man, ali high in the confidence Of Mr..
Hayes, gave assurances to certain leading
Southern Democrats to the effect that If
the Electoral count was permitted to pro-
coed, the Federal troops would be with
drawn from South Carolina and Louisiana,
and Mr.. Hayes would at once iuaugurate
a eonciliatory policy towards the South.
The close confidential relations sustained
by these gentlemen towards Mr.. Hayes,
one Of them being brOther-in-law, and
all of them from the same State, induced
the Southern Democratic leaders to be-
lieve that these assurances were made with
Mr.. Hayes knowledge and consent. I'm
der this belief the Southern Democrats set
their faces against the attempt to stave off
the count till the 4th of March. 1t went
on, through their detection towards their
Democratic associates in the House, and
Mr. Hayes was declared the President.
They looked, then, that these pledges of
Matthews, Foster and Sherman, should be
redeemed. The Presidents inaugural
strengthened their hopes and expectations.
The composition Of his cabinet gave them
additional encouragement, But all their
high-blown hopes have been dashed to the
ground. They have been deceived, either
by their own easy credulity and confidence,
or by the per6dy of the men whose assur-
ances they accepted as true. Mr.. Hayes
refuses to act He calls for commission
to Louisiana, and from South Carolina he
summonses the heads Of the dual govern
ment The Southrons are indignant and
make public the promises Of Matthews,
Foster and Sherman, as au evidence of
bad faith. But the friends Of the de JdctO
President say he never authorized anybody
to make pledges for him, and did not know
that there had been any conference be-
tween Messrs. Matthews, Foster and Sher-
man, and prominent Southern men, until
recent developments induced Senator Got
don to make the matter public, While he
disclaims all responsibility for these nego-
tiations, he still maintains that his own
views concur with the views expressed by
Messrs. Matthews and Foster, and that
nothing has occurred to change his mind
with regard to the Southern policy fore
Swallowed in bis inaugural address. Little
confidence, We think, can be placed in this
declaration, as il is averred that the Presi-
dent has surrendered to Morton and Blaine,
who represent the ultra wing Of the party,
and who, in connection with Sherman, will
control his administration, let him promise
what he may. If this should turn out to
be SO, these Southern gentlemen who have
been SO ready to give their confidence to,
and to bargain with, men who have cheated
and deceived them as often as they had
the opportunity, viii find the sympathy of
their Democratic brethren 10 other Sec
tons Of the country greatly abated. Had
the bargain been carried out in good faith
as they understood it, it would have enured
to their own benefit, perhaps, but at the
expense Of the entire party, which they
thus aided in depriving Of President.
Had the coutss not been completed, Mr..
Hayes never could have been the Presi-
dent