The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-10-31
Look at Him.

Look at Him.
Stanley Matthews has made /.
more infamous record in the las
twelve months than any other polit
ical hlackleg in the Union. The tel
egraph announces that Judge Spot
! ford's credentials were yesterday re-
ferred to the Committee on P,ivile
ges and Elections by a majority Of
three, the Republican Senators, in
Guiding Stanley Matthews, voting
solidly for reference. Thus Mr.
Matthews appears before the coun.
try in the character of a double trai.
tor. He visited this State with
Clerical Error Stoughton, John Sher-
man and others in the interest of the
Republican conspiracy, while the
Returning Board was proceeding
with its fraudulent count. No man,
not even Sherman, did more than
Matthews to encourage the Return
ing Board and inspire it with audac-
ity to reserve the Louisiana elec-
ton. He was the author of the IA
nous paper issued by the Republi-
can visitors, maintaining the right
of the board to perpetrate fraud if it
did so under the forms Of la,c; and
when the foul thing was done he was
its loud. mouthed, brazen- faced and
shameless defender. In short, he
was one Of those chiefly instrument
tai in having the Louisiana election
reversed, Packard returned elected
Governor of the State and the Re-
publican electors elected.
According 10 the principle that
there should be honor among thieves
Stanley Matthews should have stood,
through thick and thin, by Packard,
for he had been party to the or
ganization and contamination of the
damnab and gigantic fraud on
which Packard based his preten
sions. But he did not stand by him.
When it became evident that to
stand by Packard would be to en-
danger the fraudulent pretensions of
HAYES, he did not hesitate to throw
Packard and his gang of bogus leg.
islators, officials and policemen overs
board, AID consent to the establish.
ment of the Nichols governments.
He was ahe friend, chief adviser and
confidential counselor of Mr.. Hayes,
and Mr.. Hayes recognized the Mich
oils government and the Nichols
Legislature which elected Judge
Spofford to the United States SEN
ate; and that recognition was given
before Judge Spofford was elected.
There was every reason. to suppose,
therefore, that Mr.. Matthews, under
standing the indefeasible right Of
Louisiana to representation in the
Federal Senate, would vote to seat
the Senator from this State elected
by the Legislature recognized by
the President acting on his counsel
and advice. Not so, however; he has
turned upon the legal government of
Louisiana with as little compunction
as he has deserted the creation Of
Wells and Anderson.
n-enious casuists may find excu-
ses for a swindler who betrays his
pal; the ends ofjustice are often sub
served by such betrayals. No more
strikingillustration of this fact could
be given than the fact that by Mat
thews' betrayal of Packard reyolu-
ton in Louisiana, and perhaps
throughout the Union, was averted,
and the cause of law and order made
triumphant. But what excuse can
Mr.. Matthews and his friends make
for his second act of bad faith and
treason2 That the Republican ma
jority in the Senate is being rapidly
reduced is true, and doubtless Mat
thews, in voting for the reference Of
Judge Spofford's credentials, was in
fiuenced by purpose to sustain,
even against the constitution, the
waning strength of his party.
But honest men will ask, els this
the meaning of the now famous ad.
ministration shibboleth she serves
his party best who serves his coun.
try bestT Unfortunately it,is ca
sier to write and speak fine senti-
ments than to act them; every pen
ny-a liner can now find high sound
ing sentences on every hand ready
for use on any. given occasion; but