The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-04-26
LOUISIANA FREE.


Tuesday, the State of Louisiana was
freed from the heel of o military despot-
ism, which established and main
tanned for the past eight or ten years a
mongrel government of unparalleled in
fanny over her people. Such a combina-
ton of villainy, fraud, corruption and
ignorance has never been exhibited-no,
not even in South Carolina-in the high
places of any government, and the civili-
cation of America has repeatedly blushed
over the degradation and low cunning of
the rulers of the Crescent State, who were
protected by the strong arm of the ma
tion's soldiery. The day of deliverance
has, however, arrived, and the withdrawal
of the Federal army will doubtless be
followed by the speedy restoration Of
peace to the much burdened and long
suffering people of Louisiana through
the efficiency and patriotism of the
Nichols government, which has now alb
sorbed all the functions of the State gov
ernment. The consummation of this
much desired result is in q certain sense
due to the action of President Hayes,
and he deserves credit and commenda-
ton for having, in the cases of South
Carolina and Louisiana, enforced justly
and with reasonable promptness provis-
ions of the National Constitution which
he as President is sworn to obey, but
which his predecessor frequently ignored.
While the President is due credit for
having done an act, right in itself, yet it
is proper for the information of our
readers, and in the effort to keep alive
the healthy public opinion which, like a
furious storm, has swept the noxious
vapors from the political skies of South
Carolina, for us to make few observa-
tions upon the course of President Hayes
and his political friends. Just after the
election, when it was thought Mr.. Hayes
was defeated, he said that he did not
mind his defeat on his own account nor
on the country's account, for they could
stand it, but that he was sorry for the
poor negro, who would be left to the
mercy of Southern Democrats! His ac-
ton in turning over these States to the
Democracy is in positive contravention
of the principles he announced at that
time. How is this to be accounted for ?
We believe it is the result of bargain
made between some Southern Democrats
and Messrs. Foster and Matthews, his
agents, acting for him, who pledged that
if enough of the Southern Democrats
would unite with the Republicans to
complete the count, and thereby make
him President, after the outrage upon
law and public opinion perpetrated by
the Electoral Commission, in return for
these services he would remove the troops
and allow the Southern States to govern
themselves. No well-informed man can
doubt that Foster and Matthews were
acting with Hayes knowledge and con-
sent, for the letter from Hayes to Foster,
approving his course in Congress, was
shown to several persons in Washington,
and the pledges made by them have been
scrupulously fulfilled by Mr.. Hayes
Then the President occupies before the
nation one of two unenviable positions.
Either he sought by corrupt agreement
to obtain an Office to which he knew he
was not elected, or he made an agree
ment to surrender his own views already
expressed to obtain an Office to which he
believed he was elected. In either event
his course was discreditable to himself
and to the nation which allowed him to
become its chief magistrate. The case
stood so that members of Congress ought
as matter of duty to have supported OF
opposed the completion of the electoral
count, and in neither event was it proper
for him directly nor indirectly to en-
deavor to infurnce by contract the ac-
ton of men in the performance Of
sworn duty. Never did President be-
fore seek or obtain position by such
questionable means. The action of the
President in the Louisiana case is much
more damaging to his character than in
the South Carolina case. Hayes title to
the Presidency was no better than Pack
ards title to the Governorship of Louisi-
ana. If Hayes was elected President,
Packard was elected Governor, and if
Packard was not elected, Hayes was not
The apologists for Mr.. Hayes may twist
this problem as much as they please, it
will solve in but one way, and that way
is discreditable to the Retr ling Board
President. If Packard was elected Gov
ernor, it is the Presidents duty to sus-
tain him in his office, and the order re-
moving the troops is nothing more nor
less than decision by the President that
Packard was not elected, or it was viii
full neglect and violation Of his duty in
failing to sustain the legitimate govern
ment of State. We believe it was q
decision by the President that Packard
was not elected, and that the Louisif "a
Returning Board acted fraudulently.
Therefore, Mr.. Hayes to-day stands be-
fore the world self-confessed usurper OF
the rights of the people. 1t shows be-
yond controversy that Mr.. Hayes knew
be was defeated, and that he was willing
to accept the frauds of Returning Boards
as far as they were necessary to assist
him in obtaining what did not belong to
him. 1t is, however, creditable to him