The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-04-12
THE SALE OF THE SOUTH.

sLSJ w |
terest and novelty. Ten days or two
weeks before the 4th of March, it be-
came evident to the Hayes men that
the Democrats had it in their power
to defeat the count, and that they in
tended to do SO. Appeals were made
to Southern mei, and after several
interviews devoted to preliminaries,
a formal agreement was drawn up in
writing. The precise date of this
document is the 9th Of February.
Two days afterwards, or the 1st of
March, Mr.. Levy, a Democratic mem
Der from Louisiana, arose in his
place, and in the heat of the debate
and excitement over the electoral
count made a speech which attract
ed the marked attention ofthe House
and the country. In its conclusion
he said:
"The people Of Louisiana have SOL
emn, earnest and, 1 believe, truthful
assurances from prominent members Of
the Republican party high in the con-
fidence of Mr.. Hayes that in the event
of his elevation to the Presidency he
will be guided by a policy of concilia-
ton towards the Southern States; that
he will not use the Federal authority or
the army to force upon those Ststes gov
ernments not Of their choice, but in the
case of those States will leave their own
people to settle the matter peaceably of
themselves"
Mr.. Levy went on to say that for
these reasons, without any discus
sion of the means by which Hayes
was to be placed in the Presidency,
he should throw no obstacles in the
way of completing the electoral
count; but relying upon the good
faith, the integrity and the truthful
ness ofthe gentlemen who gave these
personal assurances" and having
faith in their individual personal
honor, rs be states, Mr.. Levy called
upon his fellow members who had
been Influenced in their action by q
desire 10 protect Louisiana and South
Carolina to join him in the course
which he felt justified in pursuing,
This speech and the facts back oft
settled the count. 1t divided the
Southern Democrats half and half or
the question of fllibustering and
there was the same division among
Northern Democrats. 1t destroyed
the unity of the party, and secured
the declaration that his F~raudulency
had been duly elected.
The facts elected show that Stan
ley Matthews and Congressman Eos
ter signed the assurances" to which
Levy alluded in his speech. Thes
assurances" recited that as soon a
Hayes was inaugurated the troop
! should be withdrawn from active in
: PREVENTION in the affairs of Soutl
!. Carolina and Louisiana; that ther
should be non-intervention by tn
Federal Government; and that tn
: flag, as Foster said in his speech
should float over States not provin
/, ces. The document was written O
a single sheet of legal cap, and wa
addressed to Senator Gordon, c
Georgia. 1t was not Endorsed b
o Hayes, but was based on a persons
letter o fgeneral purport which Haye
wrote to Foster, and which was show
o to certain Southern Democrats. Thi
letter of Hayes, while making no d
q rect promise whatever to remove th
G troops from the States named wen
about as far as the inaugural in fave
of self-government there, and in e.
feet indirectly gave pledges for tb
removal of the military. That wa
the understanding, at least, on bot
e sides, and no one seemed to ~entertai
Z any doubt of it. The following al
the letters:
o Letter of Charles Foster.