The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1877-04-04
s7ss
THE Observation-Disclosures

by consent OF the writer's made public the let-s
tiers d staaley Matthews and Chas. g. Foster
of Ohio, whereby fillibustering was prevented
and thesPresidential count completed. The
Iiollowingare extracts from Brown 8 letter, ex-l
1plaining how the letters came to be written
/ On the Goth OF February last sent page
from the House of Representatives to the Sem
ate Chamber for my distinguished friend,
minutes. / told him that WANTED an inter-
view with Hon. Charles Foster, at which Ide-
sired his presence. I outlined to General
Gordon what intended to say to Mr.. Foster,
and he said he would with pleasure accom-
pany me- We found Mr.. Foster in the room
oi the committee on appropriations: No one one
Mr.. Foster that had, as he knew, been vot-
ing against all dilatory motions; had in a
speech advocated the lnfiexible execution of
the electoral bill; had stated in the Demo-
cratic caucus that would so vote if were the
only man from the South to do SO; that the
under the obligations OF honorto stand by the
result, bitter as it was, feeling that the situa-
ton was not chargeable to the electoral bill,
but to the majority of the commission, whom
we had agreed to trust. told him had re-
ceived dispatches and letters from cherished
and trusted friends, conveying most emphat-
with my convictions about the question, # a
petition signed by every voter in my district
should be sent to me requesting me to sup
port the dilatory motions, it would not by a
hair alter my purpose. ! said to him that
there was but one thing which would change
me, and it was if thought by voting to COM
plete the count which was to result in the in
Inauguration OF MIR. Hayes, would be aiding,
directly or indirectly, in perpetuating the
usurpations of Packard and Chamberlain in
the States of Louisiana and South Carolina,
would reverse my action, and do my very
utmost to defeat the execution of the bill re-
CARELESS Of consequences, calamitous to the
country as believed they would BE-.
| The result Of this interview was that Eos
ter and other Republicans conferred together
and the next morning Foster brought him an
unsigned letter as he Brown insisted on
written pledges. Brown made some changes
in the draft and his letter continues:I
In an hour went to his desk and he de-
livered me letter signed by himself and
Matthews. observed that it was in differ
ed that it contained some generalities did
not like. He replied that Mr.. Mathews had
rewritten it, and added, stBrown, it is in
tended to cover the whole case, and l can
promise you there will be no doubt about the
tulfllment of all the assurances have given
desk, and said, "sign this also, and he re-
piled, Certainly, with pleasure As was
leaving he called me back and told me that
/ president Grant would, as soon as the count
was completed, issue certain order
to General aAugur in Louisiana: He re-
quested me not to mention this TACT for sew
eral days, but expressly gave me permission
The order referred to was issued by President
Grant. gave copies OF the letters to Messrs.
Levy, Ellis and Burke, OF Louisiana, and to
General M. C. Butler, of South Carolina, with
authority to use them whenever they pleased.
When / saw that the Democratic victory so
fairly won was lost, my deepest concern was
for my suffering Southern countrymen. To
contribute to their deliverance from bondage
was the passionate aspiration OF nv heart
Had believed that the policy of Hayes if in
augurated, would not relieve them from hate
tul and unrepublican supervision by the army,
and the further plundering and oppression hy
men alien to them in birth and sympathies,
should never have voted as did. Hon. Charles
Foster secured the inauguration of President
Hayes.
| But for his speech and these letters the re-
suit would never have been reached. The
conversation and contents Of the letter were
made known to many. The confidence OF the
Democrats in HIM and III his authorization to
say what he did, composed the representa-
tives ,and caused them to remain mistaken to
do what they thought was right amid the
storm that was raging around them, and in
the tace OF the earnest remonstrances OF their
constituents. If few had taltered the panic
would have been general; the work OF the
commission would have been fruitless, and
before this time, in my opinion, hurricane
OF war would have been sweeping over the
land. Hope deferred has sickened the hearts
OF Southern men. I do not understand nor
do appreciate the delay Of President Hayes.
He ought not to hesitate. The whole country
expected this great and good work at his
hand. s..
l. THE LETTERS.
House o1 Representatives., Washington,
D. c., Feb. 26, 1877.-Gentlemen: Referring
to the conversation had with you yesterday,
in which Glow. Hayes policy as to the status
OF certain Southern States was discussed, we
desire to say, in reply that we assure you In
the strongest possible manner OF our great de-
sire to have adopted such q policyas will give
to the people OF the States OF South Carolina
and Louisiana the right to control their own
affairs in their own way, and to say further
that we feel authorized, from an acquaintance
and knowledge OF Governor Hayes, and his
views on the question, to pledge ourselves to
0u signed i"' '''n ~ CHARLES q M RqFFi oSyrrn
To Hon: John Young Brown and Hon. John
Washington, Feb 26, 1sT.-Gentlemen
Referring to the conversation had with you
yesterday, in which Gov. Hayes policy as to
the status OF certain Southen States was dis
Icussed. we desire to say we can assure you, in
the strongest possible manner, OF our great de-
sire to have him adopt such a policy as will
give to the people of the State OF South Car
DINA and Louisiana the right to control their
own affairs i n their own way, subject only to
the constitution OF the United States and the
laws made in pursuance thereof, and to say
further that from an acquaintance with and
knowledge of Gov. Hayes and his views we
have the most complete confidence that such
will be the policy OF his administration,
Respectfully, S@
i CHARLES FOSTER.