Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-04-04
AUG u STA,
Wednesday Morning, April 1, 1877.
How their Agreement was ViOlat'
ed by Southern Democrats.

uc NduHitu
good behavior" of the southern democrats
does not bear investigation very well. 1t
appears by their own statements that they
entered into trade with Matthews and
Foster, by which they agreed to make no
opposition to the electoral count in con-
sideration of certain promises made to
them. So their good behavior" if any,
was bought, and not the result of honor
able, high. minded motives. This they
confessed themselves when they present
ed to the public the Matthews-Fo let
ter.
But it also appears upon examination
of the records of Congress that they did
not keep The compact into which they en-
tered. This is seen in the case of the
three democratic members from Louis-
ana. Ellis, Gibson and Levy, who were
among the high contracting parties. Their
State was the desperate ground, so far as
they were Immediately concerned. and
all their efforts to secure an agreement
sprang from their desire to secure certain
guarantees for Louisiana. According to
their showing, in consideration of the as
surances made by Matthews and Foster
on behalf of the President, they were TO
resist the efforts of the filibusters to de-
feat the progress of the Electoral count
and the official proclamation of the cleo
ton of Mr.. Hayes to the Presidency.
Mr.. Levy made speech in the House
March LIST, in which he referred to the "as.
surances" which had been given the South
in the Matthews-Foster letter. In con-
GLIDING he said
81 do not hesitate for the reasons before stated,
TO declare that, sctuated by sense of duty to
Louisiana, l shall throw no obstacle by any action
or vote of mine in the way Of the completion o.
the Electoral count; but. relying on the good
faith, the integrity, and the truthfulness of the
gentlemen who have given these assurances, and
having faith in their individual personal honor,
shall INTERESTINGLY discharge this duty, and call
upon those Of my fellow members who have been
influenced In their action this question by a
desire to protect Louisana and South Carolina to
JOIN me in the course which feel called upon and
justified in pursuing"
Upon the occasion when this sreech
was made the main question before the
House was the objection to accepting the
vote of Vermont, the ground of objection
being the refusal OF the President of the
Joint Convention to receive sealed pack
age presented that day by Mr. Hewitt,
and purporting to be a second certificate
Of the Electoral vote of that State. The
pending question was the following reso-
luton offered by Proctor Knott
Resoired, That this House requires that the
package rendered by the member from New York
Mr.. Hewitt to the President of the Senate in
the presence of the two houses yesterday, and
purportng to be certificate of Electoral votes
for President and Vice President of the United
States in the State of Vermont, shall be opened
by the President Of the Senate in the presence of
the two houses, and If found to be such a certif-
cate, the same shall be submitted, together with
the certificate read in the presence of the two
houses, to the Electoral Commission for its judg-
meut and decision; and that the Senate be re-
quested to make 9 like order requiring the Presi-
dent of the Senate to open said package in the
presence Of the two houses, and until such order
be made the House will not be ready to meet the
Senate TO proceed with the count of the Electoral
vote.
mo sane man needs to be informed"
says the New York Times in an article
setting forth the facts on record. "of the
purpose and effect of that resolution. But
three days remained in which to complete
the Electoral count, and had The resolu-
ton been adopted, and the vote of Yer
mont referred TO the Electoral Commits
sion, Mr.. Hayes would not have been de-
clared to have been elected President of
the United States. This was the issue
presented by KNOTS resolution, and it
was 80 accepted by every member of the
House. il was the crucial test, and the
friends of law and order were exercised
over 1t as they had not been exercised at
any time during the prolonged and terri
BILE struggle. The resolution was defeat
ed by, ayes. 116; nays, 14s; not voting,
26. All who voted for the resolution were
democrats. OF these over 80 were South
ern men, and among them was Mr.. Ellis,
Of Louisiana. Mr. Levy, who proclaimed
q short time prior to the vote that no OBJ
stacle, by any vote or action of his. would
be cast in the way of completing the Elec-
toral count, failed TO make his promise
good by lodging the vote. Mr.. Gibson,
the other democratic member from Louis
lana, is recorded as absent on account of
sickness.
Thus 1t will be seen that while Messrs.
Levy and Ellis are demanding the fulfill
ment of an alleged agreement according
to their Interpretation of it. they stand on
the record as having violated their own
obligations by contributing their efforts at
the most critical moment to secure the
passage of resolution. the avowed pur-
pose and inevitable effect OF which would
have been to defeat the completion of the
Electoral count and the Inauguration of
the legally elected President of the Uni
ted States"
Tie withdrawal of the troops from Co.
lumbia leaves Wade Hampton master of
the situation in South Carolina. Governor