The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-03-29
The Fosler.NIntthews Lelter..

Iuh AHS NVu'lp-uVuWAt Will contain uu
interview with Hon. John Young Brown,
Of Kentucky, who says:
Herewith publish the letters of Hon,
Charles Foster and Stanley Matthew, ,ad.
dressed to Hon. John b. Gordon and nv.
self. The circumstances attending their
origin are in brief as follows: On the
26th OF February last sent page from
the House Of Representatives to the Sen.
ate Chamber for my distinguished friend
Gen. Gordon, stating that wanted an in.
terview with Hon, Charles Foster,at which
/ desired his presence. outlined to
Gen. Gordon what intended to say 10
Foster, and he said he would with
pleasure accompany me. We found Mr..
Foster in the room Of the Committee on
Appropriations. No one was present
during the interview. told Mr.. Foster
that | had, rs he knew, been voting
against all dilatory motions; had in a
speech advocated the innexibe execution
OF the electoral bill; had stated in Dem.
ocratic caucus that would 30 vote il |
was the only man from the South TO do
80; that the vote was approved by my
judgment; that felt under obligations o!
honor to stand by the result, bitter as it
was, feeling that the situation was not
chargeable to the electoral bill, but to
the majority Of the Commissioners
whom we had agreed to trust. /
told him that | had received dispatches
and letters from home, from cherished
and trusted friends, conveying the most
emphatic remonstrance against my
course, but that with my convictions
about the question, il a petition, signed
by every voter in my district, should be
sent 10 me requesting me TO support the
dilatory motions, 1t would not by n
hair, alter my purpose. | said further
10 him, that there was but one thing that
would change me, ind it was il thought
that by voting 10 complete the count,
which was to result in the inauguration
OF Mr.. Hayes / would be aiding directly
or indirectly in perpetualing the usurpa.
tions OF Packard and Chamberlain in the
States of Louisiana and South Carolina.
l would reverse my action and do my
very utmost to defeat the execution OF
the bill regardless Of consequences, ca
lamitous TO the country as | believed
they would be. furthermore told him
that il changed my position | knew Of
several prominent gentlemen who would
join me, and il at that critical
hour, when the daily and nightly
scenes, surprising by far in wild excite.
ment and violence anything ever wit.
messed IN the Legislative history OF the
country, the line OF the Democrats, who
were voting TO execute the law, should
be broken, it would result in a stampede
among them, and Mr.. Hayes would no
more be the President than he (FOsterl
would be. Foster said he believed this.
] have the highest respect for Charles
Foster. believe him TO be an honorable
gentlemen, and | told him that it was
my confidence in him that had brought
me to him. He represented the district
in which Mr.. Hayes resided. He had
Just made manly and patriotic
speech, in which he had said that under
Mr.. Hayes, ii inaugurated, the flag shall
float over States, not provinces; over free
men, not subjects. l referred to this
speech, and told him that had come to
request OF him written assurances that il
Hayes was inaugurated he would restore
the home rule IN Louisiana and South
Carolina. That the people of these States
should control their own affairs in their
own way, and as free from any interven-
ton by the general government as the
State OF Ohio. This conversation was
long and very earnest. told Mr..
Foster that | wanted him to
maken no bargain, no agreement, that l
scorned the thought OF II, that had de-
clinei reelection 10 Congress, was vol
unfairly Withdrawing from political life,
wanted no office that President could |
give, and my object was unselhsh, but
desired written assurance from him
that the policy Of Hayes would be as in
dicated, and by him personally, by reason
OF his very intimate relations with Mr.. |
Hayes. His reply 10 all this was
frank, earnest and satisfactory TO
my friend General Gordon and
myself. Indeed, Mr.. Foster said
he had in his pocket letter just
received from Mr.. Hayes, thanking him
for the speech to which l have alluded
and endorsing it, He offered this letter
to Gen. Gordon and myself to read, but
we declined it. He agreed to give me
the desired letter and said he would also
request Hon. Stanley Matthews to sign
it, He promised to meet me that night
at my rooms--to come about midnight;
said that by reason Of his interview
with Gen. Gordon and myself he
had that evening procured meet.
ing Of some gentlemen from Louisiana
and South Corolina, at Wormley's Hotel
ut which, also, Henry Watterson was
present, and at the conclusion Of the con-
ference these gentlemen had expressed
their great satisfaction at what had been
said tothem on leaving. He remarked
that I should have the letters the next
morning. On the next day he came 10
my desk in the House OF Representatives
and handed to me an unsigned letter,
read it and took my pen and erased one
paragraph; told HIM that il could be made
fuller and stronger, but that from the
honorable men who gaveit in good faith, it
was sufficient. In an hour l went to his
desk and he delivered me letter signed
by himself and Matthews. | observed
that it was in a different haDd writing;
read it hastily and said to him it con.
tanned some generOlities l did not like.
He replied that Mr.. Matthews had re-
written it, and, added, Brown, it is in.
tended to cover the whole Gaze and can
promise you there will be no doubt
about the fuliillment OF all the assur-
ances | have given you. noticed
the original letter on his desk and said
sign this also, and he replied certainly,
with pleasure. As | was leaving he
called me back and told me that Prcsi-
dent Grant, as soon as the count waa
would issue certain order
TO Gen. Augur in Louisiana. He re.
quested me not to mention this fact for
several days, but expressly gave
me permission 10 make any use
Of the letters l might desire. The
order referred to was issued By
President Grant. | gave copies TO
Messrs. Levy, Ellis and Burke, OF Louis
lana, and to General NJ. Z. Butler, Of
South Carolina, with authority 10 use
them whenever they pleased. When II
said the Democratic victoryso fairly won
was lost, my deepest concern was for my
suffering Southern Countrymen; to con-
tribute to their deliverance was the pas.
sionnIp aSniratiOn nf nv hanrt