Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-04-07
HAYES FRIENDS.
The COmmittals Given by Foster and
Matthews to John Young
Brown.
A Thorough Understanding About
the Home RHle in the
South.
Mr.. Browns Position.

and myself. The circumstances at
tending their origin are, in brief, as
follows:
On the 26th of Frebruary last / sent
page from the House of Representa-
tives to the Senate chamber for my
distinguished friend General Gordon,
and he came over in few minutes. |
told him that | wanted an interview
with Hon. Chas. Foster, at which /
desired his presence. | outlined to
General Gordon what l intended to
say to Mr.. Foster. and he said he would
with pleasure accompany me. We
found Mr.. Foster in the room of the
Committee on Appropriations No
one else was present during the inter
view. l told Mr.. Foster that l had,
as he knew, been voting against all
dilatory motions, had in a speech ad-
vocated the infexible execution of the
electoral bill, had stated In a Demo-
cratic caucus that [ would so vote, if [
were the only man from the South to
do so; that the vote was approved by
my judgment; that felt under obli-
cations of honor to stand by the re-
suit, bitter as it was, feeling that the
situation was not chargeable to the
electoral bill, but to the majority ofthe
Commission, whom we had agreed to
trust. | told him / had received dis
patches and letters from home from
cherished and trusted friends convey
ing most emphatic remonstrances
against my course, but that, with my
convictions about the question, if a
petition signed by every voter in my
district should be sent to me request
ing me to support the dilatory motions,
it would not by a hair alter my
purpose. | said further to him that
there was but one thing which would
change me, and it was if | thought
by that voting to complete the count
which was to result III the Inaugural
tion of Mr.. Hayes, l would be aiding,
directly or indirectly, in perpetuating
the usurpations of Packard and Cham
berlain in the States of Louisiana and
South Carolina, | would reverse my
action-and do my very utmost to de-
feat the execution of the bill-regard-
less of consequences calamltous to the
country as | believed they would be.
[ furthermore told him that if |
changed my position | knew of several
prominent gentleman who would join
me, and if, at that critical hour-when
the daily and nightly scenes, surpass-
ing by far in wild excitement aud vio-
lence anything ever witnessed in the
legislative history of the country-the
line of the Democrats who were vot-
ing to execute the law should be brok-
en-, it would result in a stampede
among them and Mr.. Hayes would no
more be the President than he (Fos-
teri would be. Foster said he believed
this
Ihave the highest respect for Charles
Foster. | believe him to be an hon
orable gentleman; and | told him that
it was my confidence in him that had
brought me to him. He represented
the district of MIR. Hayes. He had
Just made manly and patriotic speech,
in which he had said that under Hayes,
if inugurated, 'the flag shall float over
States not provinces; over freemen,
not subjects / referred to his speech,
and told him [ haa come to request of
him written assurances that if Hayes
was inaugurated he would restore
home rule in the States of Louisiana
and South Carolina; that the people
of these States should control their
own affairs in their own way, as free
from any Intervention by Federal au-
thorities as the State of Ohio.
This conversation was long and earn
est. | told Mr.. Foster that [ wanted
to make no bargain-no agreement
| scorned the thought OF it; that l had
declined reelection to Congress was
voluntarily withdrawing from political
life wanted no office that President
could give me, and that my object was
unselfsh, but desired a written assur-
rance from him that the policy of Mr..
Hayes would be as indicated; and from
him specially, by reason of his very in
innate relations with Mr.. Hayes.
His reply to all this was frank, full,
earnest and satisfactory, to my friend,
Gen. Gordon, and myself. Indeed,
Mr.. Foster said he had in his pocket
a letter, just received from Mr.. Hayes,
thanking him for the speech to which
| have alluded and indorsing it. He
offered this letter to Gen. Gordon, 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. He came
about midnight. Said that by reason
of his interview with General Gordon
and myself he had that evening pro-
cured a meeting of some gentlemen
from Louisiana and South Carolina,
at Wormley's Hotel, at which also
Hon. Henry Watterson was present
and at the conclusion of the confer
ence these gentlemen had expressed
great satisfaction at what had been
said to them. On leaving he re-
marked that | should have the letters
next morning.
On the next day he came to my desk
in the House of Representative and
handed me an unsigned letter. Tread
it, took my pen and erased one para
graph; told him that it could be made
fuller and stronger but that from
honorable men who gave it in good
faith it was sufficient.
In an hour | went to his desk he de-
livered me letter signed by himself
and Matthews. | observed that it was
in a different handwriting, read it
hastily, and remarked to him that it
contained some generalities | did not
like He replied that Mr.. Matthews
had rewritten it, and added Brown,
it is intended to cover the whole case,
and | can promise you there will be no
doubt about the fulfilIment of all the
assurances | have given you" | no.
ticed the original letter on his 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 a certain order to General Augur
in Louisiana. He requested me not to
mention this fact for several days, but
expressly gave me permission to make
any use of the letters l might desire.
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 NJ. G.. Butler, of South
Carolina, with authority to use them
whenever they pleased.
When saw that the Democratic vic
tory so fairly won was lost, my deepest
concern was for my suffering Southern
countrymen. To contribute to theiI
deliverance from bondage was the
passionate aspiration of my heart
Had | believed that the policy of Mr.
/ Hayes if inaugurated would not re-
| lieve them from hateful and un-Re
! D,hlioan SuperviSinn nv the army anC