The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-03-08
THE POLICY OF HAYES.
Interview with Major Il. A. Burke.
What We Can Expect.

| Major u. A. Burke. whose arrival from
| Washington has been looked forward to
with much anticipation, reached the
city on yesterday mornings Mobile train
and was received by o number OF
friends. Immediately upon leaving the
train he went to the City Hotel, where
he and Gov. Nichols were closeted TO-"
gether for some hours.
Last evening representative OF the
DEMOCRAT visited Che Major at his
apartments In the St. Charles Hotel,
where he was found confined to bis bed
| from quito D. severe fall he received In
| North Carolina In running to catch D
departing train. After the usual salu=
tations and expressions OF pleasure ut
seeing him back. the reporter, without
more ado, explained the object OF his
visit.
| Reporter-Maior. after your sojourn
| In Washington during this exciting
time in our politics, and your close as-
ISOLATION there with the leaders Of both
parties, you ought to be able to let US
know something more definite than has
been yet made public concerning the
Hayes policy, especially with respect to
Louisiana
Major B.-Well, / CON only tell you
that am satisfied with the Presidents
good intentions toward US.
Reporters there anything more ex-
pliet' known than IL contained In his
| inaugural7 That you know by some ia
considered to be d very carefully pre-.
pared document and oan be construed
| two ways.
Major B.-My visits to Mr.. Hayes
| were always warmly reeeived--but TO
answer your question completely had
better come vt the poitit al once. Ny
| last visit to him was when he was ut
| Gen. Sherman g house, and 1t was in the
parlor whore we were received, the
| General being present, ] believe. After
shaking hands I stated "that we
| (the Louisiana delegation were highly
pleased with his late public expressions
concerning the South, and that we were
happy to know his policy was to be ono
Of conservatism but" ! went on TO
say, twill you be able to carry it"
just here Mr.. Hayes interrupted me
and In d very firm, decided manner said,
"If you please. we will not discuss my
ability. / am determined to carry 1t
out, and / shall, and my announced
policy toill be the policy OF my admin
istration." After Mr.. Hayes had In 80
pronounced manner exhibited his
| fixedness OF purpose, ] went on to state
that the Louisiana delegation did not
| visit him for the purpose Of soliciting
| for their State any representation In the
Cabinet or Federal office. They did not
want the patronage OF the Postof1ice OF
| Custom House. but simply the control
Of their own local affairs. To this Mr..
Hayes responded, II am not going TO
sitions and offices In your State. III /
can't find good and proper men Of my
own party there TO occupy them, will
| go into yours to seek Them
| The courteousnesB and franknes5
with which we were met by the Presi-
dent during these interviews were indi-
catiye OF the fullest respect, and his re-
peated assurances satisfied us that he
| Intends to carry out what Is now called
the new Southern policy.
Reporter-Do you know anything,
Major, about these vague rumors Of
compromise floating about, which have
so disturbed the equanimity OF our peo-
pie for the last few days?
| Major B.-I assure you, [ do not.
SO far as ] know, there were no offers
or suggestions Of compromise made by
any one representing Louisiana In
| Washington. I know nothing of 1t,
and i am satisfied none Of the other
gentlemen with me did. Don Cameron
|
senatorial business over our heads
when we were urging Grant to withdraw
| the troops, and intimated that the SEN
atorial vacancies might be lever with
Republicans, but this was the only
thing approaching 1t. There has been
no compromise that I have heard of,
you bet your bottom dollar.
Reporter -- Then, what do all these
reports mean about the visit Of Wheeler,
Foster and Stanley Matthews to Louisi-
ana You know our compromise
friend, Wheeler, has u very compro-
missing reputation.
Major B.--I'll tell you. Mr.. Hayes Is
now thoroughly satisfied that the Pack
ard government In Louisiana would
turn out to be q thorn In the side or his
administration, and, from what / have
gathered, [ am fully satisfied that this
committee Of visitors, or whatever else
you may call them, will come to Louisi-
ana not for the purpose OF entering
again into an investigation Of the Lou
isiana case, but more to see how the
gracefufully down, without too much
obloquy, into some consular or other
Federal position. In the next place, I
don't believe Wheeler will come here at
all.
Reporter-And why not?
Major Burke-I'll tell you. When
this report about Wheeler, Foster and
Matthews, being sent down here in this
Louisiana case first reached me, I went
to Mr.. Hayes and told him that in our
opinion his (Wheeler's) visit to our State
would be in the first place rather in
delicate, he being then Vice President
and an interested party, and In the next
place Mr.. Wheeler had been connected
with past political issues in our State
which had become buried long since,
and that his temperance on the scene
would revive old scores considered set
tied. From what I believe do not
imagine Mr.. Wheeler will come, and
thnsa who do will only he q comm ttaa