The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-04-12
A BIT or SECRET HISTORY.
JOHN YOUNG BROWN III EXPLANATION
OF THE FosTER-MATTHEws LErT2Rs.

JOHN YOUNG BROWN III EXPLANATION
OF THE FosTER-MAgTHEws LETTERS.
The Louisville Co,srier-Sca,5.ai pub
fishes an interview with the Hon.. 3o!.:a
Young Brown, in which that gentleman
gives Q sa!l history Of the 'Ma.thews-F -Fros.
ter letter. Mr. Brown says In his state
ment:
Herewith publish the letters Of Hon.
Charles Foster and Stanley Matthews,
addressed to Hon. Inhn q. Gordon and
myself Tho circumstances attending
their origin are In brief as follows: On
the 10th of February last I sent page
from the House Of Representatives. to the
Senate Chamber for nay distinguished
friend, General Gordon, and he came
oyer in few minutes. / told him that
wanted an interview with Hon. Charles
Foster, at which desired his presence.
1 outlined to General Gordon what in
tended to say to Mr.. Foster, and he said
he would with pleasure accompany me.
We found Mr. Foster in tha room of the
Committee on Appropriations. No one
else was present during the interview. I
told Mr.. Foster that i had, as he knew,
been voting against all dilatory motions,
and had in q speech advocated the in.
flexible execution Of the Electoral Bill;
had stated In Democratic SaUcns that /
would so vote If were 3he only man
from the South to do so; that the vote
was approved by my Judgment; that
felt under an obligation ofhonor TO atapd
by the result, bitter 10 it was, feeIing that
the situation was not chargeable to che
ELECTORAL Bill, but TO the majority Of It's
Commission which we had agreed to
trust ] told him ! had received de-
spatches and letters from home, from
cherished and trusted friends, conveying
most emphatic rerlionstrance against my
course; but that, witch my convictions
about the question, IL petition signed
By every voter in my district should be
sent TO me, requesting me 20 support the
dilat0ry notions, 1t would not alter nv
purpose by q hair. I fdrtheg aaid 70 him
that there was but one ching which
would change me, aud that was IL I
thought that by voting to complete the
count, which was t0iFesult in the inaugu-
ration of MF. Hayes, 4wonld be aiding.
directly or Indirectly, in perpetuasing the
usuIpations of Packard aud Chasnbeflhin
In the States of Louisiana aad South Car.
olina, would reverse my action, and do
my very utmost, TO defeat the execution
Of the bill, regardless Of consequences,
calamitous TO the country as I believed
they would be. esu A,ss7 yssl7
furthermore told him that If 4
changed my position knew Of several
prominent gentlemen vino would Join me,
aud if st that critical thour, when tho
daily and nightly scenes surpassed by
far in wild excitement and violence any
thing ever witnessed In the Legislative
history Of the country, the line of the
Democrats, who we're voting TO execute
the iaw,i should be broken, il would re-
suit In stampede among them, md Mr..
Hayes would mo more be the President
than no (Foster) would be. Foster said
he believed this. q: "a, 3 fts = -S1
9 Ilhave the highest respect for Charles
Foster. believe him 10 be an honora.
bic gentleman, and told him that it was
my confidence in him that had brought
me to him. He represented the district
of Governor Hayes. He had just made
o manly and patriotic speech, In which
he had said theA under President Hayes,
il inaugurated, the Gag shall float over
states, not provinces over freemen, not
subjects. | referred to- this speech, and
told him / had come to request of him
written assurances that IL Governor
hAyes was inaugurated President he
would restore home rule,in the States Of
Louisiana and South Carolina, and that
the people Of these States should control
their own affairs In their own way, es free
from any intervention by the Fsdesal au-.
thority as the State Of Ohio. 80 q sgsss
This conversation was long and earnest.
told Mf. Foster that I wanted 20 make
no bargain. no agreement, that scorned
the thought of it, that ! mad declined o
recollection to Congress, was. voluntarily
Withdrawing from political life, wanted
no Office that O President could give gme.
and that my object was unseltish, and
that desired written assurance from
him that the policy Of hr. Hayes would
be ne indicated, and from him specially,
by reason of his very intimate relations
with Governor Hayes. .-s9,..i7=Sg
sj His reply to oil this was frank, full,
earnest and satisfactory to my friend.
General Gordon, and myself. Indee...,
mir. Foster Bnid ne had ia letter in his
pocket, just received from Governor
Hayea, thai .ss.::;;s .ss::;;Es nina for The speech to
whicn 1 have alluded, and endorsing IL.
He offered this letter 20 General Cor.
don 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 H.. He
promised to meet me that night at nv
rooms. He came about midnight and
said by reason of his interview with Cen
ieral Gordon and myself he hsd that
evening procured 0 meeting of como gen.
.tlemen from Louisiana and South Caro-.
lino az WoYna1ev'e HctaI. Of which also
Hon. Henry Wattetson was present. At
the c0neluaion of the conferences shess
gentlaEncn he'd expressed grcat s.stisfac-
don G5 what had beeR aaid to them. On
leaving he remarked that II should have
two letters next morning. On the mkt
day he came TO my desk Ia the KoESa of
REPRESENTATIVES and hap.,..ssla me an uns
signed letter. s. Il s.s,s.l : Z, 3 5 E ls.37ir 4
/ / read it, took my pen and erased one
paragraph, and told aim that It could be
made fuller and stronger, but that ftom
the honorable nlei yise gave It in rood
faith it was sufficient. In an hour affef-
ward i won't t!qhisfdesk and no delivered
me letter sig by himself aud Mr..
matthew's. L. = red that itiWas In q
different handy. ting, Rad it hastily and
remarked to him that it contained aonie
generalities did not like. He replied
that Ar. Matthews had rewritten it, and
added, Brown, it Is intended 20 cover
t:ai whole case, and can promise you
there will be no doubt about the fulfill.
ment of all the assurances I have given
yon.D y. & B n
rnotieeithe T original lettos on his taesk
and said, "Sign chat aiso,p and hore-
piled, "Certaitiiy. With pieaarrft 80 AalTf