Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-05-29

hlm 10 announce my pair II q vote was
taken. From these votes it will clearly
appear with whom l had conferred and
the opinion | entertained of the effect Of
the proceeding then going on in the
house upon the Democratic party as
well as upon the country. | looked
upon them as unwise aud untimely and
fraught with mischief. 1t clearly ap-
pears from these votes that ! was not in
favor Of a motion to defeat the ~investi.
CATION Of fraud of any kind; l was only
against one.sided investigation. l also,
as | have been since the Presidential
contest was constitution ally decided,
was against any investigation with a
view TO impeach or Assail the title Of
the present incumbent Of the executive
chair. The Democracy Of the school in
which ! was reared was placed upon the
principle Of law and o~rder-upon an
abiding Of the law q. constitutionally
~expounded. This was the state Of things
when | made my appearance in the
house Thursday, the 10th instant. |
had not heard from Mr.. Potter; | bad
not consulted, directly or indirectly,
with any Republican in the house
or out of the house. made
an appeal to Mr. Clarkson N. Potter
to withdraw his call for the previous
question to allow me three minutes only.
My object was to get him to withdraw
his call for the previous question, Vi, il
be would not, to appeal to the house, to
patriots on both sides, 10 vote down the
previous question and allow Mr.. Hale,
or any other Republican, to offer Just
such amendments for the enlargement
of the investigation as they might
see fit. 1t was then that Mr.. Pot
ter declined to Withdraw his call or to
allow me the three minutes. He said
1t was from no disrespect TO me, but that
he could not do it, as be was acting I'M
der instructions. Whether Mr.. Potter
had communicated to others the purport
of my note, and because be determined
that | should not be heard upou the sub.
ject, / do not know, but | certainly had
not suggested in that note that the Demo.
Gratis should do anything else than re-
ceive all the amendments or additional
propositions for the Investigation that
might be offered from any quar-
ter. Second-Mr. Potter seems to
confound bis dates; he speaks of what
occurred when be rose to make q
proposition to Mr. Hale, as il done upon
the second day upon which l asked to
address the house. 10 this he is mista.
ken. His proposition to Mr.. Hale was
en- the next day, Friday, and had no con-
n%ection whatever with the proceedings
in which / was denied a hearing. Third
Mr.. Potter's reasons for refusing
Hale's amendment appear to me to be
singular and most untenable. He says
that it was because it was not german.
Why 1t was not german | cant see. All
frauds, it would seem to me, are Of kiL-
bred character. They are all of the
same class of crimes, belong to the
same family, aud differ only 10 charac.
ter and degree. II fraudulent electoral
count in Florida was german to like
fraudulent count in Louisiana, why not
like fraudulent count in Oregon or
any other State be equally german
to a proposition to investigate frauds2
Fourth-Mr. Potter justiGes his eoursein
refusing an investigation into the frauds
alleged in Mr.. Hale's amendment be-
cause, he said, I'VE understood it con-
tanned r~eeitals to which we cannot az.
sent, and which would have forced US to
vote against our " resolution" This
seems to me, again, to be an IN.
tensbis reason. In the first place, ia
allowing Mr.. Hale to offer the amend
ment, whatever r~ecitals it might have
had, by no means committed the house
to truth or allegations. 1t would only
have allowed him to make them good if
be could. Fith-Mr. Potter insists that
the object was not and is not to
attack the title of Mr.. Hayes. II so,
then why did he not, or the managers
whose instructions be was carrying out,
allow Mr.. Casey Young's amendment to
60 in, which distinctly stated, with the
purpose Of quieting the country, that
the object was not to diaturb the title of
the present executive, which had been
so constitutionslly settled by the last
congress2 But / have no tins to say
more at present, except to add that |
look upon the whole oil this proceeding,
~concocted as it was. conducted as it has
been, as most unwise, most unfortunate
aud most mischievous. Its effect will
be to disturb the peace, harmony
and quiet Of the country. Neither Mr..
Potter nor anybody else can prevent it,
and | say to him most respectfully that
nothing short OF immediate, general and
firm concert of action of the law and
0 der abiding people OF all parties, Re-
p %lblicans aud Democrats, throughout
ne Uoion, in Reproduction Of this inves-
tigstion proceeding any further with a
view to disturb the Presidential title,
such as announced by the Pennsylvania
Democracy 10 their convention a
few days ago, can arrest the most
fearful Consequences. Those who
hive, though Innocsptly. sowed the
wind will reap the whirlwind.
My v opinion is, as | repeatedly said,
this affair will prove, in the end, either
a contemplate farce or a horrible TRACE.
dy. Whether it will lead to Mexicaniza-
ton of our Federal republic this result
must show. But | say, as l said
on another recent occasion that
all soft words, institutins in the
minds Of the people Of this country
the idea that Mr.. Hayes can be peace.
ably unseated by congress are as delu-
siye aud as guiliful as whispering Of the
great arch Gend in the shape Of a toad
in the ear Of Eve, from which sprung oil
our woes.
Very respectfully,