Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-08-11
SENATOR M'DONALD,
or Indiana interviewed by Reporter
Gives his Views OF the situation
The Iofamous Policy OF the
Radical Party, by which
The People were Robbed OF their Cur
rency, in Order that a Bond Holding
Glass Might he Created-The Rad
zeal Robbery of Votes in Flor
ida and Louisiana.

clnnad CONNER ciGl: This evening
l met Senator J. E. M 'Donaldl at his office,
and finding him in his usual good temper
and talking away, had quiet little interview
on the situation in the nation and State.
The senator lighted a fresh cigar, turned
round in his chair, and, as | pulled out my
| notebook, said:
go ahead; what do you want to ask me ?"
Senator, suppose you have your speech
prepared for delivery at Logansport on the
seventh"
mo, l have not. l have the general out
line in my mind, and propose to do the job
| of-hand. 1t won't be worth reporting"
Nevertheless, | would like TO get an out
line of your positions, especially on finance"
| You can get that in my Greencaste
| speech of four years ago. | defined my po-
| sition then, and events which have since
transpired have only tended to strengthen
those views. | voted against further con-
traction of the paper currency of the gov
eminent and for the silver bill. l favored BIZ
metallic currency because we are the greatest
producer of the precious metals. These
metals from the basis of money or purchasing
values. AS the law now stands, our money
| Is good for all purposes. | don't think con-
| traction should go to point which men call
resumption, that is when the currency of the
country would be entirely destroyed, and
| there would be nothing to redeem on the day
| of resumption. And then no good was to be
accomplished in the way the measure was
| beng carried out. The government was ex-
| changing bonds bearing four per cent. inter
| est in order to destroy debt which bore no
| interest, and this without the creditor who
| held the debt asking it. The government
| now takes its own money at par, and the pas
| sage of the silver bill makes resumption pos
sible, and practically already accomplished;
| but not by destroying the paper money of
the United States, but by giving it value.
| The repeal of the resumption act don't
| amount to anything, because we have re-
sumed now, and the treasury can redeem all
| the paper presented. With one hundred and
| sixty million dollars in the treasury, and two
| hundred and sixty million dollars of the bal
ance of trade in our favor, we are back to
specie basis. But the great wrong was IN fore
| ing ourselves then It should have been
gradual, even if years were required,
| SO that all the business interests of the
country would not have suffered with it. AT
| the time OF the passage OF the bill the west
was loaded down with debts, long loans
based upon high prices, and the passage of
the resumption act forced the debtors to pay
off their debts before maturity out of depre-
ciated business or property or else wait the
end, and then fall because the shrinkage
would he 80 great that the property would
not be worth the amount of the debt. Why,
it is not dishonesty which is filling the courts
with bankruptcy cases. Many of these men
could have fought through, but the repeal IF
the bankrupt law alarmed them. They know
that they never could get out from under their
loads if they waited for the end in suits I'M
der the State laws, which would consume all
they have and leave large judgments still
standing against them.
''What do you think of the results of the
Potter committees investigatIon?"
81 have frequently stated my opinions, and
have nothing new to say. The committee
have brought out no new facts; they have
shown what tools were used In burglarizing
the votes of Florida and Louisiana. The
oaths Of Anderson and men of his ilk were
used to disfranchise fifteen thousand voters
in Louisiana, and the visiting statesmen of
the Republican party stood by to see it well
done. Anderson is a specimen brick. l can
excuse some OF the Republican members for
their views In regard to these matters, for
they were anxious to believe that Hayes had
carried the State, and it was Kelogg's policy
to strengthen this belief He had brought in
negroes from all parts Of the State who had
been maltreated in any way, either in private
or public lights; In fact, any one who could
show any kind of hurt, from whatever
cause, was manufactured into witness
against Democracy, and when the visiting
statesmen cameo they were shown these crea-
lures, from Eliza Pinkston down, and
"crammed with reports of outrages, " as Kel-
logg said, until in their excited imaginations
they could see whole platoons of rifemen
shooting negroes as they ran. But how any
one could hear Eliza Pinkston and believe it
is more than | could understand. Why, her /
horrible statements had no corroborative evil
dence. She said the assailants struck her three
blows on the head with an AK, and yet the
doctor declared that all the cuts on her body
had been made with either knife or razor.
When she was first reported as a witness we
were told 1.-THE senate committee) that we
would have to take her evidence at the place
where she was boarding, as she was not able
to appear, and l was one of the three appoint
oil 70 fob haro NNa 1nr 10
her room, which was on the third floor of
negro clearinghouse, and upon entering her
room we found her lying upon the bed In a
semi-hysterical condition, while the fellow
Brewster, whom she now says prepared her
testimony, was sitting on the side of the bed,
and kept saying: Now, keep quiet, Eliza,
Don't be alarmed. These gentlemen went
hurt you. / am here to protect you The
committee would not examine her then, aud
in about a week she came down and told her
Incredible story. We started to prove it false,
but Senator Howe said we need not do that,
as the statement disproved ITSELF
From what you have seen and know of
the situation in this State, do you think the
Democracy will carry it?"
81 am quite confident we will. The people
won't swallow this apportionment; that has
set a tide In our favor which will lead to VIC
tory"
II suppose there is no doubt about the re-
turn of Mr.. Voorhees, if the Democracy carry
the legislature ?''
''None in the world. His appointment
made him the Democratic candidate, and
almost all the prominent members of the
Democratic party recommended hlm."
in his interview at Laporte, Mr.. Voorhees, |
says you were with him at the time that he
was reported to have called the soldiers dogs |
and Lincoln hirelings."
Eyes, l was there, and remember what he |
said. 1t was at this time when men said that |
every man should acquesce in the acts of the |
administration; that opposition to any scheme |
or act was disloyalty. Mr. Voorhees, said his
loyalty to the constitution and laws was equal |
to that of any man, but In a republican form |
OF government each man ought to do his own |
thinking, certainly; that the presumption was |
that each one should be his own judge, and |
to accord the dictum of President as abso- |
lutte and final, they ceased to exercise the |
free qualities of republican citizenship. If |
we had reached that condition, then we had |
each better go to the nearest blacksmith |
shop and have an iron collar made and in
scribed: 4 am A. Lncoln's dog, whose dog |
are you?' No allusion was made to the sol
dlers, nor were they discussed at ALL"
what do you think of the Nationalist"
Il know but little of them, but | don't |
think their aggregate will exceed that OF two |
years ago. The fact is, no third party can |
exist or succeed while the two great parties |
preserve their party organization and cover |
all the issues. l think the Republican party |
is as strong in Its organization as at any time |
during tie past ten years. They will miss |
Morton greatly, but will gain something by |
the different aspirants for his place. While |
he lived these men had no hope of success
for themselves, and had but little heart to |
work. think Ben Harrison the strongest |
man in the Republican party, and he will |
lead all others. His followers are of the |
class who CONTROL
Just here messenger called to take the
senator TO the Hendricks meeting, and the |
interview closed.
Down with Hotel Prices.
New York Times: 1t was significant sign
of the times that on the first of this month
those two vast establishments, the Fifth Ave
nue. and Windsor hotels, lowered their prices.
To do then, iustica thau hava LoI~o, o,,,Io |