The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-21
MR.. WATTERS0N'S VIEWS.
gr Defends STANLEY MATTHEW'S
AND THE CONFEDER4 TIES.
nut lie Attacks Hayes, and Says he was
Party to the Frauds-ua. a Good Word
for Mr. Tilden, Assniis Hewitt. aud Pats
Whitewnsh over the Wormicy Conference.


lng the situation OF public affairs. wo sent re-
porter to his hotel and obtained tho following
intercetinr interview. We add that in accord
lncc with the unvarying custom Of THE Sun in
inch cases our report OF his remarks has bcon
,ubmittod to Mr. Watterson and endorsed by
hin, for publication as accurate and complete:
You are Just from Washington. Mr.. Waiter
ron said the reporter.
"Ycs. sir
Have you any objection to my taking few
n,es u what you may have observed while In
A,capim
Interviewing journalist" said Mr. Waiter
,,n is very liko carrying Goals to Newcastle.
lnl yot." hc added. II you think any gather
ine. Of mine of public interest | am sure you
a,e welcome e. them"
First. thon tho Pottor invcstigaton-
THE aprointmcn, Of n committee to invcsti-
cato the m sthods by which q majority Of the
electoral vote cast for Tildcn was set aside in
favor Of Hayes" Mr.. Watterson began. was
from the first and in the nature OF the case. in
eritabe. That 1t was 40 IL shown pretty con-
cluslycly hy the fact that. Notwithstanding its
,tanzation Of the Tilden interest. II was APP
pontcd by "A House ia which. it is safe TO say.
Mr.. Tlldon is not prime favorite. The truth
IA that crimes such as are charged against
,he Republican leaders will down at no mans
bidding. The failure OF the Electoral Tri-
bunal to GO behind the returns. and try the
case on the facts. made 1t necessary for Con-
etess TO do so, since reservation to this end
was admitted into tho bill creating the tribunal.
Nay. more. il tho House had let its oppor-
,unity pass 1t would have shown itself pu-
silianimous In the last degree. Its mis-
take thus far. seems to me to have been its haste
20 pronounce upon the title of the President
M 70 4 hat II la
witch had not been assailel; TO say nothing Of
the illogical position Of frat cloudng and then
confirming title. Timidlty. born OF the habit
oitme-s)rying has been the chief trouble with
the Demcc party for years The Republi-
cans have only 70 shake a red rag at us. and we
recedc pr0cRiming all the time. and in ad-
vance that we will recede. They know this, and
constantly take advantage Of it, Nobody will
pretend to say that If Mr.. Hayes Is found guilty
Of acts Of corruption since he camo into Office
and such are freely charged against him by
men like ConklinR and Chandler-he may not
be- and ought not TO be, impeached and
erected from his place. There would be no
revolution in that Yet we are told by no less a
person than the General Of the Army. a brother
Of the mainstay Of the Administration, be it re-
membered that the President will roslst any
effort to unseat him. and that In 80 doing he
will be supported BY the army Surely no.
thing more reioent Of Mexico has appeared
IN our politics than this. and IL its author
had his deserts he would De driven from the
position he disgraccs. 1t il only hecause he and
lis political associates claim possession Of the
Government by u fee-simpe tenure, derived by
right OF conquest. that he Is not. Nevertheless.
euoh expressions. and other outglyiuzs from
kindred sources. have Il tendency 10 iasten upon
us a base. suhservient spirit. the spirit OF
toquiescenoe in military assumption and tOler-
snoe Of party bullying and hypocritc patriot
ism. Thore is nothing sacred nbou, Gen.
Sherman or the Administration. Congress may
II It likes. and ought to II 1t has reason. eyict
either or both. They are servants not masters
Of the people. though their concet has made
them quite forget their origin"
Then you think the report Of the Judiciary
Committee was an orrorf
81 say simply that 1t was a premature. and
on the whole. a cowardly plea Of non combat
iyslsm-an acceptance on the part Of the Demo-
Gratis Of the revolutionary chsracte. sought 10
be Tut upon them by tho Republicans. coupled
with tame disayowal-altcg gether needless and
something fiat"
viii the Potter Committee identify the
President personally with the frauds which
brought him into officef
There is hardly any room 10 doubt that the
President has general. and. 10 all intents. a
guilty knowledge Of the circumstances 10 which
be owes his place. That accounts for the re-
iusal Of stanley Matthews TO 10 before the
Potter Committee. The head and front of
Matthews offending was his effort to savs his
party friends from scandalous exposure
knowledge of which had reached him. No one
pretends that lie rart ,ipnted in the Louisiana
frauds. H. was in New O.leans but few days
HIS subsequent operations against Packard
were open and aboyeboard. happen 10 know
that his vote to seat Kellogg in the Senate
was given at the urgency Of the President him.
self. and. as / believe. against Maithews's own
betlor judgment as well as against his inclina-
hon. He thought Anderson, Ia the first place
mer.tor.ous poor devil. and he tried to hell
bin. After hs had committed himself he dis
covered his mistake. and then he tried to gel
him AM the dangerous knowledge Ia his DOS
session out q the country. Meanwhile Ander'
Sou WIS trading on his information, and when
he had exhausted the patience OF the Admins
lretion aud such patronage as he was able tC
obtain by double process Of blaokmail!ng, ht
dropped IN Matthew'S"
You think then. that Matthews Is innocent?
/ am sure Of it, With him. all is lost save
honor ana lis only way TO save that is 10 keel
lis mouth shut, refusing alike 10 porJure him
sell or peach upon his friends His mistake
was to ask any committee at all in the Senate
Why d.d he do this2
i SUPPOSE he was dismGyed. 1t may havl
been that lie did not realize the treachery 0
The friends he WAS trying 70 serve-a treach
cry, by u.e way. which II now generally be
heyed by Intelligent and disintcrested observer
al @Washinglon. see by THE SUNS Washing
t2n correspondence this morning. that he an'
rs iamllywere not invited 10 the Plat wedding
saler lne ecircumslancos thoir exclusion IL slg
hnlliaht' II 81 prorlamatlun 0t abandonmen
N We part OF the President. The only man II
uays Is Matthews himself"
a. lou really think, then that the Potter inVes
"Eailph reYlvcs the candidacy OF Mr.. Tllden
~ Wouli Do ungraclOus, as well as lneNac
Shu lhtlncere, in me TO say. Sufficient unto Tn
LAY Is tho evil thereof Besides Mr.. Tllden hu
T,Gh a most abused, nisrepresented man. an'
tsnpull ue most unjust one II | did not sym
tNuHe with the desire and intention Of hi
nm'9hqs 10 see his conduct throughout n tTyini
Weeal put clearly, fully. and correctly boiOr
mo country 1t IL too early to begin the work o
,lhNlhS President But It is never too early L
vi the truth, When the msts clear away,
ied' pe Iuund that many people have been mis-
mu u ailq misrepresented by the blundering an
"uulllhg Of tlat lussy man. Hewitt"
s,noH came Mr., Hewitt 10 object to your pres
Mg2 "''0 0"N9N' '"' 0''''' 0''''
Mo-. yas sitting in the House talking with Mr.
oaInt a,sDn ol llllnols, and did not observe that