Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-06-05
ClarksOn n. Potter Explains.

Clarkson N. Potter, in a long letter to
New York friend, explains the effect
of his resolution. He says: +. h.,|.
Among other things, you suggest that to raise
the question about the last presidential election
VIII bring on disturbance or revolution. Not at
all. About that possess yourself in peace. There
is not the slightest chance of revolution disturb
ance. When the whole Country was at fever
heat on the subject of the election, a way was
found to establish tribunal to pass upon the
election. and every one submitted to that deter
mination. The presidents title rests upon that
Ii now it should appear that there was a fraud
which paipably affected the electoral vote, and
which the commission did not notice. and if a
legal remedy exists for correcting the error, you
cannot believe that such proceedings under law
could lead to disturbances. If there be no such
legal remedy existing, and congress should here,
after, by the approval of the president, or by
twO-tnirds of both houses without that app1ov wal.
provide one. why should the legal determination
thereafter any more produce disturbance than
the decision of the electoral commission
1t is exactly because this is not Mexico. and be-
cause the people prefer determining by legal
methods, and, if legal methods have not been
provided. to invent regal methods of determining
them, and to submit to the determination thus
arrived at, that this country
CANNOT BE MExICANIzED.
Having accepted the electoral commission, OF
course we were bound to submit to its results
but we ought at least to be allowed to show, il
such was the fact, that the returns upon which
the commission passed were procured by fraud
war, but have not believed there WIS any dan
ger of such war The generation who charged
up the Heights of Frederick and defended the
works at Petersburg will not 90 lightly into an
other civil struggle. We mus. get years further
on before that will happen. / admit the success
of the republican leaders. Having lain down
when the law was on our side, and when we ought
to have stood up, it is not for now to stand up
as long as the law remains against us.
But you will ask whether, if there be no danger
to public order from legal proceedings, there may
not be
.-.. .. FROM ACTION BY CONGRESS.
No, no more than from action OF the courts.
Congress represents the people of the country,
but does not march before them. 1t expresses,
but does not anticipate their Will. Should fraud
connected with the electoral count appear so
gross and palpable that you and all honorable
men should unite in denouncing it, congress
might then take action tut If SO, what congress
might do, being the result ofthe action of men of
all parties of the great body Of people, not of a
party, would be effected quietly, certainly, and
without violence or disturbance In saying this,
/ do not mean that expect the investigation TO
be followed by either legal or congressional ac-
ton, What, If anything, should be done be-
cause OF the inquiry, must depend on
~ THE RESULTS OF THE INQUIRY.
But I do mean that whatever action, if any,
should follow the estigatOn such action can
neither disturb the order nor the prosperity of
the country. This cry of Wolf whe there is no
wolf, this effort to make IL appear that there is
danger to peace or order from this investigation
is arepublican pretcnse like the bloody -shirt -
"public-danger" excuse advanced for the en-
forcement of Durrell's infamous order and pro-
lection Of the returning board by bayonets like
the cry set up after the elect on to prevent any
agitation and to secure submission.
What, then you ask, is the purpose of tnyesti-
CATION? l answer. to ascertain the facts, so that
If frauds be established, a repetition of such
frauds may be prevented, and, if not, to clear up
the general belief throughout the country that
there were such frauds. The feeling amongst
many republicans after the election was that,
a wa
had bulldozed the negroes as badly, so that the
accounts of wrong
WERE ABOUT EQUAL. aa
This belief in the bulldozing of the negro was
based mainly upon the fact that. in certain dis
tricts in the south which usually gave republican
majoritieS, there was not returned that year a
single republican vote. Now the people of the
north have never understood that this condition
of things was fraudulently prepared by the re-
publicans. They ought to understand that there
never was anything so dangerous to free govern
ment as returning board to throw out the vote g
of one side and keep in those OF the other with
out cause: to invent preteXt Tor such wrongs
to accept of'en-cOntrived protests and manufac-
tured objections as color for their action; to
permit figures to be altered. returns to be forged,
frauds to be perfected and generally every means
by which the will of the people may be frustrat-
ed and ...
THE POPULAR VOICE sTIFLED.
1t then becomes possible, and there may be thus
a condition of things absolutely destructive OF
free government. We believe that it was by
such proceedings we were cheated out OF the
election. Unless the proceedings be exposed.
the outrage will be repeated. Whatever may re
suit from the proposed investigation, you may be
sure that nothiIg can result that will disturb
either our flocks or your balances. The trouble
TO capital, property, and freedom will come not.
perhaps il your time or mine, but come at last
from refusing to inquire into frauds. To confront
the evil if you may ri ght it, is to prevent it's
repetition. To shut your eyes to it supinely is to
jeopardiZe, and not to preserve the future peace,
safety, and prosperity OF the country.