Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-06-07
Postmaster-aen. Keys Advice and Ad-
monltion,

AVoVAherofVa AhpI y hNNAeS phN GAh-
monition,
IN lieu of personal answer TO many
letters received from friends In the
South, disclaiming sympathy with any
effort TO unseat President Hayes, Post
master-Gen. Key has written the follow
ing open letter to the people of the
South
WASHINGTON. May 2s; 1873.
Circumstances attending the passage OF the
Potter resolution TO investigate the alleged
frauds In the Presidential election OF 1876 in
the States Of Louisiana and Florida, together
with subsequent declarations Of many influ-
ential Democrats, politicians and journalists,
evidence that II both houses Of the Forty
sixth Congress are Democratic, the majority
intend to oust President Hayes and inaugu.
rate Mr.. Tilden.
The title of President Hayes was settled ir.
revDcably by the forty.fo6rth Congress in
the act creating the Electoral Commission,
under which he was legally declared elected
and legally inaugurated. The Forty-ffth
Congress has no more right TO dispute HIS
election than he has to question the title Of
any victorious contestant 70 seat in that body.
The Forty-sikth Congress will have no more
right 10 ignore him and recognize his defeated
contestant (Mr. Tilden) than Mr.. Hayes would
have to send file Of soldiers to the House of
Representatives TO unseat q Democrat whom
he might consider TO have been wrongfully
seated or fraudulently elected. The leaders
In this desperate attempt to Mexicanize our
institutions rely confidently upon solid
South" to furnish the bulk Of the Democratic
majority In the next House of Representa-
! tives, the Senate being already secured. Re
membering the encouragement which the
Northern Democrats In 1860 and 1861 extend
ed to the Southern States to sccede, and the
| manner in which their promises of aid and
comfort were fulfilled, can Southern people
afford TO join this revolutionary movement
with certainty that when the inevitable hour
| OF peril comes they will again be left unas-
| sisted and alone to meet the storm from the
| North, again united bv this attempt to revive
an issue whose settlement was forced by pub
| lie opinion upon an unwilling COngressl
In the dark days of February, 1877, when
civil war over a disputed election was Immi-
| nent, and patriots trembled for the safety of
| republican institutions, the Southern mem
| bers of Congress averted the danger by com
| peling the completion Of the Electoral count
under the law which both parties In Congress
had enacted; but now Representatives from
| the Southern States, with very few excep-
| tions, have Joined movement to subvert the
| results of their former patriotic action, and to
remand the country to that anarchy from
| which less than two years ago II was saved by
their efforts. Grant that in permitting the
autonomy of all the States and in appointing
| citizens to office in the South instead Of
strangers, President Hayes has but discharged
| his constitutional duty Does that excuse
| Southern Representatives for attempting to
invalidate his title which they established! !
| Or will It justify them in bringing the country
| again in danger of civil war i'm an effort to un-
seat him and inaugurate Mr.. Tilden2
| The South must now face the most momen-
| tous crisis in its existence since 1861. To in
| dorse the recent conduct of their Representa-
tives is to admit the truth of the charges that
/ the people of the South care nothing for the
welfare of the Union, desire the downfall of
| the Republic, and would rejoice to see 1t again
| involved in civil war AS their Representa-
| tives have not reflected their sentiments as
believe to be the case, the people of the South
! ern States should take care that in the Forty
sixth Congress they are represented by men
who will defeat the disturbers of public peace
and prevent the MeXicaniZation of our insti-
tutions. To do this they may be compelled to
act independent of the Democratic party.
Recent events have demonstrated the ina
bility of the Democratic members of Congress
to resist the mandates of the caucus and the
| terrors of the party lash-the one welded
and the other inspired by men who seem will
ing to endanger the welfare of the country
| and the stability OF republican institutions
for the sake of revenge on political opponents,
and in the hope of dividing the "spoiis of vic
! tory" II the Democratic Representatives of
! the South could not resist the caucus COM
mand to pass the Potter resolution, unamend-
ed and without debate, how will they be able
| in the Forty-siXth Congress to resist similar
| command to ignore Mr.. Hayes as President
and to recognize Mr.. Tilden! 1t is therefore
the duty of the Southern people to afford the
| crowning evidence of their renewed devotion
to the Union, in which they now enjoy every
! right of citizenship and are subjected to
no restrictions not laid upon every citizen, by
sending Representatives to the Forty-sixth
| Congress pledged to resist at all hazards the
revolutionary schemes of the mischief makers
| who seem to have gained control of the
| House of Representatives of the Forty-ffth
| Congress- To this end the people should meet
in every district publicly, organize and resolve
to support no person for Congress who has
given aid to this movement, and who will not
| pledge himself to sustain the title of President
Hayes during the term for which he was elect
ed, against all attempts at its overthrow. Only
In this way can great danger to the Republic
be averted, and a convincing proof be given
that the confidence was not misplaced which
President Hayes manifested in the South when
he withdrew the troops from the State-Houses
| of South Carolina and Louisiana.
l have spoken plainly and earnestly, for
feel that | should be unworthy to represent
the South in the Administration were to re-
main silent now. Invited to the Cabinet as
southern man, to see that justice was done to
the South, required neither to apologize for
my record nor to disown my political princi-
Piles, it is my duty now to warn the people of
country. Nc man need hope that the schemes
of the men who have engineered the move
ment to unseat President HAYES can be car.
ried out without bloody civil war. To avert
this danger, l confidently rely upon the patri-
otism and honor of the people of my native
section. ID. NJ KEY