The New York herald., 1878-12-03
Criticisms and Concentrations Of Ref
erences to The South.
OPENING FIGHT OA THE SECTIONAL issue.
Wood, Garfield, Hale and Cox
in Sharp Debate.
THE GREENBAcKERs IN COUNCIL
Cipher Telegrams To Be
Investigated.
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.

FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
WASHINGTON, Dec. Q, 1878.
THE MESSAGE AND HOW IT WAS RECEIVED
ALEXANDER r.. STEPHENS ON THE SOUTHERN
ELECTIONS. ......s,.-..,. ,...~
The Message is received with general but mild ap-
proyal Some people complain that it is very unex-
citing document but the general opinion is that this
is ono of it's merits Tho soft money men are Of
course rritated the passages relating to the cur
rency. The southern almost without exception.
ire satisfied with the Presidents reference to the south
md are disposed at this time to grant the money
asked for deay the expenses of trials for violation
Of the election laws. It is probable. however that
there will be lively discussion this matter when
ever it comes up. Mr.. stephens. Of Georgia. this
evening expressed to . HERALD correspondent what
seems to be the general Southern opinion OF the
Message. He ssid:---
OF course differ with the President upon his imam
cial policy. The Message upon the subject of South
1 was not ev have
reached the President to outrages in South Caro-
lima and Louisana and when the facts facts, come .,ae
great desl of the newspaper statements
are totally without foundation. How. it really Is
do not know. One thing. however would say
II there have been any outrsges or violations of law
they ought to be rcdresscd. am q law and order
abiding man. The maintenance Of the majesty Of the
law s the only hope Of the preservation Of the rights
of free people. Governments. In tho last resort
may be put into two ciassesothe eovernmen1i nj
free people ought to that the laws are executed
and enforced otherwise they must in the end have
\ government Of arms. But think In the South
generally the elections free from illegal in
reference as in any part Of tho United states. In
ton. II in any Of the recent elections to
Congress State laws have been violated. North
p south ss .s 9af a e
Law has beep thus violstcd the wrong should 30
righed through the fsders Judiciary and - i s the
duty Of the Governors respectively to see that the
State laws expounded by the State courts, are en-
forced ia the duty Of the President 70 see that
the federal laws. cxpounded by the federal courts.
are enforced But most of those questions, 1t
TO me- properly belong TO the House OF Representa-,
dives. which is the sole judge Of the election and
4ualihcstion Of it's members. e.rN
Mr.. Wilson. of West Virginia, said he was lifelong
democrat but doubted the propriey OF criicsing the
Message for the suggestions about the elections in
South Carolina and Louisiana. As long as the
act Of Congress s tho statutes he said it was the
duty Of the President to see that the lswwas exc
ruted. The fact that NJ Hayes called attention 10
election frauds in South Carolina and Lousians and
not to frauds in New York, spoken Of by Mr.. Wood
to-day. cannot be considered an effort on Mr..
Hayes part to suppress any information as 10 New
York elections, rs his attention not called TO
icity given to ther,. M ..
Mr.. williams. of Michigan. democrat, thought that
loo much space was devoted to intimidation in tho
South. He thought the President should have re-
ferred to intimidation at the North. In his district
there $500 employees in shops who were CON-
PEELED to vote directed by their employers. other
wise they would have been discharged
Judge Mayhem, of New York. democrat. disapproved
Of the reference SO strongly to Southern ouragcs.
In his opinion it done lever in the elections
in 1850.
Judge Reagan, Of Texas said that the reference to
Southern matters WAS just what he expected
Among the topics referred to in the Message which
attract the attention OF thoughtful members of both
houses are the information that now commercial
treaty with Japan has been framed and that
IRE pending for more intimate commercial relations
with South American States the suggestion that In
dians shall be enlisted auxiliary military force
on the Plains which would. in the opinion Of compc
tent cxperts be Of the most important and bcne
fetal measures for civilizng the Indians at a
small cost the recommendation to relieve the
pressure of business the Judicial courts. aud the
business on the federal courts and the Supreme
Court. by the creation Of . number of additional
circuit judges by other means. relief which
the judges and the members Of tho bar know to be
very necessary and the recommendation TO construct
. new Congressional library building. The mere
politicians evidently nnd fsnit because the Message
deals so much with tho material interests OF the
sountry. but that hsu thu people will not agree
with them.
OPENING THE BkLL ON THE SOUTHERN AND Fl
XArcAL QUESTION: LEADERS
LAUNDERING.
There is something frishtfully tedious and monot.
snous about the folly OF some of tho democrats Yhcy
,egin snew PRECISELY whore they left OF before To-
asy for instance whom the Message had been read in
The House, Mr.. Eernando Wood. ia the capacity Of
eaher Of the House. dragged his fellow democratic
into quagmire. and With the help of the previous
question. left them sticking there. It seemed to Mr.
wood ;udic.ous to srragn tho President for ths
trcncly moderate views OF The Message the South
crn sioctiona He thought great deal too much had
been said OF what OF consequence and declared
that the extreme radical wing Of the republicans
had captured the President and made him vacllate
In his policy toward the South. Mr.. Wood amazed
and startled the whole House, and delighted the
pnblicans az much he disgusted most Of the demo-
Gratis. He gave Mr GARFIELD tho opportunity 70 mako
judicious and extremely effective reoindcr and Mr..
Hale the chance for . neat partisan appeal. and
Whereas before he spoks the extreme republicans had
been disposed to grow the Message and to quarrel
with the President, Mr.. Woods romsrks brought
them all together.
II must be said to the credit OF the democrats. that
at least hrse quarters Of them sat in their seats filled
with indignation and disgust st what they to he
gross blunder. and IL Mr. Wood had not by the use
of the previous question. stopped discussion after
Mr. Cox had adroitly done all he could To cover
up the mistake that had been made, MIR.
Wood would have hoard some plain language
from his own side. Several democrats said after the
adjournment that II they had had chance they
voufd have said precisely what NJ csrsola .afd -,
the question: aud hcro Is not the least doubt that Of
least thrce-quarscrs and probably seveneigh,hs OF
the democratic side we're entirely content with what
the President ssid about the South. The Southern
men particularly were well satisfied, and would have
voted d once the additional money asked for in tho