Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-05-31
The Potter Investigation.


The Potter Investigation.
HON. GARRISON POTTER EXPLAINS
NO DANGER OF A REvoLUTIoN-THIs
COUNTRY, HE SAYS, is NOT MEXICO.
Hon. Clarkson N. Potter has published
a letter, written i'll reply to certain inter-
rogations concerning the presidential in
vestigatlou p. opo unded to him. He says
that Alex. Stephens was not ''howled
down" by "Potter's mnb'' when he at
tempted to check tue passage of the inves
tigating resolution. 7 make his state
ment or motion Mr. Str phens would have
had to Interrupt Jbe reg ular order of
business. To this there was objection.
That is all. 1t was only in the newspa-
pers that Mr.. Stephens was ehowlec down."
The reason the Democrats would not al
low the Hale amendment to be attached
to the resolution is that it was not ger.
name. IAN INQUIRY" says Mr.. Potter
Into frauds accomplished, and which
changed the electoral vote, is proper to
prevent their repetition, but an inquiry in
10 mere attempts at fraud, which resulted
stood it contained recital to which w,
could not assent, and which would have
forced us to vote against our own resolu-
ton; second, because we offered Mr.. Hall
every opportunity to have his amendment
adopted as a separate resolutions; that 1t
was not so offered shows it was really not
desired; third. because it's Incorporation
into the resolution might have had the
effect of preventing any report upon the
resolution. AS 1t is, the committee will
have probably but one opportunity to re-
port in this Congress, and this amendment
could, if added to this resolution, be made
10 prevent report at that time. and thus
deprive us of an opportunity to report at
all. just as We got ready to report we
should be liable to be stopped to take
States brought forward for the very pur-
pose of preventing report"
There is no danger OF revolution, he
says, because this country is not Mexico,
and because the people prefer determining
questions by legal methods, and if the le-
gal methods have not been provided, to
invent legal methods of determining them,
and to sumit to the determination thus
arrived at-thus this country cannot be
Mexicanized. Having accepted the Elec-
toral Commission, of course we are
bound to submit to the results. but we
ought at least be allowed to show (if such
was the fact) that the returns upon which
the commission passed were procured by
fraud" He admits that the presidency is
not worth civil war, and adds: s'There
never was danger of civil war. The
whole Thing was, as | think, a gigantic
game, in which we held the cards, ami the
Republicans bluffed us. Should fraud con-
nected with the electoral count appear SO
gross and palpable that all honorable men
should denounce it, Congress ought then
take some action If any such action
should be taken following the investiga-
ton, the order and prosperity of the coun-
try will not be disturbed thereby" He
says che object of the investigation is to
ascertain the facts, so that if fraud is to
be established repetition of such frauds
may be prevented, and if not, to clear up
the general belief throughout the country
that there were such frauds. Capital is
afraid of the Commune, and protests
against the reduction of the army. Yet,
in no country in the world is there less
danger from communism. But capitalists
stood supiney by when the army was used
to protect returning boards in sitting the
votes Of States and frustrating the will of
the people. The letter concludes as fol-
lows; Whatever may result from the
proposed Investigation, you may be sure
that nothing can result that will disturb
either your flock or your balances. The
trouble to capital, property and freedom
will come, not perhaps in your time or
mine, but come at last from refusing to
inquire into frauds. To confront the evil,
if you may not right it, is to prevent its
repetition. To Shut your eyes to it SUI
pinely is to jeopardize, and not to preserve,
the future peace, safety and prosperity of
the country"
WHAT A DEMOCRATIC MEMBER OF THE
CABINET SAYS.
Postmaster General Key is out in let
ter denouncing the investigation as "Mexi-
canizing' the country. His letter is cruelty
called by Republicans ''brazen bid for
retention IN the cabinet.' He insists upon
it that it is movement to 1nvalidata Pie
sident Hayes title, and thus concludes:
1t is therefore the duty of the Southern
people to afford a browning evidence of
their renewed devotion to the Union in
which they now enjoy every right of cti-
Zenship, and are subjected to no restlic-
lions not laid upon every citizen. by send
ing 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-6fth Congress. To this end the
people in every district should meet pub
licly, organize and resolve to support No
person for Congress who has given aid to
this movement, and who will not pledge
himself t. sustain the title of President
Hayes during the term for which he Was
elected, against all attempts at it's over
throw.
Only in this way can grave danger to
the republic be averted, and convincing
proof be given that the confidence was
not misplaced which President Hayes
manifested in the South when he with
drew 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
remain 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
principles, it is my duty now to warn the
people of the South of the danger which
threatens the country. No man need to
have engineered the movement to unseat
President Hayes can be carried out with
out bloody civil war. To avert this
danger l confidently rely upon the patriot
ism and honor of the people of my native
section. ID. M. KEY.
A FINE FARM.-Col Ge,. II, Cameron
now the manager of the farm of Mr.. Cur,