The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-06-06
THE POTTER INVESTIGATION.


South From Postmaster General Key.
In lieu Of a 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:
The circumstances attending the passage of
the Potter resolution to investigate the al
legged frauds in the Presidential election of
1876 IN the States of Louisiana and Florida.
together with the subsequent declarations of
many influential Democratic politicians and
Journalists. evidence that if both houses of the
Forty-slxth Congress are Democratic the ma
Jorlty intend to Gust President Hayes and in
auguraie mr. Tilden. The title of President
Hayes was settled irrevocably by the Forty
fourth Congress in the act creating the Elec-
toral Commission, by which he was legal
ly declared elected and legally inaugu-
rated. The Forty-ffth Congress has no
more right to dispute his election than if
has to question the title of any yictori-
GUS contestant to his seat in that body. The
Forty-sixth Congress will have no more right
to ignore him, and to recognize his defeated
COut05LduG, nlrs 11Q0u, imam MIR. HAYES would
have to send file of soldiers to the House of
Representatives to unseat q Democrat whom
he might consider to have been wrongfullv
seated or fraudulently elected. The leaders in
this desperate attempt to Mexicanize our insti-
tutions rely confidently upon Essolid South'
to furnish the bulk of the Democratic majority
in the next House of Representatives. the Sem
ate being already secured. Remembering the
encouragement which the Northern Demo-
Gratis, IN 1860 and 1861, extended to the South
ern States to secede, and the manner in which
their promises of aid and comfort were full
filled, can the Southern people afford to ioin
this revolutionary movement with the certainty
when the inevitable hour of peril comes thev
will again be left unassisted and alone to meet
the storm from the North, ouce more united
by this attempt to revive an issue whose set
Element was forced by public opinion upon an
unwilling Congress?
In the dark days of February, 1877, when
civil war over the disputed election was i'm
minent and patriots trembled for the safety of
republican institutions, the Southern mem
bers of Congress averted the danger by COM
polling 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-
tons, have joined a 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, it was saved by
their efforts.
Grant that in permitting the autonomy of all
the States, and appointing citizens to Office in
the South instead of strangers, President
Hayes has but discharged his constitutional
duty, does that excuse Southern Representa-
tlves for attempting to invalidate his title.
which they established, or Will it Justify them
IN bringing the country again in the danger of
civil war in an effort to unseat him and in
augurate Mr.. Tilden.
The South must now face the most momen-
tous crisis in its history 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 it again
involved in civil war. If their Representatives
have not reflected their sentiments as | be-
lieye to be the case, then the people of the
Southern States should take care that in the
FOrty-slxth Congress that are represented by
men who will defeat all the disturbers of pub
lie peace and prevent the DISCRIMINATION of
our institutions. To do this they may be COM
PEELED to act independent of the Democratic
party. Recent events have demonstrated the
inability of the Democratic members of Con
gress 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
stability of republican institutions for the
sake of revenge on political opponents, and
in the hope Of dividing the "spoils of VIC
tory"
If the Democratic Representatives of the
South could not resist the caucus command to
pass the Potter resolution unamended and
without debate, how will they be able in the
FortY-siXth Congress to resist similar COM
mand to ignore Mr.. Hayes as President and to
recognize Mr.. Tilden2 1t is, therefore, the
duty Of the Southern people to afford browning
evidence of their renewed devotion to the
Union IN which they now enjoy every right Of
citizenship, and are subjected to no restric-
tions not laid upon every citizen, by sending
Representatives. to the Forty-sixth Congress
pledged to resist, at all hazards, the revolution
airy schemes of Observation-Disclosures who seem to
have gained control of the House of Repre-
sentatives of the Forty-fifth Congress.
To this end the people in every district
should meet, 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 elected
against all attempts at it's overthrow. Only in
this way can grave danger to the republic be
averted, and convincing proof be given that
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.
I have spoken plainly and earnestly, for
feel that should be unworthy to represent the
South in the administration were I to remain
silent now. Invited to the Cabinet as a South
ern man, to see that justice was done to the
South, required neither to apologize for m!
record nor to disown my political principles, i
is my duty now to warn the people Of the Soutl
of the danger which threatens the country
No man need hope that the schemes of tn,
men who have engineered the movement t.
unseat President Hayes can be carried on
without bloody civil war. To avert thi
danger, confidently rely on the patriotism ant
honor of the people of my native section.
D. ID. KEY.
SteDhens on Potter