Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-06-01
Mr.. Keys Letter to the Southern
People.

In lieu Of a personal answer to many letters re-
ceived from friends in the South disclaiming sym
pathy with any effprt to unseat President Hayes,
Postmaster General Keys has written the follow
ing open letter to the people Of the South
WAsHINGToN May 2S, 1873.
The circumstances attending the passage of the
Potter resolution to investigate the alleged frauds
10 the Presidential election of 1876 in the States of
Louisiana and Florida, together with the subse-
quent declarations of many influential democratic
politicians aud journalists, evidence that if both
houses of the Forty sixth Congress are democratic,
the ma jority intend to Gust President Hayes and
inaugurste Mr. Tilden. The title of President
HAYES was settled itievocably by the Forty-
fourth Congress in the act creating the Electoral
Commission, under which he legally de.
clared elected and legally Daugurated. The For
ty-ffth Congress has no more right to dispute bis
election tban he has TO question the title of any
victorious contestant to his seat in that BODY.
The Forty sixth Congress will have no more right
to ignore him and to recogt ize his defeated con-
testant, Mr.. Tiden, than Mr.. Hayes would have
to send file of soldiers to the House of Repre-
sentstiyes to unseat democrat whom he might
consider to have been wrongfully seated or fraud
ulently elected. The leaders IN this desperate at
tempt to MeXicanize our Institutions rely conf
IDENTIFY upon the "solid South" to furnish the
bulk of the democratic majority in the
next House of Representatives. the Senate being
already tue encourage
ment which the Northern democrats in 1860 and
1861 extended to the Southern States to secede,
aud the manner in which Their promises of aid and
comfort we're fulfilled, can the Southern people
afford to Join this revolutionary movement with
the certainty that when the inevitable hour of
peril comes they will again be left uns.sisted and
alone to meet the storm from the Norh, once
more united by this attempt to revive an issue
whose settlement wa, forced by public opinion
upon an unwilling Congressf
In the dark days of February. 1877, when evil
war over the disputed election was imminent, and
patriots trembed for the safety of republican in
slitutions, the southern members OF Congress
averted the danger by compelling the compile ion
of the elecor, count uuoer the law which both
parties in Congress had enacted.
But now the representatives from the Southern
States, with very few exceptions, have joined "a
movement to subveit the results of their fcr;ne,
patriotic action, and to remand the country to that
anarchy from which less than two years ago il
was saved by their efforts. Grant that in permit
ting the autonomy of all the States and in APP
pointing tizens to Office in the South instead OF
strangers, President Hayes has bat discharged
his constitutional duty does that excuse the South
ern representatives for attempting to invaIidate
bis title, which they established or will it justify
them in bringing the country again in danger OF
civil war in the effort To unseat him and naugu.
rate Mr. Tilden /! The South must face the
most nome ntous crisis n its history since 1861.
To indorse the recent conduct of their own Rep
resentatives is to admit the Truth of the charge
that the people of the South care nothing for the
welfare OF the Union, deshe the downfall of the
Republic and would rejoice to see it again in
veved in civil war. II their representatives have
not reflected their sentiments, As | believe to be
the case, then the people of the Southern State,
should take care that in the FoIty-siXth Congress.
they are represented by men who will defeat the
dsturbers of the public peace, and prevent the
Mexicsnizaiion of our Institutions. To do this
they NAV he compelled to act independently OF
the democratic party. Recent events have dem
onstrsied the inability of democratic members Of
Congress to resist the man dates of the caucus ana
the terrors of the party lash the one welded and
the other inspired by men who seem willing TO
endsnger the welfare OF the country and the sta
blity of republican institutions for the sake Of
revenge on political opponents and 10 the hope Of
dividing the "spoils of victory"
II the democratic Representatives of the South
could not resist the caucus command TO pass the
Potter resolution, uname nded and without debate
how will thew be able In the FoIty-slxth Congress
to resist similar command to ignore Mr.. Hayes
as President, and 10 recognize Mr. Tden
1t il therefore the duty OF the Southern people
TO afford a GROWING 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 Representa-
tives of the Forty-ffth Congress. To this end
the people in 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 its
overthrow. Only in this way can grave danger
to the Republic be sverted and convincing proof
he given that the confidence was not misplaced
which President Hayes manifested in the South
Ih he "a tn1rey the from the State
houses of South Carolina and Louisiana. | have
Spoken plainly and earnestly. for | feel that |
should he unworthy to represent the South 10 the
Administration were ! to remain silent now. In
vied 20 the Cabinet as Southern man, to see
that Justice was done to the South, required
neither to apologize for nv record nor to dIsown
my political principles, il is my duty now to warn
the people Of the South os the dagger which
threatens the country. No man need hope thai
the schemes of the men who have engineered the
movement to unseat Presden; Hayes can be car
ried out without bloody evil war. To avert
thi. danger confidently rely upon the patriotism
and honor of the people of my native section;
ID. M. KEY.