The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-06-13
ALEXANDER II. STEPHENS SPEAKS.
Reply to Mr.. Potter's Letter.
WAeu1,rnroN Mnu oe

WASHINGTON, May %.
Alexander 81. Stephens has written the
following letter in reply to the letter of
Mr.. Potter, which was published to-day:
To the Editor of the N. Y Times:
SIR notice in the issue of your pa
per this morning letter from Hon.
Clarkson n. Potter, of the House, in re-
spouse to inquiries of one of his CORES
pondents in relation to the passage of his
resolution in regard 70 the appointment
of committee to investigate the frauds
in the late Presidential election, &C.,
which not only justi6es but requires some
public notice by me, so far as the letter
relates to me and my act in connection
Herewith. This notice will be as brief
as possible, and with all due respect to
Mr.. Potter-for him personally l enter
tain sentiments of high esteem. That
portion of the letter to which wish
chiefly to reply is contained in the fol-
lowing words expressed by him to his
correspondent:
"You ask me why Mr.. Stephens was
showled down. The bowling was by the
newspapers. To interrupt the pending
order of business by a motion or state
ment requires unanimous consent, and
every member hes the absolute right to
object to the interruption. This objec-
ton is expressed by the words, 4 object
or demand for the regular order
Sometimes one person will prevent the
interruption sometimes the desire to
prevent it is general, and then the cry of
Regular order will be from many per-
sons. 1t so happened that there was
very general unwillingness 10 hear MIR.
Stephens. He had suggested that we
should receive and adopt the Hale
amendment. 1t was reported that he
had given the Republicans list of %
names who would follow him in any mo-
tion of his to prevent investigation:
About this he was grossly mistaken, and
this made our side especially unwilling
to hear him. But you will observe that
when I rose to make proposition to Mr..
Hale, and the Republican outcry pre-
vented my being heard, it was announced
by the press that Mr.. PDtter's inquiry
was interrupted while Mr.. Stephens
was head-lined as the venerable states.
man howled down by Potter's mob"
Ny comments upon this extract from
his letter are as follows:
First-If there was any gross mistake
in this matter it was by Mr.. Potter, and
not by me. So far as his statement is
calculated to convey the idea or impress
sion that / had given the Republicans a
list of any names who would follow me
in any motion to prevent investigation, is
entirely without foundation. AS mat
ter of truth, it has not The shade of a
shadow of fact to rest upon. I had not
conferred, directly or indirectly, with
Mr.. Hale, Mr.. Garfield, or any other Re-
| publican upon the subject. 1 had not
spoken, directly or indirectly, with Mr..
Hale within the last two weeks before
upon any subject; nor had I any words
! with Mr.. Garfield upon this matter, ex-
cept what occurred some weeks before,
when he objected to the reception of the
Maryland memorial, at which time l
urged him in the House to withdraw his
objection and let this memorial of State
go to the Committee on the Judiciary
and be reported upon, with view to
quiet all questions touching the Presi-
dental title. My speech upon that oc-
cssion and my appeal to him was duly
reported in the Record. Nor had at
any time had any conference with the
President, as I have been alleged in some
papers upon this subject. On the Mon
day that Mr.. Potter's resolution were
offered, / had appeared in the House
solely with a view of getting suspen-
sion of the rules for the purpose of hav-
| ing passed the bill from the Committee
on Coinage, &C., providing for the retire.
meut of the and cent silver pieces,
and having them recoined in other de-
nominations, and also for making the de-
based or subsidiary silver coins legal ten
der when presented in amounts of 500
and upward, and to have them redeemed
when presented to the Treasury in like
amounts. This bill, upon being read,
was almost unanimously passed. 1 then
got leave of absence for one week, on ac-
count f.my health, with pair with Mr..
Harris, of Massachusetts,. I was told
that had hardly gone out of the Capi.
tol when this cyclone burst upon the
House. / had no intimation of it be-
fore. On reaching my room was con-
fined to my bed, and it was not until the
next day that knew of what had oc-
Cured in the House after I left. Mr..
Potter himself was one of the first that I
conferred with upon the subject. This
was on Wednesday, the 10Th, after the
House had come to a deadlock. From
sick room 1 addressed to Mr.. Potter
the following note, of which he kindly
furnished me copy to-day. 1t is in
these words:
WASHINGTON, May Is, 1878.
Hon. GARRISON ~. Potter, House of Rep
resentatiUes:
My DEAR SIR am still confined to
my room in this city greatly regret that
cannot go and see you in person. Let
me, then, say to you iu this way that /
think it will be great mistake if our
friends in the House shall pass your
resolution under the previous question,
thus cutting off Mr.. Hsle's or other
amendments looking 10 enlarged investi-
cation. Do not insist on previous ques-
tion. I could not vote for it if l were
present and were not paired, as I am,
nor could l vote for this resolution under
the previous question without allowing
amendments. It would only divide the
Democracy and unite the Republicans.
My own opinion is that no good will
come by the passage of your resolution
as it is, under the previous question.
Please excuse this note. 1 feel it my
duty, feeble as l. an, to send it to you.
Very respectfully,
ALEXANDER 81. STEPHENS.
After that note had been dispatched to
him, / sent the following note to Mr..
Gambler, my colleague in the House:
WASHINGTON, May Is, 1878.
Hon. Milton a. Gambler, House of Repre-
sentdtiues:
My DEAR SRI am sorry cannot
be in the House to-day. Am still con-
fined to my room. I think that it is i'm
portant that orr friends shall not vote for