The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-06-07
A PERSONAL EXPLANATION.

A PERSONAL EXPLANATION.
Our Geographic report closed Wednesday
night before all of Hon. Stanley Matthew'S
personal explanation In the Senate was given
US; but the portion received and printed in
the DEMOCRAT yesterday morning, read in
connection with the correspondence between
himself and Mr.. J. T.. Anderson. Is quite in
terestlng to the public.
| Mr.. Matthews makes a solemn and sweep
ing denial of the charge that he was party
to, or cORnzant Of, any frauds practiced in
counting the votes in this State in 1876 With
equal solemnty he declares that his pertina-
ciOus efforts to obtain an appointment for the
insignificant little supervisor Of East Fell
cana were prompted by desire to reward
man who under trying circumstances had
efficiently but honestly served the Republican
party. To those who understand tho Charac-
ton Of the parties to this affair. who have
Potter committee printed in the DEMOCRAT
with the Senator's explanation, these de-
malls of Mr. Matthews must wear a very
singular aspect !; In short they must
appear to be bold, positive and reck-
less falsehoods. 1t will be observed that
no less than nine letters from Mr.. Matthews
to Anderson are printed the first one dated
May T. 1877, and the last one February 12
1878, oil written with the view of obtaining
an Office for Mr. Anderson such as would
suit him. Thus we find United States Sena-
tor Matthews, the most confidential friend Of
Mr.. Hayes, through ten months eXerting him
self with great assiduity to obtain an appoint
ment for an insignificant, and if we are to be-
lieve the administration press, disreputable
supervisor Of an interior parish of Louisiana
The President himself seems to have been
equally anxious to advance the aspirations Of
Mr.. Anderson but the latter seems to have
imbibed the idea that he was to receive
much higher or more lucrative position than
the fraudulent President thought him entitled
to; and from this difference in the estimates of
his services has sprung Mr. AndersOn's very
clear exposure to the public Of those services.
The eagerness of the fraudulent President
and Senator Matthews to serve Mr.. Andpr-
son is alone sufficient to show that they
were under very remarkable obligations to
that individual. But, besides this, the char
aCter of the letters show q cringng pOIiteness
on the part of Matthews and tone Of AFRO
gance and bulIyism on the part of Anderson,
which leaves no doubt Of the relations be- |
tween the parties. Anderson had little to lose |
in the way of reputation, and he knew that .
Matthews, Sherman and Hayes were as much .
parties, morally, to the fraud, perjury and !
forgery by which the vote of East Fecana .
was thrown out as he was himself; indeed, |
the documents show that they were more
deeply involved than he. This knowledge |
gave him the power which the tool
or instrument, however humble, insgnif- |
cant or disreputable, always possesses over
the inStigatOrS of n great crime. The cor
shows that Anderson was quite !
fastdious about the nature and value of the |
he was to receive He received !
the appointment of Consul to Funchal, place |
that there are probably half million men |
in the country, of far greater consequence than |
Anderson, who would be overwhelmed with |
delight to receive. Yet it did not suit him, |
and he refused it. Efforts were made to find |
something else for him; but finally the |
fraudulent President seems to have grown |
weary Of his opportunities, and gave him
the cold shoulder Upon this Anderson in |
diet, the following telegram to the United
States Senator:
WASHINGTON, June :, 1877.
Hon. Stanley Matthews. Cincinnati:
The President claims to have received no
come here and arrange This affair. or you all
can face the music. Telegraph me- at once
care nothing about documents IN your ros4es-
sion. ANDERSON.
Later he wrote to the same distinguished
Senator: Il have nothing further to ask at
your hands or of the monumental fraud who
occupies the White House, beyond a return
ing of those documents. A refusal on your
part to return will justify me in publishing,
and will publish your letters in the state
ment propose to make, showing how LOuisi-
ana was carried for Hayes. l shall remain
here until Friday next. If I don't hear from
you by that time l promise that you shall
hear from me before the Ohio election"
These are remarkable letters for a man
in Mr.. Anderson's position, or, in fact, for
man in any position to address to a
Senator of the United States. Certainly
If no unusual relations existed between
Senator Matthews and "the monument
al fraud who occupies the White House
on the one hand, and Anderson on the other,
the latter would never have ventured to in
duIge in such unrpstrained inSOlence, or the
Senator would have taken no further notice Of
him. But, RENAL kable as it may seem, An
derson wrote these insulting letters, and the
Senator not only continued his relations with
him, but wrote him letter, literally pleading |
with Anderson, begging, i'm, lor;ng. that he
would not con pc. him TO go to Philadelphia /