The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1878-06-04
ALEXANDER STEPHENS
LETTERS.
Mr.. stephens Replies to MIR.
Potter, who was "Acting
Under Instructions"
Cnwise, Host Unfortunate, and
Most uisehieyous!
rT WILL END A. a CONTEuPTI-
BLE FARCE or Az 4 FEAR
FUI TRAagDNl

WASHINGTON, May Alexander III.
Stephens reply 10 the illusions TO him
contained in the letter of ClaTkson ".
/ Potter, in a communication TO the
Washington Post. is this:
NATIONAL HOTEL, May %, 1873.
i notice in your issue Of yesterdays
paper, this morning, a letter from the
Hon. Clarkson y. Potter, Of the House,
in response 10 inquiries 10 one OF his
correspondents in relation TO the pas
sage Of his resolution in regard 10 the
! appointment Of a committee 90 investi-
gate the frauds in the late Presidential
election, etc, which not only iustifes
but requires some public notice by me.
SO far as the letter relates 10 me and
my acts in connection Herewith, the
notice will be as brief as possible, and
with all due respect 90 Mr.. Potter,
since for him personally, / entertain
sentiments Of high esteem. That pOr-
tion OF his letter to which | wish chief
ly To reply is contained in the follow
ing words. expressed by him 10 his cor
respondent:
you ask me why Mr.. Stephens was
howled down. The bowling was 10y
the newspapers. To interrupt the
pending order OF business, by motion
or statement, requires unanimous coL-
sent, and every member has an abso-
lute right TO object 10 interruption.
This objection is expressed by the
words II object" or a demand for
regular order" Sometimes one per-
son will prevent interruption, some
times the desire To prevent IL is gener-
al, and then the cry of general order"
will be from many persons. IL so hap
pened that there was very general nm
willingness 10 hear Mr.. Stephens. lie
had suggested We should receive and
adopt the Hale amendment. 1t was re-
ported that he has given the Republi-
cans n list of 22 names who would fol-
low him in any motion Of his TO pre-
vent investigation. About this he was
grossly mistaken, and has made our
side especially unwilling 90 hear him,
but you will observe that when | rose
TO make proposition 10 Mr. Hale, and
the Republican outcry prevented my
being heard, II was announced by the
press that Mr.. Potter's inquiry was In
tcrruptod. while Mr.. Stephens was
head-lined as "The venerable states
man hOwled down 10y Potter's mob. -
My comments upon this extract from
his letters are as follows:
/. III there was any gross mistake in
this matter, il was by Mr.. Potter and
not by me. So far rs his statement is
calculated TO convey the idea or im.
preston that | had given the Republi-
cans a list Of any names who would
follow me in any motion TO prevent in
vestigation, 10 is entirely without foun-
dation; as matter Of truth, il has
not a shade Of the shadow OF fact TO
rest upon. had not conferred direct
ly or indirectly with Mr.. Hale, Mr..
Garfield or any other Republican upon
the subject. | had not spoken, direct
ly 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, except what
were made some weeks before when he
objected ~ the recrutinu 90 ne Marvr
land memorial, at which time | urged
him in the House 20 withdraw his OBJ
lection and let this memorial of the
State go 30 the Committee on Judiciary,
and be reported upon with view Of
quieting all questions relating 10 the
Presidential title. Ny speech upon
that occasion aud my appeal to him
were duly reported in the Record, nor
had at any time any conference with
the President, as / have seen alleged
in some papers upon this subject. On
the Monday that Mr.. Potter's resolu-
tions were offered, had appeared in
the House solely with the view Of get
ting a suspension of the rules for the
purpose OF having passed the bill Of
the Committee on Coinage for the re-
tirement Of the aud cent silver
! pieces, and having them coined in other
denominations, as also for making the
debased or subsidiary coins legal ten
der when they are presented in amounts
Of 900 and upwards, and have them
I redeemed when presented in the Treas
urv ia like amounts. The bill, upon
/ being read, was almost unanimously
passed | then got leave Of absence
/ FOR one week on account Of my health,
with pair with Mr. Harris, OF Massa.
chusetts. / was told that | had hardly
/ gone out Of tie capitol when this cy-
clone burst upon the House. / had no
\ iutmation OF IL before. On reaching
my room, was confined 10 my bed.
aud il was not until the next day that
/ knew Of what had occurred in the
House after left Mr.. Potter himself
was the first whom | conferred with on
the subject Wednesday, the 10Th, after
/ tho House had come 10 n dead lock. .-
From a sick room | addressed 10 Mr.
Potter the following note, Of which
/ Gen. Knott furnished me a copy to-
day. IL is in these words:
national HOTEL,
WASHINGTON. ID. C.. May 10. 1878.
My DEAR Sm:-I am still confined Ia
my room in TINS city. l greatly regret
that cannot 60 aud see you in person.
Let me then say to you in this way
that / think il will be a great mistake
il your friends in the House shall pass
your resolution under the previous ques
ton thus cutting of Mr.. Halc's or othel
amendments looking TO enlarge inves
tigatiou. / could not vote for IL IL
we're present, aud were not paired as
am; nor could / vote for the resolution
under the previous question, without
allowing amendments. 10 would ONLY
divide the Democracy and unite th'
Republicans. Ny opinion is that mis-
chief, instead Of good, will come Of th'
investigation by the passage OF you
resolution, as II is, under the previous
question. Please excuse this note.
feel il my duty. feeble as | am, TO sen'
ID to you.
Very respectfully and truly yours.
ALEX. III. STEPHENS
After that note had been dispatched
to him sent the following note TO Mr.
Chandler. nv colleague in the House
WAsmSGroN. ID. c., May Is, 1878.
; The Hon. Milton A. Chandler, Hous
: OF Representatives
MY DEAR Sm:-I. am sorry l canno
, be in the House to-day; am still confin
} ed 10 my room. / think that 10 is i'm
portant that our friends shall not vot
FOR the previous question on MIR. Pot
, ter's resolution, amendments, such a
D Mr.. Hale wishes TO offer, ought 10 b
: allowed. We ought not 10 have a on
sided investigation. The country wi
2 not be satisfied with that sort Of il
! quiry. The people want fair play, righ
: aud justice. and will be satisfied wit
| nothing short Of this. II Mr.. Potter
resolution is passed without allowiu
an amendment looking 10 investigatio