The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-06-02

WHAT ALECK STEPHENS SAYS.
An Answer to POtter's Lctter-A Personal
Explanation of HIs Position Or the In
| vesttgatfOn Resolution.
| WASHINGTON, May 20. Alexander II. Ste
phens has replied to illusions to him con
tanned In the letter of CIarksOn N. Potter in q
| communication to tho Washington Port,
which Is given below:
NATIONAL HOTEL, May q,
| notice in the issue OF your paper Of this
morning letter from the Hon. ClarksOn N,
Potter, of the House, in response to Inquiries
of one of his correspondents in relation to the
passage Of his resolution in regard to the ap
pointment of Il COMMITTEE to investigate the
frauds In the late presidential election, etc,
which not only ju5tifies but requires some
public notice from me, so far as the letter re-
lates to me and my acts in connection there
with This notice will be brief as possible
and with all due respect to Mr.. Potter since
for him personally entertain sentiments OF
high esteem. That portion OF his letter to
which | wish chiefly 10 reply Is contained In
the following words expressed by him to his
correspondent: "YOu ask me why Mr.. Ste
phens was hOwled down; the bowling was by
the newspapers. To interrupt tho pending
order of business by motion or statement re-
Qlires the unanimous consent, ana every
member has the absolute right TO object to
interruption; this objection Is expressed by
the words: 4 object or demand for regular
order. Sometimes one person will prevent
interruption; sometimes the desire to pre-
vent it Is general and then the cry Of regular
order will be from many persons.
at so happened that there was n very gen
oral unwlingncss to hear Mr.. Stephens. He
had suggested that we should receive and
adopt the Hale amendment. 1t waen reported
that he has given the Republicans n list of
twenty two names who would follow him in
any motion of his to prevent an investigation.
About this he was grossly mistaken, and has
,,1f1ili
him: but you will observe that when rose To
make the proposition to Mr.: Hale, the Repub-
liCan cutlery prevented my beng heard. IT
WAS announced by the press that MIR. POtterS
inquiry was Interrupted, while Mr., Stephens
was headned as the venerable BtHtrSmaD,
who was hOwCd down by POttGrS mob"
COMMENTS.
NY comments upon this extract from his
letter are as follows: First, If th0rc was any
gross mistake in this matter it was by Mr.
Potter and not by me. So far as his state
ment is calculated to convey the idea or i'm
preston that had given the Republicans u
list of any names who would follow me in
any motion to prevent investigation, it is en-
tirely without foundation. AS matter OF
truth it has not the shade or shadow Of a fact
to rest upon. ] have not conferred directly or
Indirectly with Mr. Hale, Mr. Garfield, or any
other Republican upon the subject. had
not spoken directly or Indirectly with Mr..
Hale within the last two weeks before upon
i
Mi Garfield on the matter except what were
made some weeks before when he objected to
the reception OF the Maryland memorial, at
which time | urged him IN the House to with
draw his objection and let this memorial Of
the State go to the Committee on Judiciary
and be reported upon, with the view Of quiet
ing all questions attaching to the presiden-
tiaI title My speech upon that occasion and
MY APPEAL
to him were duly reported in the R"c0rd, nor
had / at any time any conference with the
President, as | have seen alleged III some
some papers, on the subject.
On the Monday that Mr.. POtter's reSOu-
tiOns were offered / had appeared in the
House solely with a view Of getting a Su9-
pension of the rules, for the purpose OF haV-
Ing passed the bill of the COmmittec on Coin
age, providing for the retirement Of tho three
and five cent silver pieces, and having them
recOincd in other denominations, as it 80 far
made the debased or subsidiary coins legal
tender, when they are presented in amounts
| of twenty dollars and upwards, and have
| them redeemed when presented to the treas
ury In like amounts. This 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 Massachusetts, [ was told that
| had hardly gone out Of the capital when this
| cyclone burst upon the House. | had no
intimatiOn Of it before. On reaching my
room was confined to my bed, and it was
not until next day that knew Of what had
occurred in The House After left, Mr. Pot
ter himself was one OF the iirSt whom con-
! terrGd with on the SubJecJ on wednesday,,
the fifteenth, after the House had come TO d
! deadlock.
FROM A SICK ROOM,
addressed to Mr.. Potter the following note,
Of yhicG Con Knott furnished me Il c0Dy to-
daV T'''I r. is in nj these V words; N1
''N'' - g "W " SIM, d. C., May Is, 1878.
.sTho Hon CIarkson n. P2ttnr, House of
Renregentativns:
MI D 52V ST am still confined to my
room in this city, / grcatIvregrct I can
not 90 and sce Won in person. Let me.
then sav to Won in this that T think it will be
a great mistake if our friends in the House
shaIl pass your resolution under the previous
Question tins cuttinp off Mr. HaIe's or other
ampnIments looking to an enlarged invcsti~
gallon. DO not insist on the previous que5-
fion. T could not vote for it if were present
and were not paired as am, nor could | vote
for the rcsnlnfi0n under the DrevioIIs question
without allowing amendments. 1t would only
divide the Democrats and unite the Rppubli-
nanS Nv 0niI,inn iC that mischief instead of