Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-12-19
From Washington.

O.Aa W
WASHINGTON, Dcccmber s, 1873
A highly important conference of conspicu.
Gus Southern Democrats was held this eyc-
ming, at which it was decided to open an
attack on Hayes message, in the House,
by calling on him to produce proof of his
statements. Senators Lamar, Gordon and
Butler, Representatives Ellis and Gibson,
aud Evins of South Carolina, and Slem-
mons, of Arkansas, were present. It was
decided that Gibson should present rcso-
luton, which, after reciting preamble tho
utteranccs of the message, will request
Hayes to inform tho House of the nature.
extent and sources of proof upon which
these grave charges arc made against cxtcn.
sive regions of country.
1t Is said by those at the conference, and
was strongly asserted there, that Hayes has
not and cannot produce credible evidence
upon which to substantiato Lis charges.
NJ. q. Butler, for instance, said that as far
as intimidation in the Congressional District
where he lives is concerned, he would will
lingly rest his case on negro testimony In
othor instances Of alleged outrages which
wcro brought forward, those participating
IN tho conference expressed tho boief that
it could be satisfactorily shown that where
they were not tho unaidcd invention of Re-
publicans they were largely exaggerated by
them.
Another method suggested for proceeding
to clear up these vaguc charges is afforded
by recent charge made by the somewhat
notorious Swais, whose account of the So
called Beaufort bu'l-dozug has been widely
quoted Swails prctcnds that he filed char.
gcs and proof of intimidation before judge
Bond, who declined to act npon them and
enforce the law. 1t is proposed TO make
this alleged failure of Judge Bond tho
ground for prcferripg articles Of mpcach-
ment and referring them to the Judiciary
Committee.
WASHINGTON, December 6-Vory few
Southern membcre of Congress have SO far
called at the White House. 10 such as
have made their appearance there the Pres.
ident has intinated that he entcrtains the
most kindly feeling for the South, aud has
lively interest in its prosperity. lie con.
sidors that tho language which lie used in
his message, as applied to Southern politics,
was very mild under all the circumstances.
and that he was ouly fulfilling his constitu-
tlonal duty in calling the attention of Con-
gross to what he can only look upon as
violations of the constitution aud the laws.
He says that he could not be expected to
remain silent when in his belief the laws
which he was sworn to execute have been
dlsrogarded. lie says, as he has several
times before remarked, ho does not imputo
any want OF good faith to either Governor
Nichols or Governor Hampton. Some of
the Southern members have intimated to
the President that it would b, proper for
him to furnish detailed statement of the
information on which he bases his views,
and the probability is that resolution will
be introduced into ono or both houses
asking him to do SO. 1t is believed
to be absolutely truo, as has been several
times stated, that the only basis for the
charges against the States of Louisiana and
South Carolina rests upon the unsupported
declarations of men who have long since
forfeited all cluims of respect, upon anony.
nous letters, and upon tho manufactured
dispatches which have been sent from this
point by partisan correspondents.