Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1878-06-05
P,anstsr 9saeesl Key's Letter.

fstsr esesssl Key's Letter.
The following letter Of Postmaster
General Key under date of Nav 2Sth
has been addressed to the people of the
south: '3 fti hf9 y
Circumstances attending the passage
Of the Potter resolution to investigate
alleged frauds in the presidential cleo
ton OF 1876, in the states Of Louisiana
and Florida, together with the subse-
quent declaration of many influential
democratic politicians and journalists.
evidence that if both houses of the
46.h congress are democratic, the ma
jority intend to Dust President HAYES
and inaugurate Mr.. Tilden. The title
OF President Hayes was settled irrevo-
cably by the 44th congress, in an act
creating the electoral commission, by
which he was legally declared elected
and legally inaugurated. The 45th
congress has no more right to dispute
his election than it has the question OF
the title Of any victorious contestant to
his seat in that body. The 46th con-
gress will have no more right to ignore
him, and to recognize his defeated
contestant Mr.. Iilden, than Mr.. Hayes
would have to send file of soldiers to
the house OF representatives to unseat
the democrats whom lie might con-
slider to have been wrongfully seated or
fraudulently elected. The leaders in
this desperate attempt to ~ .Nl
z ~ MExlCANIzE OUR INSTITUTIONS
rely confidently upon the ''solid south"
to furnish the bulk of the democratic
majority in the next house ofrepreser-
tatives, the senate being already Sc
cured. Remembering the encourage
ment which northern democrats
in 1860 and 1861 extended
to the southern states to secede and the
manner in which their promises of aid
and comfort were fulfilled. can the
southern people afford to join the revo.
luhonary movement with a certainty
that when the inevitable hour of peril
comes they will again be left alone to
meet the storm from the north once
more united by this issue, whose settle
ment was forced by public opinion ND.
on an unwilling congress? In the dark
days Of February, 1877, when civil war
over the disputed election was immi-
PATRIOTS TREMBLED
for the safety of republican institutions,
the southern members of congress
averted the danger by compelling the
completion Of the electoral count
under law which both parties
in congress had enacted. But now the
representatives from the southern
states, with very few exceptions, have
joined n movement to subvert the re.
suits of their former patriotic action,
and to remand the country to that an.
archy from which less than two years
ago it was saved by their efforts. Grant
that in permitting the autonomy Of all
the states and in appointing citizens to
Office in the south instead OF strangers,
President Hayes has but discharged
his conscientious duties, will that ex.
cuse the southern Representatives for
attempting to invalidate his title
which they established? Or will
it justify them to bring the country
again in danger of q civil war in the Of
fort to unseat him and inaugurate Mr..
Tilden? The south must now face the
most momentous crisis in its history
since 1861. To endorse tho recent con-
duct Of their representatives is to admit
the truth of the charges that the people
of the south care nothing for the well
fare Of the union, desire the
DOWNFALL OF THE REPUBLIC,
and would rejoice to see it again in.
volved in civil war. II their represent
atives have not reflected their senti-
ments, ~ believe to be the case, then
the people of the southern states should
take care that in the 46th congress they
are represented by men who will defeat
the disturbers of the public peace and
prevent the Mexicanization of our in
situations. To do this they may be
compelled to act independent of the
democratic party. Recent events
have demonstrated the inability
of the democratic members of congress
to resist the mqgnates Of caucus and
the party lash, the one welded and the
other inspired by men who seem will
ing to endanger the welfare of the
country and the stability of republican
institutions for the sake of
REVENGE ON POLITICAL OPPONENTS
and in hope Of dividing the spoils of
victory. If the democratic represent
atives of the south could not resist the
caucus command to pass the Potter res
olution unaided and without debate,
how will they be able in the 46th con-
uroaa IN rosist n ain,ilar command