The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-02-06
That Bargain.
Fesier's Aesonnt Of the Celebrated Cen.
ference at Wormfey'slAChandI DE-
ciares that Foster only Tells . Part Of
the Truth,

ciares that Foster enIy Tells q Part Of
the Truth.
| The Washington Post publishes an "inter-
| view with Representative Charles Foster In
regard to the so-called "Burke-Matthews agree
| ment." He is represented as saying that he
| was not invited to the conference at Worm
| ley's. 81 got there by accident" he Continued.
| ut was intended to invite me, but didn't get
that invitation somehow, and only dropped into
the conference when its object was explained
| to me-"
"What was that object?'
"Oh, to talk over matters. 1t was not with
view to any contract or bargain. and neither
was contract or bargain made"
| "Wb) were the conferees?''
| "We !, Henry Watterson was there, and E.
| John L Ills of Louisiana, and John Sherman,
| Stanley Matthews, Gov. Dennison, Gen. Gar
| field, Major Burke and one or two others;
| don't remember just now who they were"
Whom did you personally representa-
II didn't represent any one got there by
accident, as tell you, and took little part in
| the business"
"How long prior to that conference had you
| received a letter from Mr.. Hayes?"
Not long. don't remember the dates, but
1t was not long between the receipt OF the letter
| and the conference"
what were the contents of that letter."
ooh, it was merely letter congrstulsting
me on my speech, and stating that my views
on the withdrawal OF the troops from the
Southern States were In accordance with his
owu."
"Did he make an contingent promises in that
| letterP'
'None at all. He said: If 10 the end the
result is favorable, your understanding Of my
| position will be found to be correct That Is
all can remember Of it now
people?"
| Il think did,
"To whom?'
81 showed it to Gambler of Georgia, Ben
| Hill, Levy of Louisiana, j. Young Brown,
| Faulkner of West Virginia. Abram s. Hewitt,
| Henry Wattersop, Major Burke and, think,
| to Alexander Il. Stephens, also"
'Did you show these gentlemen the letter
| before the conference?"
| eyes; it was prior to that meeting"
| "Did not Major Burke read paper at that
| conference?"
"I think he did,
"What was its nature?"
"My impression is that he read document
| pledgi0g the Nichols Government II 1t were
| sustained, to protect the Republicans of Louis
lana and to ensure them peace and happiness
| in that State''
.po you remember any further terms set
| forth in that agreemeut?'
| ut was not an agreement There was no
sargaln; SrSn,1: Inc paper; simply set forth what
| "Were you satisfied with the proposition?'
ought to do"
"Did any one express any dissatisfaction
| with the paperY
"I don't remember that any one did"
| "Didn't Gen. Garfield say that he was not
/ it?"
"Not to my recollection
entY'
| 81 don't think they said much of anything.
Burke read his paper and did all the talking"
| "And the Republicans sat around and lis
i IN mai in
"Pretty much so; yes"
sand this conference followed closely upon
your exhibiting Hayes's letter to the Southern
Democrats?"
81 don't remember the dates but think 10
| was soon afler."
"And you only met to hear what proposition
Major Burke had to make?"
| ut was not proposition; it was merely .
| suggestion"
| "And yon merely met to hear what sugges-
| ton Major Burke had to make?'
I'VE went to hear what he had to say"
Mr.. Foster, was not the conference based
| entirely upon the letter written by you to Mr..
| Hayes?'
"No;I can scarcely say it was; that letter
| merely expressed Mr.. Hayes's views and au-
thorlzed no bargain, nor was any bargain
"Did the paper read by Burke come up to
| the point in Hayes's letter."
"The paper simply suggested what Nichols
would do IT he were sustained"
result were favorable to Hayes your understand
| ing of his position would be found correct and
that understanding was that the troops would
be withdrawn from the South?"
Something like that; yes."
| "And yet there was no bargain?"
mo; there was no bargain at all. Burke's
| paper was not sgned BY anybody, and no agree
| ment was entered into.'
SIT was a laying down of platforms on both
| sides?'
"As much that as anything"
cerued?'
L don't think anything was said one way or the
| other"
WILLIAM e. CHANDELIERS STATEMENTS
The reporter says that he showed the above re-
port to Mr.. William E. Chandler, W no, after re Nd
| ing it said, "Well, thisis a remarkable state
| ment He admits having letter from Hayes;
that he showed it around, and that the confer
ence followed close after. Now there was more
| than one conference, and at one of them Burke
| read memorandum which clearly set forth
| the understanding on both Sides"
WAS that memorandum signed?
| IN ot by the parties to it; John Sherman and
Stanley Matthews refused to sign it but 1t was
understood to be the outline of the agreements
| entered into, and Burke held it as such
| "Were there no signatures sppended?'
Just as soon as the agreement was entered
/ up and written out, sanctioned by all the par
| ties concerned, sone of the Southern Demo
| crats, fi0ding that SHERMAN and Matthews
| could not be induced to affix their signatures
| signed their own names as witnesses to the fact
| that it was the contract made aud entered into
| between the parties, and that contract Burke
| has now. If it was as represented by the Hayes
| party, why don't they show it, and thereby re-
move any suspicion that now rests over the
| matter?'
Were there any documents passing between
these peopleY'
"Foster had letter which he gave to J.
| Young Brown, in which he stated that he was
authorized to negotiate. Stanley Matthews
| gave up letter, too, but he was shrewdsr than
| Foster, for his letter didn't amount to any
| thing"
"Now, if all these papers could be secured
it would show the whole bargain, a7d inform
the people of the country just hew the business
| was worked?"
"Of course you couldn't expect the people
| out and sign a contract which might some time
turn up against them and break up all their
efforts. They worked it smarter than that
and it is the very absence of these signatures
that helps Burke, now that the demand for
documents ii made upon him. He says he has
no paper signed by Southern Democrats and BY
John Sherman, Stanley Matthews and others.
OF course he has not, but this is the only an
swer he makes when he is called upon to dis
close the contract"
"What is your interest in this matter, any
way What have you got to do with it?"
| GAS Republican who does not think Hayes
belongs in his seat, have merely undertak en-
to nproot the means by which he went into the
White House,