Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-06-07
letter from Hon. ID. M. Key.

WAsnISoToN, May 2s.-Iu lieu of
personal answer to many letters read from
friends in tho South, disclaiming sympathy
with any effort to unscat President Hayes,
Postmaster General Key has written tho
following open letter to the people of the
South:
WAsrINoro&, May 2S.--Tho circum-
STANCES attending the passage of tho Potter
resolutions to Investigate the alleged frauds
lu tho Presidential election of 1876, in tho
States of Louisiana and Florida, together
with the subsequent declarations of many
influential Democrats, politicians and jour
nalists, evidence that if both houses of tho
Forty Sixth Congress arc Democratic, tho
majority intend to oust President Hayes
aud inaugurate Mr.. Tildcn. Tho title of
President Hayes was settled, irrcvocably,
by tho Forty First Congress, 10 the act crc-
ating Tho Electoral Commission, under
which he wos legally declared elected and
legally inaugurated. The Forty Fifth
Congress has no moro right to dispute his
election than ho has to question tho title of
any victorious contestant to lis seat in that
body. Tho Forty-Sixth Congress will have
no moro right to ignore him and to rccog
nize his defeated contestant, Mr.. TiIdcn,
than Mr.. Hayes would havo to send Glo of
soldiers to the House Of Representatives 70
unscat Democrat, whom he might consider
to have been wrongfuly seated or fraudu-.
ently elected. The leaders in this dcspc-
rate attempt to NIcxicanizc our institutions
rely confidently upon tho "soid South" to
furnish the bulk of the Democratic majority
10 the next House of Representatives, tho
Senate being already secured Remember.
ing the encouragement which tho Northern
Democrats ia 1860 and 1861 extended to
tho Southern States to scccdc, and the
manner in which their promises Of aid and
comfort were fulfilled, eau tho Southern
people afford to join this revolutionary
movement with certainty that when the
Inevitable hour of peril comes, they will be
left unassisted and alone to meet tho storm
from the North. Once more united by this
attempt to revive on issue, whose settlement
was forced by public opinion upon an un..
willing Congress. 10 tho dark days of
February, 1877, when civil war over tho
disputed election was imminent and patriots
trcmblcd Tor tho safety Of tho Republican
institutions, the Southern members of Con-
gress avcrtcd tho dnger b5 compelling the
completion Of tho Electoral count under tho
law which both parties in Congress had
enacted. But now the representatives of
the Southern States, with very few cxcep-
tIons, have Joined a movement to subvcrt
the results of their former patriotic action,
ond to remand tho country to that anarchy
from which less than two years ago it was
saved by their efforts. Grant that in per-
mitting the autonomy Of oil the States and
in appointing citizens to Office in tho South,
instead of strangers, President Hayes has
but discharged his constitutional duty. Does
that excuse the Southern Representatives
for attempting to invalidate his title, which
they established, or will it justify them in
bringing tho country again in danger Of
civil war in the effort to unscat him and in.
augurato Mr.. Ti!dcn? The South must now
face tho most monentous crisis in its history
since 1861. 10 endorse tho recent conduct
of their representatives, is to admit tho
truth Of the charges that tho South cares
nothing for tho welfare Of tho Union, de-.
sires tho downfall Of tho Republic, and
would rejoioo to SEQ it again involved in
civil war. If their representatives have not
reelected their sentiments, ns beliovo to bo
the case, thoh tho people Of tho Southern
States should take care that in tho Forty.
sixth Congress thoy arc represented by men
who will defeat the disturburs Of the public
pence, and prevent tho Mexicauization of
their Institutions. TO do this they may bo
compelled to act independent Of tho Demo-
cratio party. Recent events havo demon
stlatcd tho inability Of tho Democratic
members Of Congress to orosist tho mandates
Of the caucus, and terror Of tho party lash.
Tho ono welded and the other Inspired, by