The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-01-10

quarrel by themselves, especially as no
good result can come Of such an investi-
CATION. A party caucns may have to be
held to determine the course to be pur-
sued.
Notwithstanding the the threatening |
aspect and the declared intention to inves-
tigate as above stated,
THE PRESIDENT
still maintains his equanimity, and ex-
poets to be able to make clean showing |
on his personal record. Gen. H.V, Boyn- |
ton the Washington correspondent of the
Cincinnati Gazette has published the ad-
ministration side of the story about the
alleged bargaining between certain
southern democrats and the intimate
friends Of Rutherford B. Hayes. Gen.
Boynton's statement is of the utmost i'm
portance, in that he squarely declares that
southern democrats deliberately proposed
to betray Mr.. Tilden, and that their over
lures were accepted. lie says:
The attention of republicans in Wash
ington was first pointedly directed to the
state of feeling among southern democrats
by the marked uneasiness of the northern
wing of their party, caused by the publica-
ton of what will be remembered as the
Roberts interview with Gov. Hayes at
Columbus. For tho purpose of this dis
cussion, it is not necessary to inquire
whether that interview was correctly or in
correctly reported, but as printed, it at
once became as the handwriting on the
wall to Tilden's personal adherents,
Emmissaries from Liberty street came
post haste to Washington, to sound
southern men and see if there was any re-
spouse among them to a sentiment that
would; prefer Hayes with an assured
liberal policy, to Tilden with the certainty
of general trouble. Their anxiety and the
general uneasiness among their friends IN
congress disclosed the situation to repub-
licans, and by the middle of December
J some of the most prominent among the
} latter had fully grasped its meaning and
, its possibilities. Republicans who gave
> themselves earnestly to the study of the
situation found general agreement among
} southern democrats upon several subjects
: 'First-They were more concerned with
r regainiug local self-government than they
? we're with the success of Tilden. The
f national administration had grown to seen
a of far less importance to them than tht
: control of their own state affairs.
y 'Second-They had never been recon
e ciled to the way in which the. New Ior!
r element had forced Tilden upon th'
i democracy of the. south and west at st
# Louis.
s "Third-They were disguised with hi
u letter on southern claims, not so much be
a cause they were looking to their paymen
e but because they regarded it.as an assum
y ption on Tilden's part that be could safel
d truckle to northern sentiment at the ex
It pense of the south, since the latter coul
d not refuse him support under any snut
Re bing whatever.
lie 'Fourth-They felt that any interior
es ence with a constitutional count OF tn
~ electoral votes meant revolution, and "a
D. southern men, and in the main souther
ne soldiers, understanding from sore ez
be perierce what was involved, they wei
lal united almost to man in the! agreemel
)r- that in no event. should the democrats
rs. the house be allowed to plunge the coul
to try into war. They saw that they held tt
in, balance of power in their party, and thu
res periodically resolved to use it for peace.
eel, 'Fifth-A number of them we're co
he sidering whether, in case the utterances
do Gov. Hayes letter Of acceptance in rega
by to the south meant what the language il
~, Piled, the south would not be better off
In the end of four years of such republics
ng rule than to have the general disorder al
is disruption of social fquiet continue, as
n certainly would continue, through dem
is cratic administration, with the certain
,r' that, at the end of four years, the sar
by struggle through which the south had ju
re- passed would be repeated, In short,
be number of prominent southern men we
lis earnestly considering whether, in ca
ell Hayes should honestly and earnestly S
himself about carrying into effect the ide
rs of his letter of acceptance, it would not
US far better for the quiet and material
ut terests of the south, or whether the shortt
OF road to just and permanent reconstrr
De- ton did not lie through republican q
lze ministration under Gov. Hayes,
to These were the elements of southe
1rk thought which number Of republica
use found to be questions of earnest thou
red quiet discussion. That they should
hey stantly avail themselves Of this knowled
to to widen the opening breach between ]
is den's personal adherents and these coo
ore southern men was entirely natural. II
q it they should have been active in this w
and was one of the necessities of the situati
the The country was on the brink of anarC
and then. 1t is easy to look back from pr
1rts ent quiet, and denounce all attempts
the avert civil war as bargains. but some
those who are busiest in such denunciati
now-and some editors stoo-should ref
the Concluded On next page1
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