Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-05-30

| WASHINGTON, May 29.-Alexander H. Ste
phens has replied to the illusions to him con-
tanned in the letter of Mr.. Clarkson n. Pot
| ter, III a communication to the Washington
Post, which is given below:
NATIONAL. HOTEL, May %, 1873.
notice in the issue of your paper of this
morning letter from Hon. Clarkson n Pot
ter, of the house of representatives,
In response to the inquiries of one of
his correspondents, In relation to the pas
sage. of his resolution in regard to the
appointment of committee to investigate
the frauds in the late Presidential election,
etc., which not Only justi6es, but requires
some public notice by me. So far as the let
ter relates to me and my acts in connection
Herewith, this notice will be as brief as pos
slble, and with all due respect to Mr.. Potter,
since for him personally | entertain senti-
ments OF high esteem. That portion OF his
letter to which l wish chiefly to reply is con-
tanned in the following words expressed by
him to his correspondent: "You ask me why
Mr.. Stephens was howled down. The howl
the pending order of business by motion or
| statement requires unanimous consent,
| and every member has an absolute right
| to object to the interruption. This
| objection is expressed by the words, 4 OBJ
iect,' or q demand for the regular order.
Sometimes one person will prevent Interrupt
| ton; sometimes the desire to prevent it is
general, and then the cry of regular order
| will be from many persons. 1t so happened
| that there was very general unwiilIp gness
| to hear Mr.. Stephens. He had suggested
| that we should receive and adopt Mr.. Hale's
amendment; it was also reported that he has
given the Republicans a list of twenty-five
| names who would follow him in aOy motion
of his to prevent an investigation. About
this he was grossly mistaken. ard has made
| our side especially unwilling to hear him.
But you will observe that when l rose to
make proposition to Mr.. Hale and the Re
publcaDs, the cutlery prevented my being
heard. Il was announced 10y the press that
Mr.. Potter s inquiry was interrupted, while
Mr.. Stephens was head-lined as The venera-
BILE statesman hooted down by Potters rnob.''
Ny comments upon this extract from his let
ter are as follows:
First-If there has been any gross mistake
in this matter, 1t has been by Mr.. Potter, and
not by me. So far as his statement is calcu-
lated to convey the idea or impression that
had given the Republicans list of any names
who would follow me in any motion to pre-
vent an investigation, it Is entirely without
foundation. As matter OF truth it has not
the shade of shadow OF fact to rest upon;
had not conferred directly or indirectly with |
Mr.. Hale, Mr.. Garfield, or any other Repub-
ican upon the subject; | had not spoken di- |
rectly or indirectly with Mr.. Hale within the |
last two weeks before upon any subject; nor
had l had any words with Mr.. Garfield On
this matter, except what were made some |
weeks before, when he objected to the recep-
ton of the Maryland memorial, at which !
time | urged him in the house to withdraw |
his objection and let the memorial of that |
State go to the committee on Judiciary and |
be reported upon with a view of quoting all |
the questions attaching to the Presidential |
title. Ny speech upon that occasion and my
appeal to him was duly reported in the |
Record; nor had l at any time any
conference with the President, as l have seen
alleged in some papers upon this subject.
On the Monday that Mr.. Potter's resolution
was offered, had appeared in the house
solely with the view of getting a suspension
of the rules for the purpose of having passed
the till of the committee coinage provid-
ing for the retirement of the three and five
cent silver pieces, and having them recoined
in other denominations; also for making the
debased or subsidiary CONS a legal-tender
when they are presented in amounts of twen-
ty dollars and upward, and have them re-
deemed when presented in the treasury in
like amounts. This bill, upon being read, |
was almost unanimously passed. l then got
leave of absence for one week, ON account of
my health, with pair with Mr.. Harris, of
Massachusetts. was told that had hardly
gone out of the Capitol when this cyclone
burst upon the house. had no intimation
of it before. On reaching my room | was
confined to my bed, and it was not until the
next day that | knew of what had occurred
was one of the first whom | conferred with
on the subject. Wednesday, the fifteenth
after the house had come to a dead lock,
from sick room | addressed to Mr.. Potter
the following note, of which General Knott
furnished me copy to-day. 1t is in these
words:
WASHINGTON, D. c., May Is. 1873.
"HOn. Clarkson N Potter, House of Representatives:
"MY DEAR SIR am still confined to my
room in this city. | greatly regret | cannot
go and see you In person: Let me, then, say
to you in this way, that | think it will be a |
great mistake if our friends in the house
shall pass your resolution under the previous
question, thus cutting off Mr.. Hale's or any
other amendments looking to enlarged in
vestigation. Do not insist on the previous
question. l could not vote for it if l were
present and were not paired as | am; nor
could | vote for the resolution under the pre-
vious question without allowing amendments.
1t would only divide the Democrats and unite
the Republicans. My opinion is that mis-
chief instead of good will come of the in
vesGgation by the passage of your resolution
as it is, under the previous question Please
am, to send it to you. Very respectfully
and truly yours, ALEX. H. STEPHENS"
After that note had been dispatched to him, |
l sent tue following note to Mr.. Gambler,
my colleague IN the house:
WASHINGTON, May Is, 1873.
A. |
- tives:
"MY DEAR SIR am sorry cannot be
In the house to-day. | am still confined to |
my room. | think it is important that our
friends shall not vote for the previous Ques-
ton on Potter s resolution. The amendments,
such as Hale wishes TO Cff-r, ought to be al
lowed, we ought not To have one sided in
vestigation. The country will not be salts
fed with that sort of an inquiry. The peo-
pie want tair-play, right and justice, and will
be satisfied with nothing short Of this. Ii
the Potter resolution is passed without allow
ing the amendment looking to TIE investiga
lion of other alleged frauds, mischief and not
good will come of it. 1t will divide our side
and unite the other. | should, if there and not
paired, as | am, vote against the previous
question, and then against the resolution if
the amendments were denied. Yours truly, |
ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS"
After this l sent similar note to my col
league, Mr.. Harris, and requested him to an
nounce my pair if vote was taken.
From these notes it will clearly appear with
whom had conferred, and the opinion | en-
tertained OF the effect of the proceeding
then going on IN the house upon the Demo
cratic party, as well as upon the country. |
looked upon them as unwise and untimely,
and fraught with mischief. 1t clearly APP
pears, from these notes, that was not in ia
Yor of a motion to defeat the investiga
ton of fraud of any kind. | was only
against a one sided investigation. | also
have been, since the Presidential contest was
constitutionally decided, against any investi-
cation with a view to lmpeach or assall the
title of the present incumbent of the execu-
tive chair. The Democracy of the school In |
which was reared was based upon the prin-
ciple of law and order, and upon abiding by
the law as constitutionally expounded. This
was the state of things when | made my APP |