The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1878-06-20
The Matthew's Letter.


When a man turns State evidence,
it is competent for the defence to
assail his credibility; and this is
what the defenders of the Fraudu
lent President are doing as respects
the testimony of James K. Ander-
son before the Potter Committee.
But there is no part of the evidence
produced by Mr.. Anderson which
cannot be assalled in this manner.
We refer to the letters of Stanley
Matthews, the intimate friend and
agent of Rutherford b. Hayes dur
ing these Louisiana affairs. These
letters are in the hands of Mr.. Mat
thews, and it is impossible to mis-
understand their purport or to mis-
take the character of the transaction
to which they refer.
BY way of introduction to these
documents, the following contract
was introduced as a part of the tes-
timony in the case.
agreement between Anderson
and Nash, Representative in Con-
gress, New Orleans, Nov. 81, 1876:
"By an agreement entered into
this day between James E. Ander-
son, Supervisor of Registration for
the parish of East Feliciana, La,
and Charles Z. Nash, member of
the Congress from the Sixth Con-
gressional District of Louisiana, it
is agreed that said Anderson shall
suppress evidence showing that the
said parish of East Feliciana was
fairly carried by the Democratic
party at the election held Nov. 9,
1876, thereby elecJing the entire
Democratic State ticket and Con
gressmen, in consideration of which
the said Nash agrees to secure for
said Anderson the position of Ma
val officer at the port of New Or
leans, La. JAMES E. ANDERSON.
sd. Z. NASH.
"The above agreement was signed
in our presence this, 21st day of No
vember, 1876. j, NJ. ToMLINsoN.
80. b. MORGAN.
This agreement, as Anderson ties
tilted, was long since put into the
hands of Mr.. Matthews, and was in
his possession to Anderson's knowl-
edge until April last. In fact, in
letter written on March 81, 1877,
Mr.. Matthews himself acknowl-
edges that it is in his hands. This
letter we here produce along with
another to Gen. Harlan of Ken
lucky, since appointed by Mr..
Hayes to be a Judge of the Su-
preme Court:
Mr.. Anderson: You are at liber-
ty use the note on the other page
as an introduction to Gen. Harlan,
who is one of the Commission, and
you talk to him as freely as to me.
You should say to Nash, if inquired
of, that have the agreement.
STANLEY Mathews"
"CINCINNATI, March 20, 1877.
Gen. j. ~ Harlin.
"Dear Sir: This will be presented
to you by Mr.. James K. Anderson,
who may desire to communicate
with you confidentially. Yours truly,
STANLEY MATTHEWS"
The agreement which Mr.. Mat
thews here refers to is that with
Nash, which appers above. If there
was a corrupt and criminal agree
ment this is one. The one party
bargains to falsify the true returns
of the election, by suppressing evi
dence respecting it, and the other
party bargains to the falsifier a val
liable office by the way of pay! And
yet, here we have this United States
Senator, this bosom friend and rep
resentative of MIR. Hayes, introduce
ing one of these parties TO another
friend and agent of Mr.. Hayes, the
same whom Mr.. Hayes has since re
warded by making him Judge of
the Supreme Court.