Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-05-31
Postmsster.G eneraI ESsy ON the Potter
InVestigation.

MANLY. STRAIGHTFORWARD 1LrIEn or EARN
Est APPEAL AND TIMELY WANING TO THE
SOUTHERN rEorIE.
In pllc. OF personal answer to many letters
from friends in the South, disclaiming SYM
pathy with any effort TO unssat President
Hayes Postmaster-Genor,l Key has written
the following open letter to the people Of the
South
Thecircumstancos Of the passage Of the Pot
ter resolution to investigate the alleged frauds
in the the presidential election Of 1876 in the
States OF Louisiana and Florida, together
with the subsequent declarations Of many in
fluential democratic politicians and journal
lists is evidence that if both Houses of the
10th Congress are democratic, the majority
intend to Dust President Hayes and iuaugUr-
ate Mr.. Tilden.
The title Of President Hayes was settled ir-
revocably by the 44th Congress in the act Gre
ating the electoral commission, under which
he was declared elected and legally inaugur-
lated. The 4jth Congress has no more right
to dispute his election than he has to ques-
ton the title Of any victorious contestant to
seat in that body. The 10th Congress will
have no more right to ignore him and to rec
oguze his defeated contestant. Mr. Tlden.
than Mr.. Hayes would have to send file Of
soldiers to the House of Representatives to
unseat democrat whom he might consider
to have been wrongfully seated or fraudulent
ly elected.
The leaders in this desperate attempt TO
Mexcanize our institutions rely confidently
upon solid South" to furnish the bulk Of
the democratic majority in the next House Of
Representative. the Senate being nlrt ady Sc
cured. Remembering the encouragement
which the Northern democrats in loGO and
1861 extended to the Southern States to
cede and the manner in which their promises
to aid aud comfort were fulfilled, can the
Southern people afford to join this reyolu-
tionary movement with the certainty that.
when the inevitable hour of peril comes they
! will again be left uuassisted and alone TO meet
the storm from the North, once more united
| by this attempt to revive an issue whose SET
tlemeut was forced by public opinion upon an
| unwilling Congress! In the dark days Of
| February, 1871. when civil war over "a dis
| puted election was imminent. and patriots
| trembl,d for the safety Of republican irst!tu-
| tons, the Southern members Of Congress
ayorted the danger by compelling the compile
ton Of the electoral count under the law
which both parties in Congress had enacted
But now the representatives from the South
| ern States. with very few exceptions. have
! Joined "A movement to subveTt the results Of
! their patriotic action, and to remand the
country to that anarchy from which less than
| two years ago it was saved by their efforts
Grant that in permitting the autonomy Of all
the States and in neutrality-suspicious. 70 Office
in the South instead Of strangers. President
Hayes has but discharged his constitutional
| duty. does that excuse the southern represeu-
tatives for attempting to invalidate his title
which they established, or will it Justify them
in bringing the country again into danger of
| civil war in an effort to unseut hiiI and inau-
| gurate Mr.. Tilden:
The South must now face the most mo-
! mentous crisis i'll its history since lsGl. To
indorse the recent conduct Of the representa-
tives is to admit the truth Of tin charge that
the people of the South care nothing Tor the
welfare Of the Union. desire tie downfall of
the republic and would rejoice TO See it again
involved in civil war. If their representa-
tiyes have not reflected their sentiments. as
believe to be the case, then the people of the
Southern States should take care that in the
10th Congress they are represented by men
who will defeat the dlsturbers of the public
peace and prevent the discrimination Of oui
institutions. To do this they may be com
PEELED to act Independent Of the democratic
party. Recent events have demonstrated the
inability of the democratic members Of Con
gress to resist the mandates of the caucus auC
the terrors of the party lash, the one wieldeC
willing to eudanger the welfare of the coun
try and the o.lity Of republican institution,
for the sake of revenge on political opponenu
and in the hope of dividing the "spoils Of
victory The democratic representatives o
the South could not resist the CAUCUS com
mand to pass the Potter resolution unamend
cd and without debate. How viii they b,
able in the 10th Congress to resist a simila
command to ignore Mr.. Hayes as Presiden
and recognize Mr.. Tilden:
1t is therefore the duty of the Soutlerl
people TO afford a browning evidence Of thei
renewed devotion to the Union, in whicl
they now enjoy every right of citizenship
and are subjected to no restrictions not lai,
upon every citizen, by sending representa-
tiyes to the 10th Congress pledged to resist a
all hazard. the revolutionary schemes of mis-
chief-makers who seem to have gained con
troll Of the House Of Representatives of tn
4jth Congress. To this end the people il
every district should meet publicly, organic
and resolve to support no person for Congress
who has given aid to this movement, and VIII
: will not pledge himself to sustain the title o
President Hayes during the term for whic
he was elected, against all attempts at its over
throw. Only in this way can grave DANCE
to tn republic be ayerted, and convncn
proof be given that the confidence was nc
misplaced which President Hayes manifesto
in the South when he withdrew the troop
, from the State houses of South Carolina an
Louisiana.
have spoken earnestly and plainly, for
> feel that l should be unworthy to represe1
the South in the administration were to r,
main silent now Invited to the cabinet as
. Southern man TO see that justice was done I
the South, required neither to apologize fC
my record nor to disown my political prime
ll'. it is my duty now to warn the people {
the South of the danger which threatens til
u country. No man need hope that the schem,
/ of the men who have engineered the NOV,
o ment to unseat President Hayes can be ca
ried out without bloody civil war. 70 ave-
> this danger l confidently rely upon the patr
: otism and honor of the people of my natiy
= section. ID. NJ. KEY