The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-05-25

began again the mountain shook as
in the throes of an earthquake i'm
mense trees and rocks were hurled
down the mountain side, and sounds
like intermittent thunder were heard
during the night. This morning those
who ventured near saw that the
mountain had been literally split in
twain, leaving chasm 300 feet in
width. So far as has been ascertain
ed, the chasm is a bottomless abyss.
AS yet no smoke or lava has been
thrown from the crater, but early in
the morning there was strong smell
of sulphur about the place,
THE POTTER INVESTIGATION.
WASHINGTON, May 2l.-Chair-
man Potter, of the Florida commit
tee, arrived in Washington this
morning, and has called the first
meeting of the committee at $3.50 this
afternoon.
Mr.. Morrison will insist that the
Investigation be proceeded with in
open session, but Chairman Potter
and Representative Ben Butler will
oppose open session. 1t is the gen.
eral feeling among the members that
there will be no necessity for sub
committees to go South. The only
witness who is unable to travel by
reason of illness, is McLin, and it is
thought that his deposition will be
taken there rather than go to the eX-
pense of sending committee to
Florida.
One of the members of the COM
mittee said to-day that he would not
travel in the present state of his bus.
mess and domestic affairs to save the
neCkS Of the entire committee. 1t is
noticeable, too, that the excitement
on the subject of the frauds has con-
siderably died out. The feeling is
growing that the movement is so
closely associated with Tilden that
it takes off good deal of the edge.
Southern Democrats say that the re-
suit thus far has been to sOlidify the
Republicans and distract the Democ-
racy /; they anticipate that the coun-
try will be put to an additional sea-
son of unrest, and that the effect will
be to do more harm to the Democrat
ic than to the Republican party.
THE PRESIDENT ON THE SITUATION.
WASHINGTON, May ia friend
of the President, who is cogniZant
of his views on the revolutionary
proceedings of the Democratic ma
| jority of the House, says that the
President, whilst far from being dis
turbed at recent events, fully apDre-
ciates the results to which they
might lead, The President does not
think the subject ought TO be treated
with indifference. Great events in
history have emanated from more
insignificant beginnings. The pres
ent movement originated at Annap-
Oils only few weeks ago, and when
the resolutions of the Maryland
Legislature were published to the
country they were received with
contemptous derision, and their au-
thor characterized as a mailman. At
that time great difficulty was found
in perSuading any Senator to pre-
sent them to the Senate, and when
finally Senator Dennis submitted
them, he did so in speech in which
he distinctly discaimed any sympa-
thy with the sentiments they eX-
pressed.
Tracing the movement from its
birth, the President has been struck
with its rapid development, and
points to the significant circumstance
that such Independent and infiuen-
tial men as Alexander III. Stephens
were pOwerless to stay the caucus
mandates. The President entertain
ed no fear that anything could be
brought home to him. If any prom
ises were made in his behalf or any
bargains entered into he had no
knowledge of them. The President
regards the action of Southern Dem
ocrats in supporting the investigation
as ungrateful to him in the highest
degree, irrespective of other consid-
erations. When he assumed the eX-
ecutive Office he found the South, or
at least large portion OF it, distrac-
ted and torn asunder by poll yical
strife, bordering in Louisiana,
at least, on revolution. The
Inauguration of his Southern policy
has given that section peace. The
native population now ruled over it
completed. The carpet-bag er was
no longer an element in southern
politics.
The President claims no reward at
the hands of the South for doing his
duty but ne cannot avoid being Il
spectator of the ingratitude of their
representatives to the man to whom