Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-05-28
The Cry OF Welt" when there is No
Wolf is a Republican Pretense that
there is Danger in this InVesti-
CATION when there is No
Danger.

N, Potter, In a long letter to New \ DIRK
friend, explains the effect of his resolution.
He says, among other things: you suggest
that to raise question about the last Presl-
dental election will bring on a disturbance
or revolution. Not at all. About that
possess yourself in peace. There is not the
slightest chance of revolution or disturbance.
When the whole country was at fever heat
on the subject of the election, way was
found to establish tribunal to pass upon
determination. The Presidents title rests
upon that. If now 1t should appear that there
was "A fraud which palpably affected the elect
oral vote, and which the commission did not
notice; and if legal remedy exists for COR
recting the error, you cannot believe that
such proceeding under the law could lead
to disturbance. If there be no such legal
remedy existing, and if congress should here
after, by the approval of the President, or 10y
two-thlrds of both houses without that ap-
proval, provide one, why should legal de-
termination thereafter had, any more pro-
duce a disturbance than the decisions
It the e esstGfa becsnDe this dds
not Mexico, and because the people prefer
determining the questions by legal methods,
and if legal methods have not been provided
to invent legal methods of determining them,
and to submit the determination thus arrived
at that this country cannot be Mexicanized.
Having accepted the electoral commission, of
course we were bound to submit to its results;
but we ought at least to be allowed to show,
If such was the fact, that the returns upon
which the commission passed were procured
by fraud. | admit that the Presidency is
not worth civil war, but [ have
not believed there was any danger of such
war. The generation who charged up the
nights of Fredericksburg and defended the
works at Petersburg will not go lightly into
.0kt L.,
further on before that will happen.
admit the success of the Republican
leaders. Having lain down when the law
was on our side, ana when we ought to have
stood up, it is not for us now to stand up as
long as the law remains against us. But
you will ask whether if there be no
danger to public order from legal proceedings
IT there may not be from action by congress
No; no more than from the action OF courts.
Congress represents the people of the coun-
try, but it does not march before them; it ex-
presses, but does not anticipate their will.
Should the fraud connected with the electoral
count appear so gross and palpable that you
and all honorable men should unite in de-
rounclng it, congress might then take action;
but If so, what congress might do
being the result of the action of men
Of all parties of the great body of the people,
not OF party would be effected quietly, GER
talnly, and without violence or disturbance
In saying this, do not mean that | expect
that this investigation is to be followed by
either legal or congressional action. What,
if anything, should be done because of the IN
quiry, must depend upon the results of the
inquiry; but l do mean that Whatever action,
if any, should follow the investigation, such
action can neither disturb the peace and
order nor the prosperity of the country
This cry of ''wolf," when there is no wolf;
this effort to make 1t appear that there is
danger to peace or order from this investiga-
ton is Republican pretense, like the
bloody shirt justification of the carpetbag
government; like the public danger excuse
advanced for and enforced by Durrell's in
famous order, and the protection of return
ing-boards by.bayonets; like the cry set up
after the election to prevent any agitation
and to secure submission. What then,
you ask, is the purpose of
facts, so that, if frauds be established, rope
tition of such frauds may be prevented; and,
if not, to clear up the general belief through
out the country that there were such frauds.
The feeling among many Republican was
that, while we had been cheated in the re-
turns, we had bulldozed negroes as badly, so
that the accounts of wrong were equal. This
belief in the bulldozing of the negro was
districts in the south, which usually gave
Republican msjorities, there was not re-
turned that year single Republican vote.
Now the people of the north have never I'M
derstood that this condition of things was
fraudulently prepared by the Republicans.
they ought to understand that, and beyond
that they ought to understand that there
never was anything so dangerous to free
government as returning board to
throw out the votes of one side and keep in
the votes of the other without cause. To in
vent a pretext for such wrongs. to accept,
after continued protests manufactured
objections as color for their action, to per-
init the figures to be altered, returns to be
forged, frauds to be perfected, and generally
every means by which the will of
the people nay be frustrated and the
popular voice stihed; it then becomes
possible, and there may be thus a condition
of things absolutely destructive of free gov
eminent We believe that it was by such
we were cheated out of the cleo
ton, and unless the proceedings be exposed
the outrage will be repeated. Whatever may
result from the proposed investigation, you
may be sure that nothing can result
that will disturb your hocks or
balances. The trouble to capital, property,
and to freedom will come, not, perhaps, in
your time or mine, but it will come at last
from refusing to inquire into frauds; to con-
front the evil, If you may not right it, is to
prevent its repetition. To shut your eyes to
it supinely is to jeopardlze, not to preserve
the future peace, safety and prosperity of the
country.