Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-05-24
The Views Of the state Governors on
the Potter InvestigatiOn.

The Views ofthe state Governors on
the Potter InvestigRtiOn.
The Boston Herald in its last Sundays issue
published the /, suits Of interviews by repre-
tatives Of that paper with twenty Governors Of
States in regard to the Potter resolution for
investigating the Presidential title Governor
Rice Of Massachusetts, is represented as eN-
pressing the opinion that the resolutions for
an investigation will meet no favorable re
Spouse among men of either party in business
circles. rs people generally have accepted the
decision of the Electoral Commission a., a.
fnality. He believes the agitation Of the
Presidential question at first was wholly in
the interest of Mr.. Tilden, but Low it has
broadened and the Democrats hope either to
impeach the President or secure important
material for the fall campaign. Governor
Rice condemns the movement and regards it
dangerous. particularly at the present time.
to raise doubts respecting the validity of Tia
tenure Of any high official. Governor Como.
of Maine believes that the real object Of thu
movement is to unseat the President, and re-
CARDS the action of Congress as revolutionary
in the extreme and detrimental to the bushes,
interests of the country. Governor Van
Zandt of Rhode Island looks W on the action
of The Democrats in passing the Potter reso-
lutions as detrimental to business and revolu-
tionary in the extreme. and will result in the
defeat of the Democratic candidate for the
Presidency in 1850. Governor Robinson of
New York, who is regarded rs an exponent Of
Mr. Tilden's ideas. believes in the mvestiga-
ton and thinks it will lot disturb the bust
ness of the country. In the event it is shown
that the electors of Florida and Louisiana
should have been counted for Mr.. Tilden, it
may not be possible to seat him but it will re
suit in the condemnation of the conspirators.
Governor Robinson think, THAT the country Is
now in Il feyerish state OF excitement over the
re suit of the Presidential election. which goes
to show how little Governor Robinson knows
about the matter. Governor Hartrauft of
Pennsylvania, expresses no anxiety, believing
that the country will look upon the move
ment as one started by the Democrats for the
purpose of making campaign capital.
The opinions of the Governors of the late
slave-holding States present "A marked con-
trast when compared with those Of Governor
Robinson Of New York, Williams of Indiana
and other Northern Democratic Executives.
Governor Wade Hampton of South Carolina,
for instance, is outspoken in his hostility to
the Potter resolutions, whether the object of
the investigation is TO unseat the President or
merely TO investigate and revive an issue al
ready settled. He expressed surprise at the
result of the five days contest in the House,
and believed that the reopening of the Presi-
Dental question at this juncture is fraught
with danger to the whole country and with
considerable warmth added that the investiga-
ton will, in my judgment, react disastrous
ly upon the Democratic party, and it will in
jure especially the South which needs peace,
and should regard it as i grave mistake on
the part of our people to take any partin this
matter Governor Cochran Of Delaware
does not believe that the investigation is in
tended to furnish grounds for the removal Of
Preside ut Hayes, and thinks it should 30 on.
Gov rnor Matthews of West Virginia Demo
cratic) deprecates the Potter resolutions as
tending to reopen sectional issues. He de
ch,rcs that If We are not ready to Mexicanizc
ourselves, We must uphold the Presidents
title to the end of his term" The balance of
the Southern Governors whose opinions were
obtained favored the investigation but were
hostile to any attempt to impeach the title of
President Hayes
All of the Western Governors, including the
Executives of Iowa, Minnesota Illinois and
Nebraska, denounce the investigation move
ment ms mischievous and revolutionary and,
if pressed disastrous to the business interests
of the country. Ex-Governor Hendricks is
represented as being emphatic in his opposi-
ton to measures affecting the Presidents title,
as it was settled not by the Commission of
Congress but by Congress itself On the
merits of the investigation Mr.. Hendricks
would give no opinion.
In conclusion it may be said that Republi-
can Executives cordially sustain the action of
the Republicans in the House, and express
the conviction that the movement TO reopen
the settled issue of the Presidency will be
fraught with disaster to the business interests
of the country The Dem ocratic Governors
of the North fully sustain the action of the
majority of the House and go so far as to ex-
press the opinion that Mr.. Hayes should re-
tire from the Presidency if the Florida scan
dals are put into the form of testimony. The
Southern Democratic Governors on the other
hand, deprecate any effort 70 disturb the title
Of Mr., Hayes, and several of them deplore the
whole movement.