Year: 1878




Of the People.


WAsHIssros, May 27.-Clsrkson N
Potter, in long letter TO New York
friend, explains the effect Of his resoln.
ton. He says, among other things, you
suggest that TO raise question about The
last Presidential election, will bring or
disturbance or revolution; not at all
About that, possess yourself In peace
There is not the slightest chance Of rev
olution or disturbance. When the whole
country was at fever heat on the subject
Of the election, q way was found to 60.
tablish tribunal TO pass upon the cleo
tion and every one submitted 10 that de-
termination. The Presidents title rests
upon that. Ifnow II should appear that
there was fraud, which palpably affect.
ed the electoral vote and which the Com.
mission did NOT notice, and II legal rem
edy exists for correcting the error,
you cannot believe that such proceed
ing under the law could lead 10 dis
turbAnce. Ifthere be no such legal rem
edy existing and Congress should here.
after, by the approval Of the President,
or by . two.thirds vote OF both houses
without that approval, provide one, why
should legal determination thereafter
had, any more produce disturbance
than the decision oil the Electoral Com.
mission did? It is exactly because this
Is not Mexico, and because the people
prefer determining questions BY legal
methods, and II legal methods have not
been provided to invent legal methods of
determining them and 10 submit TO the
determination thus arrived at, that
this country cannot be Mexicanized.
Having accepted the Electoral
Commission, Of course we were bound to
submit to It's results, but We ought at
least to be allowed to show ifsuch was
the fact that the returns upon which the
Commission passed were procured by
fraud. I admit that the Presidency is
not worth 4 civil war, but / have not
believed there was any danger Of such
war. The generation who charged up
the heights Of Frederick and defended
the works at Petersburg will not go
lightly into another civil struggle.
We must get years further on
before that will happen. l admit
10 the success OF the Republican
leaders, having lain down when the law
was on our aide and when we ought to
have stood up. It is not for US now to
stand up as long rs the law remains
against us. But you will ask whether II
there be no danger to public order from
legal proceedings, there may not te from
action by Congfess7 No more than from
the action Of the courts.e Congress- rep.
resents the people Of the country, but
does not march before them. Iterpresses
but does not anticipate their will. Should
fraud connected with the electoral count
appear 80 gross and palpable that you
and all honorable men should unite in
il, Congress might then take action, but
II so, what Congress might do tsing the
result Of the action Of men OF both parties
Of The great body OF the people, not Of 8
party, would be effected quietly, certainly
and without violence or disturbance. In
saving this l do not mean that expect
the Investigation to be followed either BY
legal or Congressional action. What, II
any thing, should be done, because oi
inquiry, must depend upon the results OF
the inquiry. But l do mean whatever
action, Il any, could follow the inveetiga-
tion, such action can neither disturb the
order nor prosperity Of the country.
This This es cry Of wolf when there Is
no wolf. This effort 10 make
Il appear that there isldanger to peace or
order from this investigation is q Repub.
lican pretence-like the bloody shirt jus.
tifcation OF the carpetsbsg government I;
like the public danger excuse advanced
for the enforcement Of Durrell's Infamous
order and the protection Of the Returning
Board by bayonets; like the cry set up
after the election to prevent any agitation
and secure submission. What then, you
ask, Is the purpose Of the investigation :
I answer TO ascertain the facts, 10 that il
fraud be established arepetiton Of such
frauds may be prevented, and II not TO
clear up the general belief exist
ing Throughout the country that
there was such frauds. The feeling
amongst many Republicans alter the
election was, that while We had been
cheated in the returns We had bnlldozed
the negroes as badly, SO that the accounts
Of the wrong were about equal. This be-
lief in the bull doing Of the negro was
upon the fact that In certain dis.
tricts In The South which usually gave
msjorities, there was not
returned that year 4 single Republican
vote. The people Of the North have
never understood that this condition oi
things was fraudulently prepared by the
Republicans. They ought to understand
that, aud beyond that ought TO under.
stand that there never was anything 60
dangerous TO q free government as q
Returning Board; 10 throw out votes OF
one side and keep votes OF the other
without cause; to invent pretext for
such wrongs, 10 accept contrived protests
and manufactured objections as q color
for their action; to permit figures to be
altered, returns 10 be forged, frauds to
be perfected, and generally every means
Dy WHICH tuu Will VI tuo poOPAo Aey ~
frustrated and the popular voice stded.
Il then becomes possible and there may
De thus condition Of things absolutely
destructive Of free government. We be-
lieye 1t was by such proceeding that We
were cheated out Of the election, and un.
less these proceedings be exposed the out
rage will be repeated.


Whatever may result from the pro.
posed investigation you may be sure that
nothing can fesultthat will disturb either
your homes or your business. The trouble
TO capital, property and freedom will
come perhaps not in your time or mine,
but will come at Last from refusing TO In.
quire into frauds. To confront the evil,
Il you may not right 1t, Is to prevent its
repetition; to shut your eyes 70 1t Is 10
and not 70 preserve the future
pescs, safety and prosperity Of the coun-
try.


Railroad wreek-TWo Hundred