The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-12-20
THE PRESIDENTS rRlMr
MIND.

Our chief magistrate IS / yerv :.
Eculiar person. He is subject Il J.
tacks which his friends call .,neu,,l.
gia." Perhaps that is as GOA 4
name as could be found. Wien /. /
the state Of mind which usually &. i
companies them he is anything s.,
amiable. To put it strongly 5. |.
devilish ugly, and makes Il li,.l.S
for those about him.
This was the amiableementa} -,
dition which the Hon. A. S. Hexi,,
found him in last night when i. ]
called. Mr. Hewitt had an inh,.
view with him on Sunday. At ,h,.
time the President was most graciou..
He told Mr.. Hewitt that be woun
recognize the Legislature in Sou,h
Carolina which might have a coas,,.
tutional quorum first, and said manv
other pleasant things. Mr. Hexii,
was delighted with the Presidep.
Republicans were frightened. La.i
night Mr.. Hewitt called again "
appointment. As soon as he cam.
into the presence he saw sometbips
was wrong. The President -.
flushed, dull and moody. The Sec.
rotary of War was sitting with him. B
There had been much to annoy him
on that day. What His Excellency.
in moment Of unguarded candor
denominated "that damn Louisi.n.
question" was after him again. Like
the disreputable ghost Of Mr.. Ban.
quo's father, it "uould not down.
Three Republicans had been talkinp
to him. They had told him that
really he ought to have known bet.
ter than to have talked to the willy.
suave, cunning Democratic manager.
who unites with the softness Of 8
Jesuit the far sighted diplomatic
ability of Cavour.
Mr.. Morton had seen the President
too, and he is one Of the very few OF
whom the President stands in much
awe. With his iron nerve, audacity,
and splendid courage, the great Indi.
ana Senator makes his will felt even
by the chief magistrate Of the nation.
OF course what transpired hetweea
them ! do not knoT. Bnt General
Grant had received hi. orders. q
Mr.. Hewitt, Ms | have said, assa1
that it was likely to Le 4 stormy
time. and he WAS not mistaken. He
had called to request the PrcsidensS
to recognize the Democratic Legisls.
ture OF South Carolina, he said. 81
the President had given him assn.
RANGES that he woald 20 50 when O.
constitutional quorum was had. TIC
President brcsme furious at oncs.--.
He Said that he had never told Mr..
Hewitt that he would recognize tie
Democrats, even il thy did have &.
constitutional majority. Az this.
Vas Hat contradiction of his for.
mer statement. which had hren tele.s !.
graphed TO South Carolina, Mr..
Hewitt only bowed in sil,nce, aud
then said: Mr.. President, do ! .nil.
derstand you to say that nisrepre.
sented you in telegraphing to South
Carolina as didi" Don Cameron
then interposed before the qnestien
could be answered by the President.
and said that he would not recog.
nize eny Legislative body until it hsd
a constitutional majority, this did
carry with it the promise TO recog.
nize the Democratic Legislature. 4
even though it might have coaxed
enough of the Republican members
into the body to give them quorum.
Gov. Randolph Of New Jersey, who
was present on behalf Of the Demo-
cratic Senator's then stated briefly
the case rs he saw it from q Demo.
cratic standpoint.
The Secretary of War was disposed
to be impertinent. One time he said
to Mr.. Hewitt that the people fare
to believe that the effort
to defeat their will, on the part Of
some people is intentional, and might
become dangerous" Mr.. Hewitt in- &
stantly responded in his silkiest way
81 am very glad that the Secretary
of War has at last found this out"
There was a silence for minute
The Presidents face turned even
redder than it had been before. Mr..
Cameron hurriedly poured and drank
about half pint Of water, and made
no further remarks. 1t was first
blood for Hewitt beyond peradyen.
t,1ra