The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-11-04
An Interview With Halstead OF
The Cincinnati Commercial by
anew York Reporter:

RI noticed you said in your Cooper
Union address that you feared, In case
New York did not go Republican, that
there would be contested Presidential
election. Just what did you have in your
mind?
Nj. HI have been impressed, from
the first, that the "Solid South" was .
reality, that every electoral vote, includ.
ing those Of South Carolina, Of the old
Southern Coniederacy would be given for
the Democratic candidete. In that case,
counting Indiana as doubtful State, the
Republicans must have the vote Of New
York 10 make sure Of majority In the
Electoral College. II New York should
happen 10 90 Democratic, the probability
Il that there would be 4 disposition on
the part Of the Republicans to throw out
the votes Of those Southern States which
we're carried for Tilden by the intimida.
ton Of the blacks. lhaye heard the sug.
gestion made that itWould be moral PERU.
~ in Vice President Ferry and President
Grant II they should consent to allow
the Electoral vote Of States 10 be cast for
the restoration Of the Southern Con-
federacy when they knew that = majority
Of the people Of those States had been
practically disiranchised, and when they
had in their hands the legal proof Of that
fact. There Is already 4 difference OF
opinion Between the Senate and the
House on this question. The point in
dispute Ia as to the existence OF the twen-
ty.second joint rule. Republican Sena-
tors are careful to say that that
joint rule is NO longer in exiStance. The
Confederate brigadiers Of the House and
their followers will hold that it Is in ex-
isiance, and perhaps act upon it. Now,
il the Presidential election should turn
upon the votes Of say Missisippi, South
Carolina, Florida, or Louisiana, it would
be impossible TO avoid desperate dispute
between the two legislative Houses oil the
Government. The way is already pre-
pared by the declaration Of Republican
Senators, for Mr.. Ferry, acting Vice
President, to assume the entire res
possibility Of counting the Electoral
votes. The House will NOT Of course,
consent 10 this. The next thing is the
position OF President Grant. Grant is the
Commander. in. Chief Of the army and |
navy Of the United States. The very
practical question would arise whether he
would sustain Mr.. Ferry in the Senate.
! imagine that the weight Of inference is
that he would. Perhaps he would do Il
BY proclamation. That Is what in the
spanish.American republics are called
pronupci2mentos. The situation would be
exceedingly difficult, ii not hazardous.
Trouble would come upon rs in more
dangerous shape than it did sixteen years
ago. That is what mean by the risk
that the country runs OF being American
lied. The vote Of New York for the Re-
publican ticket would carry the country
wide Of that danger, and before the next
election there might be
craftsmanship available to provide
against such an extreme hazard in the
vote. l have nothing official or semi
official to base this form OF apprehension
upon. The evidence is chiefly atmos-
pheric. There is n sort OF Mexican mi
lsma in the political air. @1G