The New York herald., 1876-12-06
THE REVIEW OF HIS ADMINISTRATION
Why Nothing Was Said on
the Political Situation.
THE PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
Preparations for Investigating the
Elections in the South
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.

WASHINGTON, Dec 5, 1875
DENTS MESSAGE.
The President caused serious disappointment to
everybody by his silence the the disputed
States. IL expected that tho Message would
either defend at icast report his action there The
beginning OF the Message, in which the President
spoke OF his incspcrcnce In civil AFFAIRS, touched
good many OF his opponents. but when at the
close he once more brought up the old sti
Domingo job, and showed his soreness over
his first defeat it must be confessed that he lost tho
sympathy he had before gained
twas remarked by Of tho older Senators that in
this Message the President showed OF the marked
traits OF his predecessor, Andrew Johnson, in
tho apparent humility united to stub
born determination never TO give up what he
had once undertaken, an inability to let a
question drop mattor how dead It Is. IL was
thought by some shrcwd democratic politicians that
the first part of the Message well calculated to
catch the sympathes OF Ihe country ana that 1t
would strengthen the President with the OF the
people, Some surprise IL expressed that he made no
recommendations and but the slightest reference to
the financial question: and, when the passage read
In which he praises the management OF Secretary
Robeson and gives him ''cnaracter, !" there was a
general SMILE
THE DEBATE ON SENATOR EDMuNDs' REsoLu-
TON FOR AN INVESTIGATION OF POLITICAL
AFFAIRS IN FIVE SOUTHERN sTATEs-DLUN-
DER OF THE DEMOCRATS.
In the Senate to-day Mr.. Edmunds preamble and
resolutions tor investigation of political affairs In
five Southern Statos caused a somewhat acrimonious
debate The democrats demanded that Mr.. Edmunds
should specify what States the constitution
laws violated the fourteenth amendment, and
he seems to have been unable to do
Thcy opposed the first resolution, very
properly, on the ground that an investigation should
not be ordered unless specific charges made The
first resolution was adopted by strict party on
the fourth tho democrats blundcrcd. II provides for
an investigation frauds. intimidation, &C, charged
in the disputed States and is substantially the
the democratic resolution In the House, though II
covers somewhat moro ground 1t pushed TO q
vote, and eleven Of the democratic Senators fooshy
voted agaisnt it, Senators Randolph, Maxcy, Wallace
and number Of others, however, voted for IT, and
thus saved the credit OF their side.
MIR. HEwIrT's INTERVIEW WITH THE PREsI-
DENr-ALLEGED MISREPRESENTATION OF
WHAT oCcURRED-THE INCONVENIENCE OF A
GREAT SECRET.
1t is now sald by republicans that Mr.. Hewitt must
have misrcpresented the fourteen gentlemen whom
he his confidence what tho President said to
him in tho Sunday interview; also that Mr.. Hewitt
sought this interview and that tho President mscon-
ceived the drift of somc views problems and sugges-
tioas ingeniously presented by Mr. Hewitt,
and that the President did not what
Mr. Hewitt meant 1t is believed that "a
memoran ium is drawn up Of what passed, with the
Intention obtain agreement upon the facts OF tho
interview II possible. Meantime the fourteen unhappy
democrats who became Mr.. Hewtt's moro or less un.
willing conndants upon the verge OF bursting and
most Of them are held together with great difficulty
II is reported that them, astidous bio
member, being offered share of another secret hur
rlcdly but firmly declined, saying that he could not
hold any more.