The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-12-08
BACKING CP CHAMBERLAIN
HHiT GRINr uOTLD nor say TO
CONGRESSW HIUITI.


conc RINNH.fN " u " TIT.
An Interesting Interview IN which Don Came
cron Occasionally Put IN IN barlow
some Things MAY Yet be Ended.
WAsniNGroN, Dee. THE Republican
leaders were badly frightened on Monday and
Iuesdav at the threatened backing down OF the
President. They were not consulted in advance
ma to the ACCESSIBILITY of the interview with Mr..
Hewitt. II seems that the President consulted
with no one, but similv requested Secretary
Fish to rave the way for the meeting with Mr..
Hewitt. and then addressed q personal note to
that gentleman requesting the Interview There
are indications worrantinR the belief that
Grant was about this time seriously de-
batting with himself whether II would do
/ To put through for the Radical leader the job
| Of counting in HAYES. lie did not like the fu-
| mors he had heard about Hayes's promises to
| vat Bristow, Schufz, and Jewell IN his Cabinet.
and moreover, no really feared impeachment
| bv the House of Representatives. The dread Of
| Impeachment has teen Tor some time the weak
| spot In Grants amor, and although he had
| been assured that the Senate would In the end
defeat such q calamity. still he DID not like the
| prospect OF having to pay out large sums
| Of money "a fees to lawyers to defend
| him. lie knew, moreover, that the great
bulk Of the Republican party has but
| little love for him, aud the tone OF his
message showed that he believes that the public
| mind has passed on unfavorablc judgment on
! his Administration. II II clear, therefore. that
the President has. within tho past few DAYS,
| been In an undetermined state OF mind, with a
pretty strong inclination to take the back track.
This TACT, when IL was discovered. alarmed the
Republicans.
ator Morton had long conference With
the President. Don cameron, frightened
The neT o turn kSp, riois watch on
| frightened halt out Of his wits. lac knew that
II the President did not stand by Chamherlein
and his fellow thieves In South Carolina, the
penitentlary or flight were the only alternatives
left to him. Mr.. Hewitt had teleglaphed to
| Wade Hampton on SUNDAY evening, after his in
tervew with the President that he had Grants
assurance that he would not recognize either
Legislature until the House mad the constitu-
| tonal quorum OF sixty-three members hay-
ing certificates from the Returning Board.
| OF course the contents OF this telegram
| soon known TO Chamberlain, and his friends
| began TO telegraph TO Patterson TO Know
| whether Grant Intended to recognize the Hamp-
ton Legislature II it did get ixty-three members.
| The Hampton party INTERPRETED llewitts mes
| having certificates from the Returning Hoard
| the President Will recognize YOU" They were
| hopeful, and went to work to seduce sufiicient
| number Of the Mackey body to join their for
| tunes. One by one the Msckey members went
| over, until only one OF the required sixv-thrce
| was lacking. and Chamberlain saw that eventu-
| ally the one wanted would be found, and sure
| enough he was.
| gained Nv the Democrats, Wade Hampton tele-
grapbed 10 senator Randolph to ask the Pest.
| Mr.. Hewitt called upon the President last MINT
| to urge him to keen his promise: They
| found Don Cameron with Grant. and. while
| their reception was htuarenily cordial
| enough. they soon discovered that change
| contents o. HAmptons despatch were made
| known to the President by Senator Randoluh.
Grant named w instantly and :. "a mat he ma
not authorized r. Hewitt TO say that ne would
recognize the Democrats when they obtained
sl1tv-;hree mcmuers bearing the certificates OF
Mr. Hewitt interrupted the Presiden, to say
that he had never said ANYTHING Of ine kind.
| what he had done wgs to telegraph Hampton
| that he was authorized by the President to BAY
| that no would recognize neither body until .
| tad that number. Then Mr.. Hewitt asked
| whether that desI atch iuisrepresented he Pres
! ident Grant admitted that he had SAID that he
would not recognize either body IN 1t had the
| sixty-three members with returning Board
this DID not bind lin to recognize the
enough Of the Mackey body TO make up that
| number. Mr.. Hewitt said that the President
| must he the judge OF how ( he WAS to be bound
| bv Whist he nad saiu, but he held tnat he nsd
not misrepresenied the President in his de-
n,itroJ, wherenpon Sir. Hewitt said that be had
norrd the President would recognize the
| cultles IN south Carolina.
The President would not indicate his purpose.
| and a general conversation ensued on the ,itua-
| uUn. Don Cameron grew quite warm md said
| TO- MIR. Hewitt tn i the people OF TINS country
| PEE. lie to defeat their viii might become
| treason. to which Mr. lIewitt tartly rspl cd thnt
/
! hi- eve ousn To that fact. This returt
| when Cameron had not expected ana he re-
| ceued lt VITA very tad gr lce.
The ui-hot Of the Interview was altogether
| unsatisfactory to Hewitt ana Rand lph. and
| although they have been Verl rctcrnt about IL,
| due impression prevails to-day that the Pr, 81
| tent mas been urged ON uy the Radical leaders
| to sust IN Chamberlain at all hazards. The in
| nuencc OF Morton, Saerm u, the tameton-, and
| Patterson has been sufficient to turn Grant
square round and II is believed here that he w IA
| ride rough shud over all the forms II law, and
! urive HAMPTON ANA his friends out Il Columt la
at tie point of the bHyouet.
The situation to-nistt Is quite gloomy. and
| IN" most hopeful almost despair Of pcac. ful
! solution Of he difficulties which environ the
| republic. The Radical leaders IRE perfectly
| desperate, and are determined to stop NJ moth
iug in order 10 accomplish their purposes. Ihey
| nose To goad the democratic maj rity in the
| House INTO passing articles OF mpcachme mt
against Grant hoping there by T. have material
| with which 10 Influence the Nor hern mind. Ihe
| or, would he raised that the Confederate
brigadier- generals IN the House were seeking to
| dHhQgQr the LAY wgg had CRUSHED out The rs.
| beOn and saved tho life 81 the nation. In this
| they will be mistaken, for there l. not the
| slightest chance at present Of the House I'M
| peachIng Grant, Tor the very reason that the
| members, with one or two exceptions, are firmly