The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-12-15
THE DEMOCRATIC CHAIRMAN ExPL0DES
SOME OF GRANTS LIES.
FULL ACCOUNT or THE RECENT ISTERvIEws
WITH THE PRESIDENT.

WAsHINaroS, Dec. l2.--The following is
furnished by Hon. Abram S. Hewitt, ad.
dressed to the Washington agent of the as
socated press In yesterdays papers find
dispatch from you rgardng a CONVERSE
ton with President Grant in reference
to the unfortunate state of affairs in South
Carolina and my interviews with him in re-
ference thereto. So far as South Carolina
was concerned the President cnjoined no
confidence, but expressly stated that was
| at liberty to communicate his views to the
public. lie did enjoin confidence in regard
| to what he said of Louisiana affairs, and
| that confidence have respected, although,
as have already stated to him, | believed
| the publication of the statement would do
much to tranquiize the public mind. In
| regard to South Carolina the President stated
that.in his judgment not less than sixty
three members, having certificates from the
secretary of state, were eligible to organize
the house and transact business. AS this
view accorded with my own, and rs no con-
6dence was enjoined, telegraphed it in the
| following language:
"A. c. Haskell, Chairman. Charleston, S.
c.: am able to say that neither house
will be recognized by the President until it
gets sixty-three members holding certificates
from the returning board.
(Signed) ABRAM s. HEWITT
My object in sending this dispatch was
that thought it would tend to allay excite
ment in South Carolina and prevent col
lsion between the people and the troops, of
which we were very apprehensive. On the
9th of December l received reply, which
induced me to send the following kilograms
to the President:
"75 the President: l have received a re-
liable telegram from Columbia stating that
the sixty third member holding certificate
from the secretary of state has been sworn
into the house presided over by Speaker
Wallace, which is therefore organized in ao-
cordance with the requirements OF the law,
as stated by YOU"
"7o the President: | have just received
late dispatch saying that the Supreme
Court of South Carolina has pronounced its
judgment aud declared the house presided
over by w. N. Wallace to be the legally
constituted house of representatives,and that
Mackey is Il private person, not speaker or
in any respect an officer of the legislative
body"
On the evening ofthe same day, Sen ator
Randolph suggested that he aud should
call upon the President and ask him wheth-
er under the circumstances he could not
see his way Gle ar to order the with 1raw al sf
the United States troops from Columbia and
recognize the house of representatives SO
constituted with sixty-three members. The
President granted US an interview, which
began by my saying that had sent him
two kilograms from the house in reference
to South Carolina affairs. The Presid ent
at once replied that he had received them
and that very late on the preceding even
ing he had received telegram from Colum-
bia saying that had informed parties there
that the President would recognize as the
legal hous, that body which should hav c
63 members with certificates fro m the Sec
retary of state The President said that he
had replied that he did not believe had
said he had done 80 and that at any rate it
was not true.
Ireplied that had not sent any telegram
70 that effect, but had sent one as nearly as
could recollect as follows ~ am able to
say that the President will not recogniz e
any house that does not contain sixty three
members with original certificates from the
| returning board"
The President replied: That is correct
did say so. Tina. was my private opinion
but did not say that would recognize a
house that had SO members"
replied THAT is true, but think it is
implied, and we have come to ask you to do
So"
The President replied that as at present
hoLse containing sixty-three members and
he did not know that he would recognize
the other house that Chambe rlain was gov
emor until some one WAS regularly inaugu.
rated in his place, and that he would sus.
tain him. The President did not soy that
had violated his confidence in any particular
but he said it would have been violation
of his con fdence If had sen. the telegram
reported to him from Columbia, the sending
of which l again denied. | then reminded
the President that he had the means of test
ing the accuracy of my recollection of his
statements, because Immediately after the
interview on Sunday dictated the substance
of the conversation and furnished h m with
a copy and requested him to return to me
with aEy correction be might choose to
make, to be published, if he would nsent
one to be retained for his future inspection
in case after the 18th Of March next his in.
tentions should be called in question. lie
had not returned me the copy 81 furnished
nor made any corrections therein 10 my
knowledge
The President said nothiag to ne in regard
b my using any Of his statements for pur-
poses Of defeating the party which he (the
Presidentl represented, ! have never rc,
garded the President "f tho United States
as representing any party, and l shall regret
to see the Pre.iden, take any other position
than that of the hnnored head of the people
Of the United States without regard to
party.
tSigutdl ADRIAN S. HEWITT.
| Washington, d. c., Dee, II, 1876
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