The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-02-22
COMBINES FAILURE.
TnE OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFE
LOST.
The New York senator Nearly Ne
comes astatesman and Patriot
Tho Extremists OF His Party
Frustrate His Noble lnlen.
tions-TNlden AlmOst
Elected.
Special to the Philadelphia Times.
WASHINGTON. February 19.

WAsHINsToE. February l9.
All who believe Mr.. Tilden was fairly
elected in November have narrowly
missed an agreeable surprise. Not
withstanding the fact that the Senate se.
cepted the decision of the Electoral Com
mission in the Louisiana case bya vote
of Al to 28, but for one mans vscil-
lstion that decision would have been
rejected AZ Mr.. Tilden would have
been not only elected President, but 80
declared BY both houses Of Congress be-
lore the expiration of the present week.
Roscoe ConklIng is the man who nearly
reached the measure of craftsmanship
necessary, but fell short when the try
ing moment came. No publication OF
The :act has been made, but it Is known
TO a. few of his most intimate frieods,
both Democrats and Republicans, that
the Senator from New York was sur.
prlsed and shocked by the decision Of
The commission in the Louisiana case,
although a Republican and Hayes man,
and although he believed Hayes elected
until recent Investigations and the able
presentation of the Tilden case before
the commission threw new light on the
Returning Board infsmies. He re-.
gsrded the PARTISAN verdict Of the tri-
bunal "a deplorsbIe and bad become
convinced by a patient and careful
consideration of the argument that the
vote of Louisiana should DO thrown out
by Congress. During the Sunday re-
cess he declared these views TO several
persons, and the Democrats being in
tormt d of his position made a careful
canvass Of the conservative Republicans
10 ascertain how many, If any, were of
the same way OF thinking. On Sunday
night there were reported the names Of
eight who, disagreeing with the ind
llgs of the commission, avowed their
willingness to follow Mr.. Conkling's
lead, but who would not otherwise
make break.
Mr.. Coz king had conference with
1T least one of these gentlemen and 1t
was arranged that he should take the
floor in the Senate in advocacy of a re
solution rejecting the electoral votes
cast in the name of Louisiana. This
conclusion WAS reached at two o'clock
this morning. Eleven o'clock was the
time fixed for the joint convention.
Mr.. Conkling went TO the Capitol with
the points of his speech made out, but he
remained in a committe room instead OF
going to the hall where the two houses
were convened. His absence from
the Joint convention Of course occasioned
surprise and threw the leading Re-
publicans into a trepidation which they
strove to conceal and did conceal from
most observers. Several who had per-
suasive tongues were sent to WOO the
wsnderer back Meanwhile the Senate
met and the debate began. Until The
last moment of the two hours allotted
for debate had passed, the few Demo
cratic Senators who were in secret were
eagerly expecting the arrival of the
Butcher who should turn tho tide OF vic.
tory IN their favor, but Conkling's old
party friends had succeeded Too well.
The result Of their prayers and argu-
ments was that he consented TO remain
away from the chamber, and neither TO
speak nor to vote upon the subject.
The eight votes which would have fol.
lowed Conkling's declaration of indie
pendence would have been enough to re-
ject the vote of Louisiana and thus elect
Mr.. Tilden. am not at liberty TO give
the names Of the eight other Senators,
but one of them is man Of eminent
ability, who would have taken the step
proposed by Conkling as the leader, but
feared that his own following would hot
have been strong enough to insure sue
cess. NJ. u. Ii.