Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-04-17
Mr.. ConkIing ON the.

MIR. COnklfnG on the. ADMINISTRATION.
New York April 1.-the Word to day
published letter from Utic, correspondent.
being the sum of series of Interviews with
Senator Cooking, at bis home, 10 that city, at
Intervals during the past few months. Mr.
Conkliug said:
tbiok the true history of the Louisiana
electoral business will BIO told one Of these days.
I do not see how it can be kept down. There
are too many avenues OF information open to-
day 10 make concealmept of avail much longer.
Unreasonable man Can doubt there was sumo
k cd of bargain between the friends OF Mich
oils and that mau Hayes, and that Stanley
Matthews and Sherman We're pr!vy to it. A
VERY great many people have become exceed.
| iugly curious to know precisely what lhe bar
gain was and xacly how it was carried out,
aud snkeo irg-nuity will be sure to fad some
| m-aus OF getllcg at the Information. l caDnot
say how 5000 the facts will come out, for some.
thing may occur any day to force them to the
surface. II will probably be best to let them
Q, Nj out naturally. What will be the resu;l
The result will be that the whole country will
be appalled, by the dishouor of this Admins
trai | tell you, sir, that never 10 the his
tory OF this us1iou has there been 10 the entire
l,Ju
rup,ion, barteriug OF Offices, reuardDg Of 20.
htcsl tavolites traffic with political leaders and
BARGAIN aud sale OF the electoral franchise a.
during this past year. People will not believe
it until the proof is showo them, but the pro0f
will DO forthcoming. People say that Hayes
is good nsu and means we'll, but they do
not know what they are talking about. When
all the facts are kooWn about this administer.
ton no one will attempt TO excuse the man 90
account of his supposed goodness, nor yet be
cause he is weak aod igooraut. The acts
that have disgrace this Administration have
al been done before the opcGed eyes OF the
President.
Mr.. Conklng then goes on to review at great
Ierylh the history of The Electoral Commits
sion. lie says: The couDtry was 10 actual
danger yes, | mean that the danger was real
and imminent. The point OF peril vas not 10
the South, but 10 the West. 1t vas understood
that the republican leaders had determined to
hav, Vice President Ferry couot the votes A.
eli hazards and declare Hayes elected, and the
West was determined on resistance,
1t was to bs no chids play in that election.
General Ste.dmau had 20 OoO men enrolled and
assigned to reg ;lneDts for the purpose OF seat
ing Tilden in office in case Vice President Per
~ csr!ied out his proposed programme You
may look sstonished, but those things are true.
|
fessed to me that he he cid not know what to do.
He was gathering some troops at or near
Washington, but be did hot know how far he
could depend upon them. General Sherman
told him lhs: in case of trouble the symps:hes
o. large u s. ority Ct the officers snd soldiers o.
the regular srmy would be with T!lden, and
that the army must not be taken into consl1era-
, ton IS dependence in any UGH crisis
From these facts and from whs. was threaten
ed and prophesied publicly in those days you
can imagine how gloomy the outlook was al re-
publican councils The President asked my
sGvics, and | frankly to him did not believe
III It Vice President Ferry had any power to de-
are the vote, tut could merely sc. IN clericsl
cspsci.v 70 open the envelopes, and lay the votes
OF the Electoral College before the joint conVen'
: ton Of the two HOUSES Tor their decision sn1,
. BY the way, may as we'll state here that when
9 cs,tsin Senstor came TO me and said it was
propcsad to make me President Of the Senate IN
{ Ferry's plsce so that tie thing should rot miss
! fire l frankly told him that could no: accep.
the post on, and that By my Interpretation CT the
Constitution should BE- compelled to rule
exactly opposite to the wishes Of himself snd
friends.
He said II an fr!nk to say that thought
thin .knra was something not exactly stralgh
about tia: Louisiana business, but now be-
lieve tbs. when the " hole truth is known it will
sink this Administration, President snd all, &C
the lowest depths of Lf,my. Hayes has DIS
tineui:hed himself since his inaug urst!on by
u aEing the worst set Ct appointments: lha. ever
disgrsced the nstion. The Qumb-r Of nominees
for office now before committees against " &C m
serious clsrees s-e reHord' d is Formidable, md
there Is snoihr long list Of chsrgss against those
hereto fore rejected or COZ 1 md ah,ch is eq lal-
i Permissible and i. would DISCUS. The people
with the President if they could resd the record:
1t VI sli come Gu: some time. lfFayes shcu
send in message on civil service ref 'rm q list
OF tLp:" seec: f. Ids and fsvorie: Of the Presl-
deaf wi BE- published, snd it wi | nuke such
81 astounding ommentsry upon the p esldent $
words - would discomfort more philosophical
Cabinet than ths. in which Evsrts and Schurz
fsure as reformersh