The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-04-24
His Outspoken Review of the
Presidential Career of
Hayes.
What the New York Senator Always
Thinks and Seldom Says OF
Measures and of Men.
ConkIing Invenfs and Grant Approves
the Electoral COmmissiOn-Conk-
ling Now DenOunees the
Work of His own
Hands.
New York:world, III

A.
Senator Conkiing in this section have been
alike disappointed by his failure TO speak upon
the great public questions of the nour. BIS
friends have beeu confident that when he
opened his mouth he would put his enemies 10
flight, and his enemies have been quite as con-
be to their political advantage. Thus 1t has
happened that both sides have been grleVoCsly
disappointed as the silver bill passed and one
up and disposed OF without anything IKE
pitched battle. Mr.. COnkllng was certainly 10
Speak on the question OF passing the silver Dill
over the presidential vetO-at least so rulnor
said-and subsequently, 1T was given out thas
the prosecution of General Anderson, al New
Orleans, had given him just the pretext he
desired TO tram mis- heaviest artillery upon the
',a1n re and Ton viii mud that
people in Utica look upon II IN strict accord
ance with their political bias. The friends
OF the senator, IL must De confessed nhu IL I'LL
hcult to keep II , excuses for his inactlon.
While the battles over politics and finance
have been waging in congress, IT has been the
several interviews with Mr.. COnknng at
his home, covering such poin $ at Washington
as are OF pubic Interest, and giving his person
al opinions OF men and measures. The inter
views were long and free; questions were rap
idly piled and quickly answered, and notes
were made Immediately afterwards. In the
absence of a set speech on the policy OF the
administration and the record made in the
past year, these interviews have public inter-
est and value. Space fOrbids us TO furnish all
the details, but the cream OF the conversations
is herewith given. 1t is nol pretended that the
language verbatim report of the senator's
style-even IN the presence of solitary listen
were precisely as here related. Even IN the
quiet of his own library the senator speaks
with deliberation and emphasis. and there can
be no mistake to the precise shade of mean
ing his words are intended TO convey.
"Now," said the senat or as he drew two
chairs up to the register, n the chilly evening,
and placed an unlghJed cigar in his mouth TO
chew upon, ''sit right there and ask what ques-
tons you will. will answer and talk asong
until YOU are ready to have me stop, and then
you can ask another question and change the
theme. I'm al ready and can give you an
hour-or two. If you want it-and no one Will
"Well, senator. would like to know wheth.
er you think the true history OF the Louisiana
electoral business will ever be told in congress,
and II so, how soOn?"
Mr.. COnkling paused moment, then began
very slowly, warming up with his subject as
he proceeded: s.Yes, think il Will. do not see
how il can De Kept down There are too many
avenues of information opened TO day TO make
conceaiment OF avail much longer. No rea-
sonable man can doubt there was some kind
and that man Hayes, and that Stanley
Matthews and Sherman were privy TO IT, y
very great many people have become exceed
ingly curious 70 know precisely what the bar
gam was, and exactly how it was carried out;
and Yankee ingenuity will be sure 10 find
can not say how soon the facts viii come out,
for something may occur any day TO force
them TO the surface. IL viii probably be best
to let them come out naturally"
'1What viii be the result?"
1.-THE result Will be that the whole country
win be appalled, by the dishonor Of this adj
ministration. I tell you, sir, that never in the
history Of this nation has there been in the
corruption, baTtering OF Office, rewarding OF
political favOrites, traffic with political lead
ers and bargain and sale of the electoral fran
chtse as during this past year. People will not
believe Ii until the proof Is shown them; but
the proof will be forthcoming. People say that
Hayes is a good man and means well, but they
do not know what they talking about.
When all the facts are known about this adj
minlstration no one will attempt to excuse the
yet because ne Is weak aud ignorant The acts
that have disgraced this administration have
all been done before the opened eyes of the
when did you first begin to suspect this,
SENATOR"
"In the early winter of 1877, during the sit
ting OF the electoral commission. But let
go DacK beyond that point. You remember
how threatening were the days that followed
the the, ree5assseIn6Lng OF congress in December,
mean that the danger was real and lmmi-
nent. The point of peril was not in the south,
but IN the west; II was understood that the
Vice President Ferry count the votes at all
hazards, and declare Hayes ec-ed. and the
west was determined on resistance. 1t was to
be no child's play in that section. General
Steedman had 1000 men enrolled and assigned
to regiments for the purpose of seating Tiiden
in Office in case Vice President Ferry carried
out his proposed programme. You may look
astoniShed, but these things are true. Presi-
TO me that he did not know what TO do. He
was gathering some troops at or near Wash
1ngIOn, DuJ ne dld not know how far he could
depend upon them. General Sherman told
him that, in case of trouble, the sympathies OF
large majority of the officers aud soldiers of
that the army must not be taken into cOnsid-
Grafton as dependence in any such crisis.
From these facts, and from what was threat
ened and prophesied publicly in those days,
you can imagine how gloomy the outlook was
at republican councils The president asked
my advice and frankly told him that did
not believe that Vice President Ferry had any
power to declare the vote, but could merely act
Ia a q ffxv N fna araxra
and lay the votes Of the electoral college be.
fore the joint convention OF the two houses
Tor their decision. And, by the way, may as
well state here that when a certain senator
came TO me and said that IL was proposed 10
make me president OF the senate in Ferry's
place, so thas the thing should not miss fire,
frankly told him that I could not accept the
. position, and that by my Interpretation OF the
actly opposite 10 the wishes OF himself and his
friends. That wiz, perhaps, explain story
that Is told about me, and while we are on the
subject let me say that suggested subsequent
y That there was no constitution reason why
Grant should not be elected president of the
senate If they wanted a strong man there
though saw no necessity for any such change.
or course l knew there was no Likelihood OF
to see his successor peacefully inaugurated and
' TO enjoy long vacation afterwards.
GRANT DEsPAIRs-coSKLISG ISvENTs THE
ELECTORAL COMMISSION.
some evening went 10 the white house and
found Grant more gloomy than usual. He had
come 70 believe il ineyi able that his term
long consultation suggested TO him that there
seemed TO me one way out Of the trouble aud
only one. and i suggested To him the plan of
the electoral cosrm OMISSION He grasped IL in a
moment, and declared IL the very thing,
and that i would save the coun-
that If 1t became known in advance that the
plan was ours, IL would be sure to be defeated
by the democrats, aud left him much reliev-
ed IN the morning when / went to the white
house, found Sherman with the president
who had told him OF the plan-and both of
them expressed themselves with unb0unded
satisfaction. In the opinion of President
Grant-and must cay that concurred with
him-this submission of the question to the
highest legislative and judicial representatives
of the people was all that saved Us from blood
shed.
alt was exceedingly difficult to do anything
with the democratic senators and congress-
men at the start. You have no idea Of the
delicate and difficult work of the committee of
fourteen who drew up the act for the organi-
cation OF the electoral commission. IL was
fought over, not only section by section, but
line by line and word for word At times II