The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-02-14

which l was travelling. lie has simply
been giving US here published testimony
which anybody might have read for him
self. alluded to the speech which be
made on this floor, in which he said, or in
which the newspapers reported him q:
having said, that as far as the gift o.
the Presidency was in his hands he
would rather give up the Presidency than
see one drop OF blood spilled in the de
fence of the Democratic party. go'
that from the newspapers. l believed il
then and / believe it yet. Laughter.
Mr.. Hewitt-lt seems that on mere
newspaper paragraph, this Immaculate
and honorable gentleman from South
Carolina Aiken infers that q brother
Democrat had sold the Presidency. He
will be surprised to know that no such
words ever fell from my lips on the hool
OF this House, or anywhere else, and thai
when saw it going the rounds of the
newspapers, it was one OF the very few
cslumnies that l contrsdicted owe. my
own name.
Mr.. Aiken-I am glad to hear it.
Mr.. Hewltt-He says he Is glad tc
hear it. If he had had such q sentiment
in his heart, and if he had had that high
feeling OF honor which should govern q
South Csroinian, he would, before
making that charge upon the floor, have
come TO me and asked how much truth
there was in 1t. l wear ny heart upon
my sleeve, and there is nothing which i
have done from the beginning TO the
end of that business but what am ready
to proclaim and have published.
Mr. Luttrell suggested TO Messrs.
Hewitt and Aiken that it was only eight
miles to Blsden burg, the ia nous duelllng
ground, and that although the roads
were muddy, he thought they could get
there.
Mr.. Hewitt brushed aside the intims-
tion, and then said he would answer the
question as TO what assurance had been
given for the withdrawal of the troops
from Louisiana and South Carolina, and
on this point he said: After the decision
OF the Electoral tribunal in the Louisi.ns
case, it became apparent TO me, rs it did
to every intelligent person who studied
the situation, that the final de.
cision of the Electoral Commission
would award the Presidency TO
Hayes. OF course | felt that it WAS q
great grievance, but also felt that as we
had submitted that question to the tribu.
nal we were bound BY its decision, and
told every body that | should vote to sus-
tain every decision o. the tribunal, nc
matter what the result might be, but
did not see any reason why, because Mr..
Hayes was going into the Presidency,
should ignor the fac. that there was a
large number of gentlemen in the Houi {
and they had told me the count should
never be completed. On that statement
l reflected, and l said to myself: unless il
is understood that the troops shall be
withdrawn from LOUISIANA and South
Csrolins. civil war will surely follow.
The members from Louisiana assured
me that their people would no longer
submit TO the military domination.
knew il they resisted, the other Southern
States would be in honor bound TO
help them, and thought that if could
not save the presidency from the wreck,
there was not any good reason
why South Carolina and Louisiana
should not be saved. Thereupon, of my
own motive,I went TO my friend from
Ohio Foster and made to him pretty
much the same remark that | now make.
The reason why | went to him was be.
cause he made speech on this floor in
which he declared what the President :
policy would be. ard be believed it and
| belieYed it. said TO the gentleman /:
81 fear that there will be trouble unless
you can satisfy these Southern gentle
men that this policy which you
have declared TO be the policy
of tie incoming administration
will be adhered to. He said to me {:
"Whst can | do2" | said: II do not
know; II is not my business, but | tell
you the facts He said 81 will see about
j." and subsequently,, l. think the next
day, he came back to me aud showed me
letter which has since been published.
| read il. He said "Will that be salts
fsctory2' SAID: "Mr. Foster, II Is not
me who you have TO satisfy, it ls the
other gentlemen. To me il would not be
Satisfactory, bat you must go TO them
and satisfy them that this policy will be
carried out" That was the last
iterview which / had with Mr.
Foster on the subject. Whist followed
came TO nae from other persons. had
no part in bargain If Il was made. |
knew nothing OF its terms, but | WAS
told on the day that the Vermont returns
had been put through the joint conven-
ton; that these gentlemen from South
Carolins were satisfied and there could
be no good reason why the count should
not proceed. ! do not know how they
were satisfied. l have never seen any
member from Louisiana about il. only
know that tsey told me that they
were satisfied, and on that SO
far as had any acquaintance, | e1erted
il for the completion Of the count. ! did
II in the interest OF peace, | did It IN the
interest of my country and believe did
.hen the wisesI and best act Of nv life so
far as | had any connection with the mat
ter. If other men made improper bar.
gains l know nothing Of them. Have
answered the gen!lemen's E.lsworIht
question 10 bis ssts action
Mr.. Ellsworth made no reply.
The political skirmuhing lasted nes'ly
two hours, and desiring that time the
scenes in the Hsuse were Of highly eT.
cited character. The members on the
Republican side seemed 70 enjoy keeb!y
the Internecins war on tha cppo-
site eide OF the chamber, and were most
eager in the encouragement OF Aiken,
Ellis and other 81 togonists, whom Hewitt
hAd on hand. And Copger was con-
staLtly and irrepressi5ly on his feet, seek
ing opportunities 70 send poison ed
arrows into the euemy's camp. The
remarks OF Mr.. Garfield we're delivered
With even more than bis usual earnest
ness snd ye5emence, and the applause
which greeted them from bic OWE sids OF
the house Was hearty snd sPontsneous'