The Portland daily press., 1878-04-17
SENATOR CONKLING INTER
VIEWED.
He Den0unces the Administration
And Reviews the Electoral Commits
sion History.

NEW YORK, April 16.-The World of tomor-
row will publish long and important letter
from its Utica. N. Y, Correspondent, being a
sum OF series OF interviews with Senator
Conkling at bis home in that city at intervals
during the past few months. The relations be-
tween the correspondent and Senator COnk-
ling, the World says, were such az M de entire
frankness necessary on the part of the latter.
and the World adds that the correspondence
name will be forthcoming If the slightest real
occasion for publishing it should arise.
In the interview the Senator spoke with the
utmost freedom about the successive steps that
led to the formation of the electoral commis-
sion, the part had in it by the prominent DEM
ocratic and Republican members of Congress
and by President Hayes and his friends. In
the course of the interview the World cores
pondent askrd:
swell, Senator, would like to know wheth.
er you think the trure history of the Louisiana
electoral business will ever be told in Congress,
and If 80, how soon."
Mr.. Conklipg paused moment, then he be-
gan very slowly warming up with the subject
as he proceeded. "Yes, 1 think it will. 1 do
not see how it can be kept down. No reasona-
BILE man can doubt that there was some kind OF
a bargain between the friends of Nichols, and
Sherman were privy to it, [ cannot say how
soon facts will come out for something may oc-
cur any day to forece them to the surface. 1t
will probably be best to let them come out
naturally. oj
What will be the result?
The result will be that the whole country
will be appalled, by the dishonor of this admin
istra Gion. tell you sir that never in the his
tory of this nation has there been, In the en-
tire four years of an administration so much
corruption, bartering of offices, rewarding of
political leaders and bargains and sale of the
electoral franchise as during this past year.
The people will not believe it until the proof
will be forthcoming. The people say that Hayes
is good man and means well, but they do not
know what they are talking about: When all
the facts are known about the administration
no one will attempt to excuse the man on ac-
count of his supposed goodness, nor yet because
he is weak and ignorant The acts that have
disgraced this administration have all been
done before the opened eyes of the President.
Mr.: Conkling goes on to review at great
length the history of the electoral commission.
IA says the country was in actual danger.
The point of peril was not in the South, but in
the West. 1t was understood that the Repub-
ican leaders had determined to have Vice
President Ferry count the votes at all hazards
and declare H elected and the rest was
10000 men enrolled and assigned to regiments
for the purpose of seating Tilden in Office in
case Vice President Ferry carried out his pro-
posed programme. President Grant was at his
wits end. He confessed to me that he did not
know what to do. He was gathering troops at
or near Washington bat he did not
know how far he could depend upon them.
Gen. Sherman told him in case of trouble
the sympathies of large majority of the
officers and soldiers of the regular army would
be with Tilden, and the army must not be
taken into consideration as dependence in
any such crisis. From these facts and from
what was threated and prophesied publicly
you can imagine how. gloomy the outlook was
at Republican councils The President asked
my advice and frankly told him I did moi
believe Vice President Ferry hadaany power to
declare the, but could merely act in clerical
capacity to open the envelopes aud lay the
votes of the electoral college before the joint
convention of the two Houses for their decision,
and by the way | may as well state here that
when certain Senator came to me and said
that it was proposed to make me
place SO the thing should not MICS fire.
l frankly told him that 1 could not accept the
position and that by my Interpretation of the
Constitution should be compelled to rule ex-
actly opposite to the wishes of himself and
friends. That will perhaps explain one story
that is told about me, and while we are on the
subject let me say that l suggested subsequent
" that there was no constitutional reason why
Grant should not be elected President of the
Senate ii they wanted strong man there,
though saw no necessity for any such change.
OF course knew there was no likelihood OF
and such chance and that Grant simply desired
to see his successor peacefully inaugurated aud
to enjoy long vacation afterwards.
Conkling says he then suggested to President
Grant the idea of the commission, and that the
latter embraced it heartily. He sgives an &C
count OF various interviews with the President
and General Sherman.
This is all received up to the hour of COINS
to press.