The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-06-15
THE ELECTORAL COUNT.
TmR SMALL PART THE WORMLEY con-
FERENCE PLAYED I'm SET
THING THE PREsIDEx-
TTAL QUESTION.
The Plans Of the Filibusters-HOw They
Expected to Secure q New EaectiOIl-
grants share in the Settlement.

rnisrepresented In New York journal to-day
Ms having said that he got the written sigma
tures oil forty-two Southern members to a
pledge that they would resist filibustering
and see to 1t that the electoral count was
completed. Mr.. Hill wishes 1t kn0wnthat he
aaid nothing Of this kind, and that there was
mo written pledge at all. The plain fact, well
known at the time, Is, that Joint CAUCUS OF
the Democrats was held on the evening OF the
seventeenth TO consult about the policy OF the
party In regard to the electoral count. The
Florida ease had been decided against Mr..
Tilden, the Louisiana case was to come up In
The House on Monday. the nineteenth, and
some OF the Democrats were urging that the
House, by filibustering delays, would prevent
the count going on; hence the caucus, at
which Mr.. Reagan, Of Texas, offered the fol-
lowing resolution.
Res0Iysd. That the count of the electoral
voteshall proceedwithout dilatory opposition
to the orderly execution OF the act OF Con-
Rress creating the Electoral Commission,
whose decisions shall be received and acted
upon In accordance with the provisions Of the
said law
Senator's Bayard and Herman and Messrs.
Hill Singleton, John Young Brown and 9TH
9fB spoke In favor of this resolution, and 1t
was said at the time that Mr.. Hill made one
Df the most 1OTCIDlD anu eI0Queub BpB6GHGB Oh
his life on that occasion. Representatives
Hurd, Walllng and Southland, OF Ohi.5, and
I4ynde and Thompson opposed, but the reso-
tuition was adopted almost unanimously in
the end, and 1t Is fact that the Southern
men, forty-two In number, were among those
who supported Mr.. Reagan's resolution. The
action Of the caucus settled the question of
9iIibuBtering, as was understood at the time,
but Mr.. Hill says truly when he denies that
there was any written pledge by anybody.
THE woRMLEY CONFERENCE
The Wormley conference, of which SO much
has been said, did not take place until eight
days later, on the twenty-fifth of February
At it were present Mr.. Watterson, of Ken
lucky; Mr.. Ellis, OF Louisiana; Senator now
Secretary Sherman, Gen. Garfield, Mr.. Fos-
ter, Mr.. Stanley Matthews, ex-Gov. Dennison,
of Ohio; Major Burke, of New Orleans, and
one or two others. Mr.. Hayes view Of the
Southern question, as shown In his letter OF
acceptance and as known to his personal
friends, were freely stated and gave great
comfort to Southern men, though they were
mot new to them. These views Mr.. Hayes has
since carried out, and his policy has given
peace and quiet to the country.
PLAN OF THE FILIBUsrERs.
Congressman Washington q. Whitthorne,
who was one OF the filibnsters. "first, last and
all the time," as he expresses himself, says
to-day that their plan contemplated q final
stand upon the vote of Vermont when the
one Of the electors Of that State was TO be
contested, and the yeas and nays called upon
every motion, the intention being to protract |
the counting of the vote down to within twelve |
hours OF the fourth Of March, and Brighten the |
senate into desectng new President s pro tenn
States by the failure TO complete the electoral |
count. In the struggle OF the Republican |
Senators TO make their selection 1t was hoped, |
he says, that they would be divided between
Democratic Senators could dictate the cleo
ton q q man who was TO agree, on becoming
President of the United States, TO order new
presidential election within sixty days from
The fourth Of March. This plan, he says,
JAILED, MI. Randall falling TO recognize the
member who was to make the filibustering
gnQtion on Vermont. But the. scheme never
had enough support to give 1t chance OF
success.
There we're several plots Of this kind, and
M0siDtless O. certain number OF men adhered
10 them, but whenever they came TO the test
caucus OF the seventeenth of February
showed that the majority OF the Democratic
party was firmly opposed to any irregular
or revolutionary proceedings. 1t Is quite
true that OF that majority the Southern men
formed large part. Their course at that
time deserved and won the confidence OF the
country. They showed an unalterable oppo-
Bition TO violence or anything that might pro-
Cuce 1t.
THE LOUISIANA SETTLEMENT.
Nor was the Louisiana question settled by
any Wormley conference agreement or any
bargain Whatever unless Gen. Grant was the
bar9ainer, and nobody has so far accused him
OF that. In the last days Of February Pres
dent Grant was In frequent conference with
Major Burke and other Louisiana Democrats
who, at his desire, kept him fully informed Of
the condition of affairs In Louisiana from
their point Of view, and they had his often
repeated assurance, as your correspondent
knows, that he would not change the condi-
tiOn of matters In the State, but would refuse
to recognize either Packard or Nichols, leav-
Ing the matter to be settled by the new adj
ministration in the way in which his own full
Information had convinced him 1t must be
settled, by the withdrawal OF the troops,
which he knew would result In the supremacy
of Gov. Nichols.
GEN. GRANTS SHARE.
Gen. Grants honorable share in all those
transactions is but little known. The follow
ing dispatches, now for the first time made
public, show that the absolute weakness OF
Packard and his inability to maintain him.
self without Federal help were known to Gen.
Grant early In January, not only by Packard's
own confessions, as seen In these dispatches,
but BY the testimony Of Republican Senator'S
all of whom assured him that unless he at
once used the army and the Federal power
for Packard he must fall. OF course these ap-
peals and confessions were kept very secret,
but 1t was on them that Gen. Grant based his
opinion of the situation, which he uttered
when In February he openly said that the
American people were tired of seeing State
government exist only by the help Of the army,
and that IL Mr.. Packard could not maintain
himself without the help OF the Federal gov
eminent he must fall
THE DISPATCHES.
The following series of dispatches suf-
ficiently showed President Grant Packard's
weakness in January, and 1t will be seen by
the replies which were sent to them, one OF
them from Gen Grant himself, that so far
back as that time he had made up his mind
that If Packard could not stand alone he
must fall.
NEW ORLEANS, January 6, 1877.
Attorney General Taft:
The leading Democratic organ In an editorial
this evening headed 1.-THE Crisis Upon Us
Will We Submit2' favors rebellion. The
judges elected on the Democratic ticket are
not recognized by prominent Democratic
lawyers. The situation is hourly becoming
more alarming, and something must be done
Immediately to prevent it. Answer quick.
PITKIN, Marshal.