The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1878-08-21
(Cbntinuod from a. paoe. }

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sanste right Of Judgment BY the House
whether q choosing of the President
had develVed upon it from failure
Of election By the colleges.
Instead Of fixing as the centre Of
the contest the House Of Represen-
rtatiyes, whose constitutional powers
domiDated tIie situation and whose
majority vas In sympathy with the
majority or the people, the new
scheme was resting upon the Demo
cratic minority Of the senate divorc-
ed from the House Of Representa-.
tlves, making that House Of no ac-
count In these preliminary negotia-
tions, and by the effect of the bill
itself, when a law, caucelling the
transcendent authorities and the de-
cisive majority of the House as fac
tors in the counting Of the electoral
votes. 1t exchanged positive pow.
ers in the control of friends for the
privilege OF attempting persuasion
Of enemies.
Publicity had been the essence of
his own plan. with free debate In
the unelonded blaze Of public opin
ion. But this scheme, secretly pre-
pared, was only privately debating
until such extensive and influential
Democratic committals were urged
and made as to disable others from
efectual support of a different pol
icy.
1t involved an unnatural and IN
necessary concession by Democratic
aegotiators, as if it were their duty
to devise novel expedients, their
duty to smooth down rough road
for the conspirators to travel. But
his plan had conceded nothing to
their impotence, had refused eV'
erything-except incredulity-tO
threats, and would put their menaced
usurpations to the torture of proof
in the act.
It petrified the "fierce Democra-
cy' themselves in all their popular
assemblies; and reducing him and
them to damaging choice between
dissent and assent-dissent from the
party's most valued counsellors by
refusing to submit to arbitrament
ostensibly fair, and assent to the
silence and inaction which their plan
imposed.
NO RESERVES BUT NO SANCTION.
1t will be clear. from the tele-
grams below, supplementary TO the
interview between Mr.. Tilden and
Mr.. Hewitt, OF which some memo
randa are now 10 be given, that so
long as the matter was open for de-
liberation there was no ground for
imputing 10 Mr.. Tilden any dispo-
sitlon to reserve. No indeed was
there ever any ground for such an
imputation except that be would
not be drawn into The slightest ex-
preston of personal sanction TO the
electoral scheme, after it had been
adopted on the 18th with unanimity
by the Democratic members Of the
committees of both houses ard had
practically supplanted his own pre-
ferred plan of party action, and
when his declared dissent would
have been unavailing to reinstate
that plan. and only effectual to en-
barrass the experiment in which,
without his concurrence and against
his counsel, the rights, interests and
hopes of the Democracy from the
elections OF 1876, had become mex
tricably involved.
TILDEN's INTERVIEW WITH HEWITT.
Mr.. Tilden, in his interview with
Mr.. Hewitt on the 14th, did not
Withhold the grounds Of bis, objection
to the bill. as policy, or in its de-
tails. Expressing some surprise at
the fact Of which he was repeatedly
assured by Mr.. Hewitt, shat the
Democratic Senators. had determin-
ed upon their course whatever his
advice or wishes might be, and some
surprise at the secrecy which had
shrouded the CESSATION of their pro-
ject, Mr.. Tilden observed that secre-
cy in respect to any plan implica-
ting the rights and interests Of so
many, was a mistaken and unfortu.
nate policy. He recommended the
widest publicity, the fullest discus
sion the freest consultation, as
Democratic method always excel
lent in itself and contributing to the
prosperity and stability of all self
and in the present in
stance no way hnEtful, but advant-
ageous, rather to the interests of
the Democratic party.
To the argument Of haste, Mr..
Tilden replied:
There is time enough. It is q
month before the count. Il had
best be used. all of it. in making the
people and their agents fully ac-
4uainted with their rights and du-
les"
To the statement that the Senate