Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1878-04-23
Senator Conkling on the Presidential
Fraud.

New YORK, April 1.-THE World pubs
fishes letter from Utica IN. y cores
pendent giving the sum of q series of inter-
views with Senator Conklipg on the subject
Of tho elevation Of Hayes 70 the presidency.
Dir. Conkling is represented as saying in re-
ply to questions put to him, that he thought
the true history of the Louisiana electoral
business would be told that there are too
many avenues Of information opened to-day
to make concealment of avail much longer.
"No reasonable man can doubt" Re said,
"that there was some kind of bargain be-
tween Nichols and that man Hayes, and that
Stanley Matthews and Sherman were privy
to it." The result Of their exposure, he said,
'would be that the whole country will be
appalled, by the dshonor of this administers
ton" The Senator added that never in the
history of the nation had there been during
four years Of an administration SO much corr
ruption, barterinE of Offices, rewarding of ia
vorites, traffic with leaders and bargain and
sale of the electoral franchise as during this
past year. People will not believe it until
the proof is shown them, but the proof will
be forthcoming. People say that Hayes is a
good mau and means we'll, but they do not
know what they are talking about. When
all the facts are known about this admiuistra.
tion no one will attempt to excuse the man
on account of his supposed goodness, cot yet
because he is weak aud ignorant. The acts
that have disgraced this administration have
all been done before the opened eyes of the
President. Mr.. Conkling then goes OH to
review at great length the history of the elec>
toral commission. He says: 1.-THE country
was in actual danger. Yes, mean that the
danger was real and imminent. The point
of the peril was not in the South, but in the
West. 1t was understood that the republican
leaders had determined to have Vice-Pres-
ident Ferry count the votes at all hazards
and declare Hayes elected, and the West was
determined on resistance. 1t was to be no
child's play in that section. Gen Steedman
had 10000 men enrolled and assigned to
regiments for the purpose Of seating Tildcn
in Office in case Vices President Ferry carried
out his proposed programme. You may look
astonished, but these things are true. Pres
ident Grant was at his wits end. He con-
fessed to me that he did not know what to
do He was gathering some troops at or
near Washington, but he did not know how
far he could depend upon them. Gen. Sher
man told him that in case of trouble the
sympathies of a large njority OF tho officers
and soldiers Of the regulny army would be
with Tilden, and that the army must not be
taken into consideration as q dependence in
any such crisis. From these facts, and from
what was threatened 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 did not believe that Vice
President Ferry had any power to declare the
vote, but could merely act in clerical capac-
ty to open the envelopes and lay the votes
of the electoral college before the joint con-
vention of the two houses for their decision
and, by the way, l may as we'll state that
when certain Senator came to me and said
it was proposed to make me President of the
Senate in Fcrry's place, so that the thing
should not miss fire, frankly told him that
my Interpretation OF the constitution l should
be compelled to rule exactly 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 SUBJ
ject let me say that suggested subsequently
that there was no constitutional reason why
Grant should not be elected president of the
Senate if they wanted q strong man there,
though I no necessity for any such
change. OF course / knew there was no
likelihood Of such . choice, and that Grant
simply desired to soc his successor peacefully
inaugurated and to enjoy long vacation
afterwards"
Mr.. Coukling says that he then suggested
to President Grant the idea of the commits
sion, and that the latter embraced it heartily.
He gives the account Of the various inter-
views with the President and Gen. Sherman,
the difficulties the advocates Of the plan met
with, and then, in particular detail, why he
was convinced that Mr.. Hayes, then in Ohio,
was intriguing with Southern members Of
Congress
Speaking of the final vote he says: Il am
frank to say that thought then there was
something not exactly straight about the
Louisiana business, but now l believe that
when the whole truth is known it will sink
this ad administration, President and all, to the
lowest depths of infamy."
you think, then, Senator, that the Pres
ident is wholly in the hands of the Southern
democrats ?"
Il am sure Of it," said Senator Conkling.
Speaking of the administration as he now
regards it, the Senator said, in response to
the question of the correspondent, "There
has been, then, no reform under Hayes, not
even in the civil servicc?" Mr.. Conkling
said, "There, least of all. Hayes has distin>
guished himself since his inauguration by
making the worst set of appointments that
ever disg1aced the nation"