The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1878-03-07
THAT CONFERENCE.
Charles Fosters Version of What Took
Place at the Celebrated Gathering at
WormIey's.


nal long interview with Representa-
tive Charles Foster, of Ohio, giving his
yerson Of the celebrated conference at
Wormley's Hotel, and all that took
place in connection with the adjustment
OF the electoral difficulties. In answer
to a question by the correspondent as to
what part he Foster) took in the mat
ter, the latter said
II had KNOWN Gov. Hayes all my life not
Intimately, but had seen and knew enough of
| hi1n to have clearly-defined notions of what
ais views were upon the one question that en-
gagged their attention more than all others,
VIZ: that of local SELF government. had no
doubt as to his course, although I had never
exchanged word orally or by letter with him
| ON the subject. About the Goth of
| February believed the time had come when
ought tc make public declaration of what
| believed his purpose to be. 1 consulted with q
| number of Ohio gentlemen, friends of the
gentlemen. although 1 recall but one at this
moment, and he not member of Congress
These gentlemen all agreed that I ought to
make the little speech which has been COM
mented upon SO much. The speech was but
little else than repetition of part of his let
| ter Of acceptance. In response to this speech
l received a letter from the President, thank
ing me for it, and substantially indorsing the
sentiments expressed in it. This letter
marked private, but the gravity of the situa-
| tion Mt the time wue such that felt justified
in showing 1t to ntlt1ber CT gentlemen"
''It is generally reported that you showed
| this letter to the anti-hhbusters."
"On the Goth of February the Hon. John
Young Brown and Senator Gordon invited me
to conference with them, which Mr.. Brown
has detailed with much particularly. Some of
| the minor details of his statement are not in
| exact accord with my remembrance Of them.
| The final result of the interview WAS the pf0m
Use to give him the letters signed by myself and
! Senator Matthews, which WAS done the next
day, and which have been widely published.
My understanding at this time was that Mr.
Brown desired the letters for some personal
use in a possible contingency in the future :;
| certainly no thought of influencing his action
by furnishing these letters ever occurred to
me-"
: and what WAS that Wormley conference?"
''On the same evening th5 meeting at Worm
ley's was held. There were present Mr.. Mat
| thews, Senator Sherman, Gov. Dennison, Gen.
| Garfield and myself, of Mr.. Hayes friends :;
| MIR. Watterson Mr.. Ellis and Mr.. Burke are all
that can recall of the other side at this mo-
ment- doubtless others We're present. 1t WAS
distinctly stated by MIR. Matthews and other
/ friends of Gov HAYES that we did not pretend
to be authorized to speak for him, that We
conld not ask him for expression of his
| views, but that, knowing him as we did, we
believed that he would give to the States of
South Carolina and Louisiana what they de-
| sred, viz. local self government. Mr.. Burke
had with him paper, which be read to Gen.
Garfield in my hearing Che may have read it to
| all of us, but think not), the general purport
| being a statement of what we might expect If
| the Nichols Government sustained, viz. :
| fair treatment of all classes of citizens--er-
! bodying, should say, substantially the reso-
| lutions of the Nichols Legislature passed last
May, and nothing more"
= WAS there any bargain of any sort ?"
''Not at all; nothing of the Sort absolutely
nothing. Gen. Garfield said to Burke that we
would not make any bargain if one should be
proposed; that we stated in good faith what
we believed Gen. Hayes would do, and that we
did not require any pledges from them. So far
! as know not even suggestion OF bargain was
| made BY any onei nor was anything said, done,
| promised or ggested which woudin in the least
/ degree influence the vote of any member of
! Congress. No suggestion WAS then made, or at
any other time Ito my knowledge). of bar
gain by which anything was to be done in con-
sideration of anything relating to the Electoral
Count BILL to the Presidential succession. or to
anything whatever, directly or indirectly con-
nected with it, or with the future of any politi-
cal party existing or to be created"
"What was the nature of the paper which
Burke hadP
''The paper was simply memorandum,
without signature, stating, in substance, what
the Nichols Government would do in case it
should be sustained. 1t did not cover more
,
idea of it was that the Nichols Government
would treat all citizens of louisiana fairly; that
no person should be punished for opinions
sake; that colored men should enjoy all the
rights guaranteed by the constitutional amend
ments. The memorandum embodied substan-
tally an outline of the declarations which
subsequently made in the resolutions passed by
the Nichols Legislature"
- Was there any mention made III that mem
orandum, or in any memorandum, or at that
conference, of the Returning Board, or of any
action to be taken, or not taken, concerning
FTP"
.'Ths Returning Board was not mentioned
! at the conference within my hearing, nor was
any ference made to it,"
'' Vas the meeting a dinner party?"
The meeting was entirely informal There
! was no organization. 1t was not called to or
| der. Nobody stated its object. There WAS no
Chairman. 1t consisted of general talk about
the room among the different gentlemen who
were there. Little groups were gathered at
different parts of the room, talking at the same
/ time. For this reason, doubtless, it happened
| that Maj. Burke read his paper to Garfield in
my hearing, and that the other persons in the
| room at the time may not have known any
| thing about it. We sat sofa apart to our
selves"
'tDid anybody make any suggestions as to
what the policy of the Nichols Government
would be except Burke?'
"Nobody that I remember said anything
else about Nichols or his Government except
| Burke"
We're there any suggestions as to South Caro-
! lima 2"
'sSouth Carolina was not mentioned in the
conference, except in general way of refer
! ring to the policy which Gov. Hayes would be
! likely to adopt-that of local self-government.
The conference may have been two hours in
| length
.fWhat became of that memorandum
| 81 suppose Burke kept it !; he certainly did
not give it to nybody, or offer to give it to any
| body, that 1 heard. 1t is all the paper
of any kind that was shown at the meeting
| ''Where is the letter of Gov. Hayes to you ??
81 thought had it here among my papers.
L have a number of letters from him, but
don't find 1t, and suppose L must have left 1t at
home"
"Can YOU remember the substance of it?"
! Il can remember the substance, and, 1 think,
the exact language. The letter w's almost
identically this
| accept my thanks for your speech of Feb.
-. will not make statements TO influence
results, hut, if the r suit is favorable. your I'M
derstanding of my policy will be found to be
| correct. >"
"That is the substance-I think the very
| language of the letter. There was not more
! than six lines in it. 1t a substantial in
dorsement of what said in my speech of
believe the date was Feb. 90"
| 'What was your object in making that
speech?'
| My only purpose in any statement that l
made was TO impress upon the opposition my
| convictions as to the probable policy of Gov.
/ Hayes. If the opposition could De convinced
| that | correctly represented Gov. Hayes views,
l thought that could see a reasonable chance
for peaceful execution of the Electoral Count
| bill. L asked for no promises in return DO
suggestion ever made by me to anybody
tbst certain things were to be done by the
other side in consideration of certain things to
be done by Gov. Hayes, should he be success
| ful. No mention was ever made OF the Speak
| ership. In fact, far NV con-
nected with that office, nothing of the kind
| ever occurred to me until l saw the matter
mentioned in the public prints after the in
| auguration of President Hayes. l never heard
| ahnI1t the Texas Pacific