The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-08-08
FACTS OF HISTORY.
GOV. TILDEN AND THE ELECTOR-
AL COMMISSION.
Manton Marble Takes Hand In the Hewitt Wat
tersOn COntrOVersy-An Authorized Exposition
Of Governor Tllden's Plan, Which Was to
Meet the Issue Boldly on the Line
OF Safe Precedents.
New York, August 8, 1878.

belief, q suspicion that the rightful President
might have become the President In fact, except
for some act or omission Of his own, Taking ad-
vantage Of Mr. Tllden's silence efforts are making
10 spread this uniounded belief In the public
mind.
The truth ia that nothing Mr.. Tilden did, caus-
ed, and nothing was omitted by him 10 avert, the
success Of The plot which in the winter OF 1867
effected revolution in the Presidential suCCe'
sion.
THE WATTERsoN.HEwITT CORRESPONDENCE,
In recent correspondence between the Hon.
Henry WattersOn, member Of the 4ith Congress,
and editor of the Louisville (Ky) Courier-JournGl
and the Hon. Abram s. Hewitt, lately chairman
of the National Democratic Committee the latter,
30 far as 1t fell in the line of his immediate con-
troVersy, referred without any apparent reserve,
to an interview aud supplementary kilograms be-
tween himself and Mr. Tilden, which, were they
completely reported and published, would in
clude precisely the critical act and undivulged
part Of the history Of that eventful winter. So
that Mr.. WGtterson ended his rejoinder by saying
that as to some "Of the facts here touched upon
Prospecting the history OF the Electoral Bill and
iof Mr. Tildens relation thereto there is, believe
"but one personal witness, Mr. Mant0n Marble, l
"submit II to the consideration OF the Democratic
"party and to Mr., Marbles sense Of public duty,
"Wnether II Is not now incumbent upon him to
publish those facts, and to put on record the
IWhole of this important chapter in our political
'annals"-TM Y Sun, June 30, 1878.
After due reflection and some reluctance, the
undersigned has felt constrained TO own and dis
charge the obligation which this call imposes
without further delay or Difference for others who
are equally or sufficiently well informed, and
whose recollection COncurs with his own. But
not unless his implied and overt release by Mr.
frnnn thn OhlipOt Of nOnt10nnlial
municahOn should have been assented to by his
interlocutor-w which, having been requested, was
not refused, (a)
THE REPUBLICAN coNsPIRAoY-ITs PARTS,
Fhe Republican conspiracy Of fraud and force
after short incubation Clipped shell on the NOR
row Of the elections of 1876. The party managers
had scarcely believed defeat possible They awoke
that day TO find Mr.. Tilden the President-elect
Within twenty-four hours dispatches were hurried
over the wires by .. Chandler, from the party
headquarters to his agents in three Southern cap
itals, where the State Returning Boards Republi.
can ally Of South Carolina, Florida and Louisiana
we're shortly to assemble, suggesting not obsure.
ly the role that each was required to play in fals
flying the vote and voice Of the people at the bal
lotbox, All three States together having nineteen
votes, were precisely requisite to give Mr.. Hayes
q fraudulent majority Of one vote, 80 to each
sngly 1t was telegraphed that the other two States
were "saie," and all was depending on the one
addressed The plot involved the help and eOun-
tenance Of all three Boards in this premeditated
reversal o. the actual returns, by the presence and
advice Of Northern Republicans, "Visiting states.
men," whom President Grant assisted TO summon.
Itinvolved the nervlng of all three Boards for
conscious wrong by the vicinity OF Federal troops
which President Grant made haste to send. Con-
testing and fraudulent votes having thus been
provided and aterWard foisted in among the true
electoral votes dHly cast In thirtyeght States not
accepting these three by the actually chosen elec'
tors on the law day. and Transmitted to Washing
ton, December 9th, and there awaiting count by
the two Houses Of Congress the conspiracy next
involved the pretense by the temporary custodian
and opener of the votes the President Of the Sen
ate, to right of counting and Of selecting the
votes to be counted. Finally the conspiracy in.
volved the assemblage of troops at Washington
also, and the public avOwal, by President Grant.
then occupying the White House, Of intent to
transfer the Executive Office TO pro em President
Ferry in the event of failure of the count or to
the person designated by Ferry pronuncidrnento
In two published interviews" adroitly timed,
the first when Congress had met, the second when
II had reconVened after the Christmas recess. (6).
President Grant uttered and circulated this sints
ter avOwal, citing statute icy which palpably re-
fers to no such event as the eXpiry Of his own
term, and carefully neRlecting to cite the Consti,
tuition, (d) where 1t provides that the House and
colleges Now Ferry was neither one OF the two,
nor one Of the three highest candidates voted for,
but he put II among the reporters icy that II the
two Houses failed TO agree" he would shirk mo
responsibility" Burlesquing Lady Godiva in her
long hair, when clothed upon with chastity" he
was ready to ride down Pennsylvania avenue in
nothing but his red beard and stolen magistracy.
TILDENs PLAN FOR ITS DEFEAT.
When this flagltious complot was fragrant in all
It's parts, and while as yet not one Republican
hierarch from Professor Woolsey to Mrs, jerks,
had challenged the conspirators with a.
Stand thou on that side, for on this am Il"
1T is no secret that Mr. Tilden, comprehending
its scope, its dangers, and his own responsibility
as well, in the primacy of leadership to which he
had been newly chosen by his party and elected
by his COuntrymen, matured and determined up
on plan to encounter and defeat the cabal, and
to maintain at once the Presidential succession
and the public peace.
Forasmuch as the plot to filCh the Presidency
and the Government from the elect Of the people,
besides Its two qualities Of fraud and force, had
two periods and parts 1t is timely here TO observe
just where Mr., Tilden abstaiued from encounter
ing it, and just at what period and part he plan
ned to destroy IT,
WHERE TILDEN DID NOT ATTACK CONSPIRACY.
President Grants order to General Sherman,
three days after the election professed lmpatlally
in his purpose to secure fair count Of the vote as
actually cast in the three States where the tele
grams of Chandler were instigatlng fraudulent
count. Yet his designation Of watchers Of the
canvass was confined, by "cericsl error" Of
course to his own party, and summoned Its most
unscrupulous attorneys and politicians. The
chief and guiding members of these quasi official
Commissions, as 1t turned out were special friends
and private agents of Mr.. Hayes. 1t is now prov
en- and notorious that they IL was who worked out
the primary part and fraudulent groundwork of
the conspiracy, directing If not deVisng the per-
juries forgeres and paper abrioauons OF the local
and county officials or pretending their regularity
and legality before the State Canvassers To hear
Noyes defend the Alaohua frauds and forgeries
before the Florida Board with gushing elOduenCe
and the fabricated testimony Of 228 afidavts. all
by an extraordinary coincidence writing one and
the same hand, would have given that canting
hYpocTite Pecksnif himself, moral vOmit (0.
These agents from Ohio were also the systematic
suborners Of the inferior officials of their accom-.
plices and their false witnesses, In multiianous
crimes. They promised the official trusts Of the
g0Aernment as DElbes for the commission of high
criminal offences. In so many instances as to be
past counting their promises have been adopted
and performed by Mr.. Hayes. Nearly all the con-
spring members Of the State Returning Boards,
large numbers Of the local election officers, their
aoocmplCes, their witnesses their TOOLS row hold
ment by appointment or recommendation from
Mr.. Hayes. But these deputized go-betweens and
real principals in the crime of reversing the ac
tual returns, he has rewarded by gift of the high
est trusts In the administrative and diplomatic
service.
CERTIFICATES PURCHAsEABLE.
Now, It is anybody's secret, throughout the
month while this groundwork and primary part
of the conspiracy was heaping up and comment.
ing in debauchment and dishoBor, the certificates
Of these three State Canyassing Boards were for
sale. Already 1t is proved that two were actually
purchased. Probably 1t will yet appear that the
third was likewise obtained They were bought
by promises of office, or by money or by both.
Traces OF money paymen are darkly visible to the
Potter Committee. The Senate and Department
records show the numerous and more immoral
payments-with public offices, pos sessed through
o crime and then prOstitued for It's reWard--in-
stead Of with the purchasers own funds. Two of
the Boards held back their action till the last Of
the twenty nine days. Meanwhile swarmB of
brokers were Offering to the higheat bidder the |