The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-27
HEWITT'S SHARP REJ0lNDER
MORE or THE HISTORT OF THE ELEC-
TORlL COMNISSION BILL.

MIR. Tiiden DID Ohicct Go-The Hcsponst-
biiIty that Mr.. Tiiden mid Not Take
Meeting In speaker Rnndnlrs Koom-The
Meeting of senator. and Hcprescnta-
tves In Mr.. uevitrs House-Mr. Hcw-
urs Interview with Fresident Grant.
To THE ED1ToR or THE SUN-.Su: Since
nv return from the country have read tho
omen letter which Mr. Watterson saw nt to adj
dress 10 me through your columns on Sunday
last and have reviewed the correspondence
which preceded It, Mr.. Watterson appears 10
be mIslcd partly by blind passion. partly by
ignorance Of the facts. and partly by wild
imagination. which seems to paralyze his judg-
ncnt II not his conscience.
Tho letter Of Sunday. while 1t Is somewhat
vague and contradictory fails utterly to COM
prohend my true position in reference to the cleo
toral struggle. and abounds in mlsstatcments
which 1t Is my duty TO expose. The task is not
agrateiul one. but II has the redeeming COM
pen-ation Of enabling me to remove from the
public mind some false impressions which
have been used by designing men to my pref
ulls.
NJ Watterson makes the following statement:
You arc mistaken when You say that have charged
you with suppressing any telegram or kilograms from
Nj T.icu
On the 10Th Of February 1878. the following
telegram appeared in the New York city papers
slip which | cut from The Sun reads as follows:
Lo.r.rilir Ky Feb 10 e-Rcfcrring cditorally to Mr.
Hewus promised de- laoh the Cari,Jo4rai this
Ing contains the following In the end the complete
history oi the m.smanagcmcnt of the Democratic cam
psgn alter the election of Mr. Tilden will unfold itself
Il will then be- found that Mr. rlien himself opposed
to the Electoral bill and made his opposition sufficiently
dsunct to Mr. Hewitt that Mr Hewitt suppressed Mr
1,n. despatch and went ahead IN spite OF his master
aud that hut that IL was unsafe to swap horses in the
niiile Of the Mr. Hewitt would have been super.
seiei iu tie middle OF January"
This extract was taken from the newspaper OF
which Mr.. Waiterson Il the editor. 1t was every
whore assumed that he wrote it. He never de-
MED the authorship and at any rate is respon-
siUh Tor it. II ii does not charge that sup
pressed despatch from Mr.. Tilden then words
taye no significance.
This however. is a trivial matter compared
viii the following assertion in his letter:
Yy know and know. that Mr ridcn di.approved OF
te Elg toral bill You know. and know that you
ipsni sunday the IAN OF January. IN New York and
Es1he made his objections sufficiently known to YOU
am very unwilling TO believe Of any man
That he would deliberately misrepresent facts N
order to iniure another; but Mr.. Watterson
ought TO have known when he wrote this pas
ease that Gov Tildcn would not confirm his
statement 1t would be enough for me to deny
explicitly. as do deny. that know that Mr..
Tilden disapproyed Of the Electoral bill. and
- affirm IA ! do affirm that he never eN-
pressed 10 me either his approval or disap-
lroyal of that measure prior to the 4th OF
March. 1877. But justice to him and myself
alike requires that l should make brief state
nent OF the facts in reference TO the origin
aud passage of the Electoral bill The first
knowledge | ever had OF the bin was when it
was presented to the House Electoral Committee
By tho Senate Electoral Committee at
tft.f. I.
framed In secret by the Senate Committee. with
out any consultation with me. or with any
Democratic member Of the House Committee.
j came to us in a finished state, as was stated,
with tho unanimous approval Of all the mem
tefs Of the Senate Committee. Democrats as
well as Republicans. In framework and sub
stance. it was the bill which was finally adopted
with some important notifications which
the House Committee were subsequently,
able 10 secure. II contained. however.
Aproyision by which the final constitution Of
the commission was TO be determined by lot,
The presentation Of this scheme took the DEM
ocratic members Of the House Committee by
surprise. | went at once TO New York. and
passed the greater part Of Jan. II with Gov.
T.ldcn discussing the provisions Of the Senate
bill. Of which | gave him n COPY. He COM
pained that IL was surprise to him. and Of the
altitude Of the Democratic Senators In having
committed themselves TO the measure without
consultation with him. He objected 10 some Of
TIE details oi the bill. especially the provision
tar ot, and said that he would never consent to
subject the Presidency 10 game Of chance He
asked for delay. which told him was impossi-
be- because the Senate Committee had notified
u that they felt constrained to make an imme-
dlato report to the Senate because OF the brief
Interval loft FOR making the electoral count
| tried hard IA GET him eitbar n
Or dlsapproye the measure. but he neither
tpproved nor did he take the responsibility
o. advising his friends. under the circum-
Stances, ~ oppose and defeat the bill. when
Le was pOwerless to control the subsequent
legislation. Before leaving. told him that
Aewoud not take this responsi ibility we must
At on our own Judgment. and that we had |
oltIes 10 perform rs members Of Congress !
winch would compel us 10 act and act prompt |
~, then LETT him to take the train. without |
AaylAg secured either his express approval |
or d.=apprJval Of tho measure. but with |
ihe nylction resting on my mind that he |
old not wish his friends 10 be responsible for
the defeat oi the measure But he was very |
urgent for more time. | have since been
lold that he was at that time engaged in
eADoraiing plan Of procedure upon which he |
would DO prepared 10 stand. but he did not then
teH NE TINS. aud had no knowledge Of the
AN Until .0us Aiiorward.
Inc hext morning early. / communicated 10
my Colleagues tho views Of Mr.. Tilden. so far
a. was IN possession Of them, and we at once
os'lded tAat We could not assent to tho plan
o' choosing any Of tho Judges by lot. and at the
tuOseqlent meeting d the joint committees
na, Ilun was abandoned. and the plan known
7We Four senior Justice plan" hereinafter
cc's'FlDei' was proposed to us by tho Senate
Committee.
4hl' biings me 70 Mr.. Waterson's next ale
ENlon. wAl %. n- | understand il. contains the
.Y''A 'li. 'a u tAe falsehood which he charges
u1'A il' az which | have heretofore been
"'~p4 81 t. -.uy Ia the dark;
A. ''k. N ofi know That on Monday evening, the
'''4fy. ui tuns Of thc Committee Of Advise.
.'.'D' he terms of the Lli hypouicucaliy
l't' uat at taat meeting opposed themi that
H., ihp san oyster q, % Mr. Tillens opinions
wo 81. agreed % support the measure. most
'is y in boz tls cm7nauon OF our chief have
No. 'l do chHr-e, that yuur failure odeal frankly
sm ~" NHl craNun, YOUR failure 10 tell us what Mr..
an '-.l iI you the daY before, was the practical
tbi ' A'' more .asH..ous cOlAsels, anu 10 al IN.
4" ''. 'eTayh. of your friend.