Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-06-22
THE TRUTH AT LAST.
Confession OF District-AttOrney Wood
ford, of New York, that He was
CO-CODsplratOr with Grant and
Others to Prevent the Inau.
guratiOn Of Tilden
in 1877.
The Army and Navy, with Grape and
Canister, Made Ready for an Emer-
gency that Might Have Proven
tho Initial Step to Another
Civil and Disastrous
War.

war;
To THE EDITOR OF THE NEW YORK
WoRLD-On an occasion of public interest
leading New York newspaper sent me as Its
representative to General Stewart l.. Wood
ford, United States district attorney for the
southern district of New York, to obtain
some important Information. AS we were
friends OF thirty years standing, the general
invited me int bis private office, and when
he learned my business regretted that he
was not at liberty to furnish the information
i sought. But he pres, ed me to stay, and
| the interview, which lasted for over an hour,
driited naturally into matters which were
then exciting the attention of all politicians.
As it was not the information | had been
sent to procus | regarded it as my own af-
fair, and though thought it not then ripe
for publication, it was so important that
Immediately jotted it down for future use if
necessary. As the present moment gives it
| immediate interest and value, submit 1t to
you now for use if you should judge best. 1t
Is written out from my notes Ut that time,
and runs thus:
The Interview.
accepted the appointment Of United States district
attorney at the close of Grsnt's administration.
thought you might have l19sed nlg6eT for you had
in Ohio, and you certainly had the right to expect
EeS % Ss T ma TINS @
in you to have Withdrawn your name at Cincinnati
as candidate for the Vice Presidency"
ford. 81 had gone to Cincinnati as the champion Of
Senator Conkli1g and could not do otherwise than
have looked odd Otherwise" In regard
my acceptance Of the district attorney
secret of little bit of history which may astonIsh
YOU as It certainly would asOnish the quiet citizens
of NayuX hnuun 1IIah fan mt Qf
tended the decision Of the electoral commission that
Mr. Hayes had been elected President in place of
Mr. Tilden. The air was Immediately filled with
mors Of armed resistance to the decision Of the
| commission. 1t was openly stated that in all the
sSaIed and drilled for revolution "e Threats WeTe
made here and at many other points that Mr. Tilden
spite OF Grant and his army, that the customhouses
would be seized to create q revenue, end that the
popular uprising. New York, it was plain.
would be the central point Of the new rsvo-
the Steps Of the city O nall at the hands Of
one of the Democratic Judges, and simultaneously
seized. Boasts were made that the business men Of
| New York would make no opposition. but acquiesce
In the situation from fear OF their homes being
| given over TO an tlcentialy mob"
| do you think, general, there was any truth in
| Il am afraid there only too much truth in
| them. Had the series of great Democratic mass
been held there is telling how far the passions of
the multitude might have been klndled and to what
dent Grant and his ADVISERS were vsly much AFRAID
of the result. But Grant, though he was anxious,
ne had to ' use eV seseT and sor
| and gun at his command TO put down anything like
Grant who stood In the way TiIden might have been
| iuaugUrated and have gotten possession Of the
mission. When the rumors of possible trouble first
got aoat the President felt the need OF having some
Unhed States were promptly and feariessiy exc
| cutsd. He consulted with his friends and decided
BODY who had smeit powder and would not be sfTaid
/ OF New York mob. was sent for to Washing ton,
and his military advisers in regard 70 the situation
Grant told me frankly that there might be trouble
great irritation Of the public mind and that il there
| was an attempt at revolution the blame might
mined to secure the Inauguration Of Mr. Hayes
| at all hazards. He then asked me to accept the
York, aud Insisted that IL my duty TO do so. he
freely admitted the possible perlls Of the position,
Judgment could alone avert trouble-sinco any at
tempt to inauguIate Mr. TIlden must be crushed out
on the spot Under these circumstances and by the
| advice and solicitation OF Senator Copkling, &C
| eeptt the appointment, received my Instruction.,
and have had very quiet and peaeeaole time ever
'BGt yet you think there was real dsngera How
see what the district attorney had to do with It."
This danger was real-I can assure you of that.
min1straton OF Grant and opened that of Hayes the
country stood on the brink Of civil more terII-
have drenehed the whole north in blood. II Mr.
Tilden had listened to his more energetic advisers
government We Should nave lad war var In 1.-THE these
streets. AID should have been compelled TO take
an active part in 1t. No doubt there was plan to
inaugurate Mr. Tilden In this city, but his natural
timidity s1d iTreselutlon would not let him assent
are many of his followers wac viii always speak
bitteely Of him because he did not carry out the
scheme of revolution they had so Dicely arranged
You see they have not yet got hold Of the custsm-
house plumber"
inapgdrarc1 al the city ha'i-what could you have
done about 1t here, ia Democratls cItyY'
| MY plans we're "a, laid Systematically (you know
cd habits OF system) and approve by President
Graut We had quietly taken some veIy effective
will never reallze how near you were 10 a grand
explosion. and that all the materials for a coup
est etzeps went 70 bed unmOved at NIGHT, thanking
that all The faiR o. resistance vas mere campaign
another experience. When man IKE GRAM
oyer a ae 6s s0sp OF T We
than thTsats in the air. believe that we were In
that precedC the fan of Sumter. 1 am sure thai
there had been zen another d9taTS Ike James
would have bI an inevitable. But ever JbodJ
knew that Grant was not man 70 b
grapeshot than wor5s ana had MIN reliance or
1 aldlleIy 10 Put down mob. That WAS the way In
STs asked what intend to do In case Mr. TSe9
attempted to caIry out his coup defdt and had hi;1
self inaugrated on tue city hal! 81 BPS or elsewher,
him at on' uGder a warrant chaTz 9g hin viii
high treason, 10 convey HIN Tetiy and sccurel!
river it and ship him to Fo.. ADAMS or sem,
other secure point where he copld undergo his trial
have disa Speafed aud The sud ienness Of the blow
would have either disheaI ,ned his followers and
or It would have b~en The first blow Of &. dc con
net between the law and its vIolatoTs."
been possible to arrest Mr. TfldenP" "OO-N --1''
Il don't believe I know it. or C)urse 1t could
ernor's island and marching them up to Gramefc!
park, but It would have been done so quietly and
late. Just sure he had dan ID take the oath O
office he weuld have be IN whirled through thes'
through with his triai FOR treason he would haV
been sick of playing President. while was ii
Robson on this subicctE(you don't Know him, d;
YouP Hes one of the best fellows IN the world)-
his boats and men, not only to secure TIL
den, but to Overawe the mob by the guuboat
| and to shell them out II ne essay. Roceson Il
very genial. but he is not mau 10 be TITLED with
aud we worked together admirably. Under on
plans any resistance by Mr.. Tilden would have beel
utterly impossible. AS for the custOmhouse anC
subreasury, they were prspal for resistance anC
ment of regulars SO IS to resist any MOB. Reguar
and marines inside the walls and shell or two out
cha Perhaps it was this knoWledse 81 what t6
navy could do ia the way OF dispensing
HP6ss that at SS%n aa 5 ssW gSsf
You see now how near we all were to trouble,
| ana you can understand why accepted THIS
| at the time Grant felt that he knew me and that
would carry out his orders under any aud all crcum
stances. Ii time that might call for sharp AM
sudden work the Atlantic line, and Grant, Ike
prudent general, made his preparations accordingly
Troops quietly brought from the west AID sout
| and maSsed at washington, Fort MheHry an d II
| our haTbor, and you will remember that complain
was made In Democratic newspapers about this mat
| ter and about the gunboats at washington and EeS
| York. Republican newspapers laughed at 1t, o
| course, and most people did not know what to be
| lieve. If they had known how close the truth wa
might have brought about the catastrophe
In that event the navy could have attended to tn
Atlantic cities, but rising at the west would hay
been even worse In reality than In the anticipation
Thank God, Ttlden was coward and the who'll
thing blew over"
But, general how Is II that you were ready +
crush out the Democratic party under Grants ad
| ministration and you are now an advocate Of tn
Hayes policy OF conciiiati0n2'
III the winter of 1877 was In favor OF vlgoTOu
measures IL necessary, for the Inauguration O
: President Hayes whom believed then, as believ
now, to have been fairly elected to the Presidency
1t was trying time, and Republican opinions wer
divided as to the proper course to pursue. WIthOu
violating confidence may state that Grant, SheT
1. man, Sheridan and other military men were oui
spoken in their opinion that the army ought to
: used for repressiye measures though ahermal
2 frankly expressed some doubts in respect to tn
Democratic tendencies Of the rank and file. U
, course the navy was at the disposal Of SecretaT
! | Robson. and 1t could be relied upon ur
/ der all circumstances. AT this mos