New-York tribune., 1879-01-28
GETTING READY.
INTERVIEWS WITH A STATESMAN.

| When the old gentleman came INTO the paror he
| found smith Weed lolling i'll the best armchair,
while Colonel PeltOn stood by the fireplace neI-
yously lingering the rim Of his hat. The greeting
was somewhat constrained on the part of the two
visitors, and civil but uncomfortably cold on the
paIt of the host.
'You see 4" said the Colonel. after pause, we
! thought now that the Committee nave taken the
matter mp -
The old gentleman asked, What matter "
"Thc cipher telcgramS. of course
''Oh ycs-ah well p
I'VE thought il would be best to have little
talk together before any of Us went TO Washing
ton"
The old gentleman blew hi, pose carefully, looked
! from the Colonel to Weed. and from Weed to the
Colonel. and inquired, What shall We talk about =
The question was not received with good grace.
.I am afraid the transatlons in TIE lEIBUNE,'
said Mr.. Weed, with curious mixture OF uncaSl-
ness and defiance IN his tone, make 1t little awk-
ward for all three of us, unless -"
IL have read the publications in TIE TRIBUNE"
intcrposcd the old gentleman, with dcllbeTatIOn in
his accents and lovely expression Of conposurc on
his cOuntcHance purp0rting TO be tIaasIatInns OF
cipher telrgIams relating TO the canvass of votes IN
Florida AT the Presidential election of 1876, and
have looked over those relating 90 South CaroiiIa
have no knowledge of the existence Of these tele
grams nor any information about them. except
what has been derived from since the publication
of rHE TRIBUNE. Do you know anything about
| them, either of youW
The cooncls mouth opened but no sound issued
and he stood with stony eyes looking at Smith
| Weed. Mr.. Weed drew a long breath, ana whis-
pcrcd exclamation. which sounded something Ike
| "Wcli Gmd--d' escaped him. THE difficulty
! he remarked "wIll be about the drafts"
81 do not see where the difficulty should arise
continued the old gentleman. " As | have already
stated, in pubic letter. none OF these tclcgranS.
nor any Telegram communicating such an offer or
answering such an Offer relating to such an offer
WAS seen by ne translated to me, the contents Of
/ il in any manner nlaGc known to me. No offer or
negotiation in behalf Of the state CanvasSeI, OF
/ Florida or South Carolina ever authorized or
sanctioned in any manner by me directly or through
any other person."
"In a general way rcioincd Mr.. Weed, " that OF
course is understood at the same tnne 1t viii be
necessary for Us TO have an agreement about the
| Coloncl'- telr2rams Of acccptancc.'
! No telegram communicating such IN offer, or
answering such al offer, was ever made known to
! me, or -"
" And ;hc Baltimore affair" continued Mr. Weed,
| (" really don't know what II is best to do about
! tLat."
81 will add" re umed the old gentleman, in the
same cool and deliberate tone. that no such con-
tcmplated transaction could at any time have come
within the range of my power without that power
being IN stanily cXerted to crush il out. had a
perfectly fixed purpose, known 10 all with whom
was in habitual communication, to take no part in
any shameful competition for rhc purchase Of the
Presidency. II would have been impossible for me
to carry out Reform unless had been perfectly un-
| trammeled."
Mr. Weed rose His look was not amiabe, and
| his voice became little louder. Look here"
said he. we not all idiots and If this thing
isn't fixed square therel be more trouble than YOU
seem to expect. If you propose to step inside and
shut the door our faces -"
''rhe cause haye represented' observed the
imperturbablc old gentleman. has embraced the
largest and holiest interests of humanity. great
fraud has been committed which the American
people have not condOned, aud never will con-
done-neyer, never. never! The greatest po-
| ltcal crime in the history of the country, by
which the result of the Presidential election WAS
set aside and reversed. stabbed the very founda-
tons of free government. swear in the presence of
you all, and call upon you to bear witness to the
OATH to watch during the remainder of my life
! the rights of the citizens OF our country with a
Jealous care"
"Ibis isn't any serenai!e," said Weed in a tenn
!
Aud they went away together, the old gentleman
pressing the hand of each at the parOr door, and
whispering as they passed out, I'll see you
| later
As soon as they had gone the old gentleman or
dered his carriage and drove ~ hOusa on Fifth-aye
! He looked like one who had just done good deed
Upon his countcnancc played the sweet radiance of
| innocence and twinkcd the furtye light of most
uncommon smartnesS. When the carriage drew mp
al the curb, small, but preternaturaly serious and
| mgh-shonldered person, who had evidently been
expecting it, came ont of the house and entered the
vehicle The curtains were drawn and the party
! drove rapidly To the Central Park. AZ "a
the wheels touched the smooth road the speed Of the
horses was slackened. and while the coach rolled
quietly along the two companions entered into
/ conversation.
| "WelI" said the younger man. suppose it will
! begin next week Forasmuch a. the Republican
conspiracy of force and fraud is beapcd up and
cemented in the debauchneut and dishonOr of
transatng the private cipher dispatches of gentle
men, it will be timely here to observe just what
arserals of ammunition aud leha weapons FASH
ioncd to the hand OF every cOparcencr you IN your
mimacy oi leadership have matured aud determined
upon to defeat the cabal."
The main interest of the victory which resulted
in my election" was the quiet reply, "was the cx-
pcctatlon that through the Chief Magistracy sys-
tenn of Reform similar TO that which had been ac-
| complished in metropolis and in State adj
m,nistratiOn would be achieycdin the Federal Gov
| ernment'
"Undoubtedly," rcjoined the other. "1hc under
| signed nevertheless, feels constrained to confer
with yon about the best plan --'
"Thc signal aud peculiar mark of that plan -
broke in the old gentleman. IL my absolute trust
IN moral forces, NV entire faith in the people their
voliuons, and their power. And why, of all men in
| the United States, should not II Ahemw