The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1879-06-27
THE PLOT TO SEIZE TILDRN.
WHAT GRANT INTENDED TO DO WITH THE
ARMY AND NAVY IN 1S77-A BOLD AND
DESPERATE GAME.


ARMY AND NAVY IN 1s77--A BOLD AND
DESPERATE GAME
The New York World of June 10th, prints
a two column interview which John +.
Mines had with Gen. Stewart l.. Wood ford
relating to the closing days of Grants adj
ministration and the proposed use of the
troops in New York. Gen. Woodford said
he had accepted in 1877, by the advice aud
consent of Conkling and the Cabinet, the
position of U. $. District Attorney for the
Southern District of New York. because
place man "who had smelt powder" Gen.
Woodford said "It was openly stated that
in all the Democratic States bodies of men
were being marshaled and drilled for revo.
luton. Threats were made here and at
many other points that Mr.. Tiden would be
inaugurated on the 4th of March in spite of
Grant and his army, that the Custom Houses
would be seized to create revenue, and
that the Democratic President would be
seated by grand popular uprising. New
York, it was plain, would be the central
point of the new revolution. Mr. Tilden
would take the oath on the steps of the City
Hall at the hands of one of the Democratic
Judges, and simultaneously the Custom
House aud the Sub-Treasury would be sez-
ed. know that President Grant and his
advisers were very much afraid of the re-
suit But Grant, though he was anxious,
never hestated about the course he was to
pursue. He had determined to use every
soldier and sailor and gun at his command
to put down anything like Democratic re-
belion. If it had been anybody but Grant
who stood in the way Tilden might have
been inaugurated and have gotten possession
of the revenues in spite of Congress and the
Electoral Commission.
But you have asked what l intended to
do in case Mr.. Tilden attempted to carry out
his coup d'etat, and had himself inaugural
ted on the City Hall steps or elsewhere in
this city My orders and intentions were to
seize him at once under warrant charging
} him with high treason, to convey him Sc
cretly and securely on board a government
vessel lying in the East river, and ship him
to Fort Adams or some other secure point
thing that anybody knew of it, he would
have disappeared, and the suddenness of the
blow would have either disheartened his fol-
! lowers and taught them salutary lesson of
respect for the law, or it would have been
the first blow of a terrific conflict between
| L.. ,,,l ,t, ;aIo nn liz,
. believe, General, it would have been possi-
i BILE to arrest Mr. Tilden p Il don't believe
Q it-I know it. OF course, it would not be
3 done by calling out the regulars from Gov
erner's Island and marching them up to
= Gramercy Park, but it would have been
= done so quietly and effectively that all re-
! sistance would have come too late. Just as
f sure as he had dared take the oath of Office
he would have been whirled through these
: streets and landed in gunboat. When he
0 had got through with his trial for treason
: he would have been sick of playing Presi-
dent. While was in Washington had a
!, long talk with Secretary Robeson on this
subject-(you don't know him, do you
He's one of the best fellows in the world J.
= we made all the arrangements for the use OF
: his boats and men not only to secure Tilden
but to overawe the mob by the gunboats and
to shell them cut If necessary. Robson is
very genial, but he is not man to be tri-
fed with, and we worked together admira
!, bly,. Under our plans any resistance by Mr.
:. Tilden would have been utterly imposs ible
| A, g, md nh-T
they were prepared for resistance and could
! have been strengthened by sudden rein
= forcement of regulars so as to resist any
mob Regulars and marines inside the walk
and shell or two outside would have scat
:, tered an attacking party like chat. Per
Il haps it was this knowledge of what the ma
. Wy could do in the way of dispensing mob
10 that KEEP. down the evil-disposed throng a
80 Washington and New York.
you see now how near we all were t,
trouble, and you can understand why
u accepted this position at the time. Gran
IL felt that he kuew me aud that would carr!
10 out his orders under any and all circumstan
i, ces. 1t was time that might call 70
:, sharp and sudden work on the Atlantic line
w ard Grant, like prudent General, made hi
u preparations accordingly. Troops wer
quietly brought from the West aud Sout
III aud massed at Washington, Fort McHenr
q, and in our harbor, and you will remembe
Is that complaint was made in Democrati
Id newspapers about this matter and about tn
d. gunboats at Washington and New Yorl
en- Republican newspapers laughed at it, Q
OF course, and most people did not know wha
to to believe. If they had known how clos
at the truth was their fears might have brougt
he about the catastrophe. In that event th
OF navy could have attended to the Atlsuti
cities, but a rising at the West would hav
1e been even worse in reality than in the al
h. ticipation. Thank God, Tilden was COW
,st ard, and the whole thing blew over Blu
d, General, how is it that you were ready
or crush out the Dem0cratic party und'
nd Grants administration, and you are now a
ed advocate of the Hayes policy of concili
ton? In the winter of 1877 | was in fay,
of vigorous measures, if necessary, for th
Inauguration of President Hayes, whom b
lieved then, as ! believe now, to have bet
to fairly elected to the presidency. 1t was
on trying time, and Republican opinions we
or divided as to the proper course TO purs
af- Without violating confidence | may sta
Ks. that Grant, Sherman, Sheridan and 9th
ain military men were outspoken in their OPT
lay ion that the army ought to be used for l
ny pressive measures, though Sherman frank
lrs' expressed some doubts In respect 10 I
aid Democratic tendencies of the rank and fl
get OF course the navy was at the disposal
. it Secretary Robeson, and it could be reli
upon under all circumstances"
In the course of time we shall get t
ose whole history of the conspiracy by viii
ar Haves WA nut La the w Whita Hnusa