The daily gazette., 1879-06-20

of him because he did not carry out the
scheme of revolution they had so nicely |
arranged. You see, they have not yet |
got hold of the CustOm-House plum
DER"
"But, General, suppose that Mr.. Til
den had been inaugurated at the City |
Uall-what could you have done about !
it, here In Democratic city?"
"My plans were all laid systematical-
ly (yOu know my old habits of system)
and approved by President Grant. We
had quietly taken some very effective
precautions beforehand. You smile, be-
cause YOU will never realize how near
you were to grand explosion, and that
all the materials for coup Tetdt were
living loose around you-while good
honest citizens went to bed unmoved at
night, thinking that all the talk of resist
ance was mere campaign thunder.
confess that do not want such another
experience. When man like Grant
grows serious over the prospect of war,
we may take it for granted that there is
something more than threats in the air.
believe that we were in more danger
of bloodshed then than in the month
that preceded the fall of Sumter. am
sure that if there had been another do
tard James buchanan in the Presiden-
tial chair rebellion would have been in
evitable. But everybody knew that
Grant was not man to be trtled with,
but one who would use more grapeshot
than words and had firm reliance on
artillery to put down mob. That was
the way in which both he and | inter-
preted the future.
"But YOU have asked what intended
to do in case Mr.. Tilden attempted to
carry out his coup detdt and had him
self inaugurated on the City Hall steps
or elsewhere in this city. My orders
and intention were to seize him at once
under warrant charging him with high
treason, to convey him secretly and ST.
curely on board Government vessel ly-
ing in the East River and ship him to
Fort Adams or some other secure point
where he could undergo his trial. The
first thing anybody knew of it, he would
have disappeared, and the suddenness Of
the blow would have either dishearten-
! ed his followers and taught them salu-
tary lesson of respect for the law, or it
, would have been the first blow of ter
rifle conflict between the law and its
violatOrs."
"Do you really believe, General, il
would have been possible to arrest Mr..
Tilden?"
l 81 don't believe it, know it. OF
course it could not be done by calling
out the regulars from Governors Island
and marching them up to Gramercy
l Park, but it would have been done so
/ quietly and effectively that all resistance
+ would have come too late. Just as sure
4 as he had dared to take the oath of Of
n flee he would have been whirled through
# these streets and landed in a gunboat
:, When he had got through with his tria
o for treason he would have been sick o.
J. playing President.
a CAT this most critical time our Repub
lican politicians were divided in theil
!, counssls. 1t sounds queer to say it, bu
, | all our fears were centred in the Nortl
.' and all our troubles were about the atti
e tude of Northern politicians. In case {
e second rebellion began simultaneously a
l. Washington and New York, it was fear
le ed that it would extend at once to ever,
IS Northern city where the Democrats hat
W a majority. This might interfere will
~ coming elections and Presidential pros
II ator COnklinG had specially feared, bu
y he finally sided with Grant and Sher
man. You see, 1t might have speedil.
~ transferred the seat of the contest to thi
State. You may smile, bur, as 1 hav
!, said, the fear was genuine, and there wa
u reason for 1t. When the contest wa
aI narrowing down in the Electoral Com
re mission to Louisiana, Senator Conklin
Id was more and more disturbed, and grey
rs | nervous over the idea of committin
H. himself II a vote that might embro
ht himself and his State. You know it wa
M said at the time that he intended to max
~ u, a speech in the Senate in favor of giviu
| u <,rV rtuto 10 fNfN do
gu I never had any doubt on the point m.
Ut self and told him so; while he adnitte
ad the necessity of prompt and vigorous a.
IL tion at New York in case anv Oppositio
IN was made here to the Inauguration OF
If Hayes. 1t is curious that, at the time
- speak of, was In favor of extreme, ra
y" ical measures in regard to the Sout
IL whi le Senator Conkling seemed to fav'
IS conservative action. Times have char
ss ed somewhat since then-or else the mt
have changed-for now the Senator Is {
lie Intensely radical Republican, while l i
he dorse the policy of Mr.. Hayes with n
nj whole heart"
~ "What brought about this change
u, base?"
sly swell, it was not exactly change
IDS base-at least on nv part You see,
we knew little or nothing personally aho
ho the people of the South, but the summ
he after President Hayes was inaugurated
,nt went to MISSISSIPPI TO deliver an azure
'a. ~, at the uni yersity, where l met many
,. , ,ou the leading gentlemen Of the State, al
his [ was afterwards the guest of Senat
Ia Lamar at his home. Then 1 studied q
ere situation and became convinced that t
vas white people of the State were in earne
of in their endeavor to cOnclliate the blac
at and secure peace, and 1 determined
use all my endeavors to leave them II
pe disturbed to work out theil own Soc
er- problems for themselves. If they Ca
ilr. not and will not do it, no one e'se can
me it for them. 1 believe that Senator L
ties mar, Wade Hampton and mot of I
in Southern Senators and Governors a
He honest in their promises, and | hon
the President Hayes for pledging his VIZ
'no to give them a tair chance. BY the "
50 l ought to mention that while l was
one Mississippi some of the membe of
in Republican State Committee called up
he'd me and asked my advice as to the con-
I'M that was proper for them to pursue.
;ta- frankly advised them to make no non
,ho nations for State officers and let the co
.ne ing election go by default-advice whi
Dhs, | think was good and which l was 81
lple to see they followed to the letter. 4
Southerne are men like ourselves, a
real have full much honor ~ the nor
Il II ern people and far more at stake th'
NJ than we ha e. The civil war hls be
'iS ended more than a dozen years, ano
we cannot trust the South with local $,
ure government, in Gods name when c
the we do it =? In my Judgment it is now
lion never JOHN f. NINE