The daily gazette., 1879-06-20
FIRST EDITION.
THE STORY OF 1877
AND THE FATE THAT THREAT
ENED MIR. TlLDEN,
WHAT GRANT PLANNED ONCE AND
MAY PLAN AGAIN.
To the Editor of the World.


To the Editor of the World.
Ron an occasion of public inter-
est leading New York newspaper sent
me as its representative to Gen. Stewart
l.. Woodford, United States District-At-
torney for the Southern District of New
York, to obtain some important informa-
| ton. As we were friends of thirty years
standing, the General invited me into
his private office, and when he learned
| any business regretted that he was not at
liberty to furnish the information ]
sougth. But he pressed me to stay, and
the interview, which lasted for over an
hour, drifted naturally into matters
which were then exciting the attention
of all politicians. AS il was not the in
formation had been sent to procure j
regarded it as my own affair, and though
thought it not then ripe for publication,
it was so important that ! Immediately
jotted it down for future Use if necessary.
AZ the present moment gives it immedi-
ate interest and value / submit IL to you
now for use if you should judge best. 1t
is written out from my notes OF that time
andlruns thus:
at was always mystery to me, Gen
eral, that you accepted the appointment
of United States District Attorney at the
close of Grants Administration. l
thought you might have looked higher,
for you had championed the cause OF
Hayes and of hard-money in Ohio, and
you certainly had the right to expect
something extremely handsome from
this Administration. Indeed | thought
al the time it was foolish in you to have
withdrawn your name at Cincinnati as a
candidate for the Vice-Presidsncy."
GAS to the Vice. Presidency" said
General Woodford, 81 had gone to Gin
cinnati as the champion of Senator
Conkling, and could not do otherwise
than did after our failure to nominate
him. Ii might have looked odd other
wise.
ain regard to my acceptance of the
District-Attorneys ship, can explain that
by letting you into the secret OF little
bit of history which may astonish you,
as it certainly would astOnish the quiet
citizens of New York. You know how
much excitement attended the decision
of the Electoral Commission that Mr..
Hayes had been elected President in
place of Mr.. Tilden. The air was im-
: mediately filled with rllmOrs Of armed
. resistance to the decision of the COM
mission. 1t was openly stated that in
? all the Democratic States bodies of men
were being marshalled and drilled fol
revolution. Threats were made here and
at many other points that MIR. Tllder
. would be inaugurated on the 4th o
j. March in spite Of Grant and his army
and the custom-hOuse would be seized II
=, create revenue, and that The Demo
y cratic President would be seated by
grand popular uprising.
"New York, it was plain, would b
the central point of the new revolution
Mr.. Tilden would take the oath on tin
steps of the City Hall at the hands of on
of the Democratic judges, and stimuli
taneously the Custom-House and til
. Sub-Treasury would be seized. Boast
were made that the business men OF NeN
York would make no opposition, but at
quiesce in the situation from fear OF thel
homes being given over to an incendiar
mob"
"Do you think, General, there was an
truth in these rumors?"
81 am afraid there was only too mucl
truth in them. Had the series of grea
Democratic mass-meetings that wer
proposed for all the large cities been hel
there is no telling how far the passion
of the multitude might have been XII
died and to what extremes they mlgl
have gone. / know that Presidel
Grant and his advisers were very muC
afraid of the result. But Grant, thoug
he was anxious, never hesitated abol
= the course he was to pursue. lie Ina
, determined to use every soldier and sal
or and gun at his command to put dow
ANYTHING like Democratic rebellion.
it had been anybody but Grant who stoe
n in the way Tilden might have been il
augurated and have gotten the posse
sion of the revenues in spite Of Congre
and the Electoral Commission.
"When the rumors Of possible troub
first got afloat the President felt u
, need Of having some one at this poi
who would see that the laws of the UI
\ ted States were promptly and fearless
executed. He consulted with his frien
and decided that it was best to LA
soldier in tins oflice--somebody vi
- had smelt powder and would not
afraid of New York mob. ] was Sc
for to Washington, and there consult
4 with the President and Cabinet and
u military advisers in regard to the stu
-, tion. Grant told me frankly that the
Ike might be trouble here that he W
anxious in view of the great irritation
. the public mind that if there was an
tempt at revolution the blame might
Y laid at his door, and that he was det'
!. mined to secure the Inauguration OF
> Hayes at all hazards. lie then asked
to accept the position of United Sta
District-Attorney at New York and
sisted that it was my duty to do so.
freely admitted the possible perlls OF
position, and that might be placed
nv that my nerve and judgment could ale
UR avert trouble-since any attempt 10
augurate MI. Tilden must be crust
out on the spot. Under these clrcl
stances, and by the advice and solic
tion of Senator Conkling | accepted
s, appointment, received my instrlctio
and have had very quiet and peacea
time ever SINCE"
or "And yet you think there was 7
'iII danger? How could you have helpe'
If had come? | don't see what the
trict-A Attorney had to do with it,"
"The danger was real can ass
YOU of that. believe that during
month that closed the Adminlstrat
of Grant and opened that OF Hayes
country stood on the brink OF a C
war more terrible than that which
We. nassed through, and it would II
-, ohod tl,a whole North in blood.