Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-11-06

''SisitinS Statesmen Band and
the Fraud OF 's6.
Pittsburgh Post.
Four years ago this week tie American
people were passing through a terrible
strain. The excitement was fearful and
ominous. Republicans, as a general
thing, had conceded the election Of Til
den, the state of Oregon was in doubt,
the plot by which Louisiana and Florida
were stolen were still in embryo, q few
stalwart Republicans still claimed that
Hayes was elected. others of the Office
holders who did not claim victory held
their breath and waited for nod from tine
leaders to begin to steal electoral votes
but as yet the greatest fraud Of the CEN
fury was still liz the loins of time.
At that time the writer was in Phiiadel-
phia acting as Centennial exposition cores.
pondent, and reporter on 4 city daily and
what follows came under his personal oh
seryation.
The seat of government had been virtu-
arly changed from Washington to the
Quaker city for the time being. Within
square of the Schuylkiil. on the corner OF
Chestnut street, stands queer-looking
dwelling. 1t is costly and elegant as to
material, but in appearance it is squat and
ugly. In tn: interior Of this residence
there are many elegant and very expensive
articles OF furniture and bric-a-brac and
some almost priceless relics and memen-
toes. In the furniture and drapery of5he
h ousc there is prcdonlinance of two
colors, blue and rcd. In the character OF
the relics and mcnentocs there is 6: pre-
dominance of two elements, those OF tilted
persons and those OF men and women emil
dent in literature. This is the famous
ro osidcncc Of George W. Ghilds, the man
who is regarded by the New York Sun as
being the most talented writer OF the
century, of four linc couplets on the dead.
For week in that month oil November,
four years ago, Mr.. Chi!ds's house was the
actual executive mansion. Here it was
that Grant had his residence during his
visit to the exposition and here he scented
! the lace curtains in the parlor windows
| with the fragrant odor OF cigar smoke.
Here also 1T the same time cold and di.ni-
fed Hamilton Fish. secretary Of state, was
| enjoying Mr.. Child's cuisinc. Here it was
| that active, red headed, ambitious Don
Cameron. secretary Of war, spent his even
ings. Here Adoluh Horie, Grants ex-
| secretary o! the navy Ga good natured,
| pompnu; little many came to listen, with
! patient ear, to the talk of ablcr men and
1
| came handsome and ccnceited Joe 1Iaw-
ley, Of Connecticut, president of the ex
| position society. iignoding, scEeming o.
iver sP. Norton. was here too.
| and SO was Richard Mccormick, OF
| Arizona, Il jolly, Een;lemanly fellow, at
| that time secretary oi the Republican n::.
tional committee ; Young Ulysses Grant.
| who iiirtcd with half 4 dozen girls, was
aged to & girl in Pennsylvania and one
| in Cincinnati nj the same time. and who
| was married a day or two ago to Miss
Cha!fee. was viii, his py at the house OF
Childs. Coming and going daily to that
house Oh the corner were numbers OF poll
| ticians OF all stripes and standings. They
! had business that week with their mas
| tcrs. Between the tth and the Sth
of tie month the Republican lead
| ers grew frightened. Tik!cn had carried
Louisiana and Florida and the problem
| was, how to get the states away from him.
Grant was in!po.tuned to interfere but for
| some cause he refused ut first 10 do so
| Cameron grew angry with him and told
him he would defeat The party which had
| twice elected him president. On the Sth
| of November Cameron went TO Washing
| ton. Next day a .nessenye: arrived from
! the capital. He drove up 10 the house on
the corner hate at night and liurriet!ly
entered. \ short time a!terward the
gas WAS lighted in the room in the second
story which was occupied by Grant and
| yo;ln" 'Lyssus came to the window and
| pulled the blinds together. Who the man
was the writer does not know, but lie bore
| a message from Cameron aud his coniad-
crates, asking that troops shoaM ba sent
| to the Southern states which were to be
manipulated. Still Grant refused. \
I telegram stating that Grant would not
move in the matter was sent 20 Cameron
| by Bob Mackcy. who wrote ii in his ia
| vOr:te resort ut 4 %e,l-knOwn saloon
and restaurant On Ninth street, where
| Cameron's agent went after his interview
| with Grant. Cameron FASTENED back next
day. and with him came another of Grant S
| cab;nat, Sccor Robson, secretary Of the
| navy. They arrived in the afternoon.
| Grant was ut the exposition. He had been
looking at the display made by the gov
eminent in company with Eorie. After
! supper there was Il cabinet council III
| Childs's library. 1t last Ion. that council
| that meant 50 much to the American
| people, but it ended by Grant yielding to
| the prayers of the schcmers. At this
council there c,nle up for the first time
4 matter that a!tcrward became one Of
! the most famous features OF that famous
plOt-the &tviSaDil;ty "! sending various
prominent Republicans Of the Slircw.ieSt
| political type to Louisiana and Florida rs
| "visiting statesmen to see the votes
stolen by the returning boards. The plot
| i'll the main was arranged that night (NO-
vcmber Jth). and one or two of the states
men who were to so South were notified.
| Sherman and kasson were among them,
| but all the details were Tot put in shape
until the following mnrniES. Shortly after
| two O'Clock in The morning. Secretary
! Cameron left the ChiI,ls residence. He
| stepped out on the pavement with . smile
| on his face jumped into 4 carriage which
! was waiting and drove to his rooms at
| the Continental hotel. where he had a
short talk with Bob M:ckcy in the ro-
! tunda before he went to bed. AS has been
| said, the plot was completed il; full on the
morning OF the 10th. 1t was done in the
private Office OF Joe Hawlcy. This Office
was in the western wing Of the COM
missioners' building beside the department
OF public comfort. Hawley had two Offices.
a public ono and a private one, which was
in the corner of the building and here it
| was that everything was settled. The wri-
ter happened to have business with Gen.
Iawley, and he went into the outer Office
The door opening into the private Office
was open. No one was in the first room
and the writer was about to enter the
other when he saw party of men grouped
around desk at which President Grant
was sitting. Cameron. Fish, Childs, Nc
Cormick, Robeson, Hawlcy and young
Grant, were there. and if the writer re-
members rightly, Senator Morton was