Daily globe., 1882-06-16

charge by friends, who brought him to Pitts.
burgh on the next train. While waiting at
the depot at Smiths ferry for means Of con-
veyance to Pittsburgh, two rough and tumble
fights took place between the partisans OF the
pugilists, and pistols were fourished in the
being in the case OF the man before referred
to, who shot himself accidentally.
A LOST OPPORTUNITY.
Ho,U Roscoe C0nkItsg Might haUe Become
the Leader of tho PeopJe-An0tJter Chap
ter Of tho Electoral Fraud.
Washington Cor. N. Y. Sum-
The action of one person in public
life may sometimes determine events OF
she gravest magnitude. It was in the power
of Roscoe Conkling in 1876 to have given
new direction to the policy OF this govern
ment, and to have changed the character Of
its administration. Nothing was wanted but
his reselute protest in the senate against
nonstrous fraud to have c0nsummated that
change.
1t was no secret that Mr.. Coukling regarded
the proceedings of John Sherman, OF Garfield.
and of their associated "visiting statesmen"
in Louisiana with the deepest distrust. He be-
lleved, as the country knew, that the vote OF
that state had been deliberately stolen by the
Vaccinations of Madison Wells and his con-
federates, under the personal management of
John Sherman.
Mr.. Conkllng was not alone in this belief.
There were other Republican senator's who
shared in that conviction, but they were dis
inclined to avow it, and looked to him to
speak the first word of resistance to fraud.
These facts, though whispered at the time in
political circles, became known to the mana
gers, and excited alarm inside the party. This
was the real reason why Mr.. COnkling, who
had aided in framing the electoral commission
act, was excluded from the commission.
That expulsion was made by the direct and
personal request of Rutherford B. Hayes, then
at Columbus, prompted from Washington,
probably, by John Sherman. The conspira-
dread that il Mr.. COnkling was one of the COM
missioners he would never agree to sanction
the scandalous iniquity in Louisiana.
They could not OF themselves deny Mr..
Conkling the conventional right to sit on the
commission as one of the authors of the law.
A movement of that kind would have been de-
feated If proposed in caucus. Therefore ap-
plication was made to Hayes, who, as the
candidate of the party, and as the prospective
president If the conspiracy won, exercised q
certain influence to make personal objection
to Mr.. Conkling. The trick succeeded, and
Mr.. Morton got the place, which, under
parliamentary usage, belonged to Mr.. Conk-
| ling.
The commission sustained the conspiracy,
but this perfldy and the perjury Of Bradley,
Miller and Strong, the three dishonored JUS
tices of the supreme court, who deliberately
shut out the testimony offered to prove fraud
proved all the infamies of the returning
boards of those states, did make success com
plete.
While these proceedings were going on q
strong feeling Of distrust of Hayes had taken
hold of portion of the Republican senators.
The secrets Of the so-called "Wormley Hotel
conference" the bargaining of Stanley Mat
thews, Hayes letter to Foster, and other in.
trigues at that time to prevent organized hos.
tility to the count in the house OF representa-
tives, had become known.
Southern Republicans felt they were bound
to be betrayed, and their senator's we're willing
to ioin in movement that would defeat the
| impending treachery, which they thought
would be political calamity. Joined with
certain Northern Republicans and Democrats
| they could command sufficient votes to throw
out Louisiana, and thus prevent the success
of Hayes or Tlden.
The constitution prescribes the condition
for electinga president as follows:
| "The person having the greatest number ol
votes shall be the president, If such number
be majority of the whole number OF electors
appointed"
the electorsl commission, with Louisiana re.
jected, neither candidate would have "major'
| ity of the whole number of electors appoint
ed" The practical effect of that action
would haye been to have put the president
| pro tempore OF the senate-there being nc
vice president-in the White house, until a
new election could be ordered
| Mr.. Ferry, OF Michigan, was then in the
chair of the senate, and had aided the fraud
| by all the power of his position in correcting
the imperfect certificate from Louisiana,
which was returned, and which came back
with the three forged names of three OF the
pretended electors, who were rewarded with
Offices by John Sherman to prevent the pun
| ishment of that barefaced forgery.
1t was proposed by the dissatisfied Republi-
cans to make Mr.. Conkling president pro
| tempore Of the senate, after the vote of Louis
lana was discarded. The plan was nearly ma
| tured when the test on Louisiana was about
to be made in the senate. Mr.. Morton heard
of it, and he made personal appeal to the
et-baggers, as the faithful advocate OF
their cause at all times, that he was entitled
| to their support above all others, If tempo.
| rary president was to be made IN that way.
This interference Disconnected the plan seri-
| ously, the more so because its secret had been
exposed, which put the carpet-baggers In q
dilemma, from which extrlcation was difficult.
Still, it was not abandoned until late on the Sun
day night preceding the count, which was to
take place the next day. A conference which
closed long after midnight satisfied the active
friends of Mr.. Conkling, who had started this
movement in his interest, that it was doomed
to failure. And they were not willing to go
over to Mr.. Morton.
The senate was thronged on Monday. Ru-
mors had obtained currency that something
extraordinary was to happen. Washington
has quick eye for excitement. 1t was OBJ
served that Mr.. Conkling did not appear in
the chamber at the usualitime. When the vote
was called he was in Baltimore. A manly
speech on that occasion, even if he had stood
alone, would have immortalized his name as
an upright statesman, who would not con-
done fraud Hayes went in, and Garfield sue
ceeded Hayes, both made by Conkling. OF
course they were grateful for his forbearance
in one case and for his services in the other.
MlNNETONKA ITEMS.