The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1882-06-29
One Chapter i'm the Story Of
Crime.

inc CiAsipter IN N story of a
Crime.
The New York Sun relates a story
the effect that when the dispute {
,ver the electoral count of 1876 was J
its height a plan was arranged by
the dissatisfied Republicans and
to elect Roscoe Conkling
Of the Senate and count
the vote of the disputed States for
that Conkling consented to
the plan and declared his belief that
Tilden was elected. The scheme
was about ripe when Oliver P. Nor
ton heard Of it and by personal ap-
peals to the Republicans who were
favoring it, broke up the plan and
induced its promoters to abandon
opposition to the villainy of seating
Hayes. Morton was successful, but
Conkling, when the time came to
count the vote of Louisiana, was alb
sent from the Senate Chamber. Com
menting on this, the Sandusky Reg
lister contributes the following infor-
nation relative to the dark history
Of those troublous times:
5 We cannot vouch for the truth of
the statement that Conkling seriously
proposed or consented to be made
President TEMPoRE of the Senate
in case the vote of Louisiana was Civ
en- to Tilden. We have what to us is
satisfactory evidence that Conkling
preferred to believe that Tilden was
entitled to the vote Of Louisiana, and
that he said to certain of his friends
that If he voted at all on accepting or
rejecting the decision of the Electoral
Commission he would vote to give
Louisiana to Tilden. His vote alone
was feared at the time by those who
were opposed to Conkling's theory
that he could secure the votes of four
"carpet-bag" Republican Senators for
Tilden. Mr. Conkling may have be-
lieved Tilden entitled to the vote of
Louisiana. If so, it was clearly his
duty to so vote and not to dodge, as
the record shows he did. When the
vote was taken he was absent, and
that without leave. The four scar
pet-bag" Senators were rot disposed
to give Louisiana to Tilden because
they believed him entitled to her vote.
At least they made no pretense OF that
kind. They had become suspicious
that Hayes would put a Southern
Democrat in his Cabinet, and they
swore a good round oath that, if as
sured of this, they would vote to make
Tilden President. Their suspicious
were aroused by a trifling remark
made by Charles Foster, then a mem
Der of the House, on the evening be-
in which he said that if Hayes were
counted in his administration would
be national and not sectional, and that
the flag would float over states and
not provinces. In some passing col
versation with q Southern Republic
can in the Office of the Ebbit House,
Foster remarked that he would not
object to seeing Governor Vance, OF
North Carolina, in Hayes Cabinet
This remark was overheard by Sena-
tor Conover, of Florida. Later in the
evening Conover repeated this remark
to o dozen gentlemen, five of them
Southern Republican Senators, and
all Southern men but one, and in re-
peating it he said that if he believed
Hayes would make such n selection
he would vote TO give Louisiana to
Tilden. Three other Southern Sena-
tors responded "me too" and then il
was quietly whispered that Conkling
believed Louisiana belonged to Til
den. The fears of the "carpet-bag,
gers" were allayed by the Northern
gentlemen present, but as it turned
out, Hayes did just what they most
bitterly resented. 4 = x * The
Southern Republicans were suspicion:
for weeks before the count was com
pleted that Hayes would betray them
and why they were so forms all e.
ceedingly interesting chapter of polit'
ical history, Of which we have a very
correct recollection.
The true history of this dark and
damnable conspiracy is being slowly
but surely established. We suppose
few men OF this day doubt that it was
q conspiracy, and that Hayes wa;
given the office to which he had nc
right at all. If. Conkling believed
then, as no doubt he did, that Til
den was elected, he believed no more
than the other Republican leader:
believed, and his refusal to take par
in the gigantic crime is to his credit
even if his cowardice in skulking a
the time it "a perpetrated is to be
censured. The whole affair reeks O
treachery. The thieves who engag
ed in the Infamous affair distrustel
each other while they stole. Eacl
feared the other would betray him
The very men who placed Hayes il
possession of his stolen office mis-
trusted, even at the time, that he il
|. turn would betray them, as after
!, wards he did.-Plain Dealer.
The real intelligent and respecta
; bic Republicans all over Preble coun
: ty are "kicking" like steers agains
the denomination of Emanuel Shultz
but whether it will last until voting