The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-05

of fourteen, and l can tell you we all
felt the pressure and responsibility.
"For nearly a month this committee
labored hard. There were all sorts of
propositions and schemes, some those
of craftsmanship, many of rank parti-
sanship. Meanwhile the country
seemed to be growing more excited
about the matter, and towards the last
very impatient. All sorts of rumors
filled the air, and the excitement va,
at high pitch. Finally, near the
middle, of January arrived, and no
conclusion had been reached. The
two committees representing the two
parties could not agree. 1t was but
six weeks to the inaugural day, and
not practical step had been taken to-
ward solving the question as to who
the President should be.
CONKLING AND LOGAN.
"At this crisis, / am happy to say,
though a Democrat, it was a very for
tunate thing for this country that at
the time this committee was selected
Senator Logan happened to be i'll. He
was to have been a member of the
committee, but Senator Conkling was
put on in his stead. Had Logan been
with us l do not believe an agreement
could have been reached. Senator
Morton was an unyielding, implacable
partisan, whose opposition to any plan
that might have made it possible for
Iilden to be seated was constant
source of trouble, and if lie had had
Logan to back him we certainly could
not have got at all.
"You see the bitter Republicans did
not wish to give an inch they had the
game in their own hands. BY the old
method of counting the electoral vote,
the Senate, through its President, did
it all, and the Senate was Republicans
In the hands of the President of the
Senate were returns sufficiently formal
on which to declare Hayes and Wheel
er elected. And Grant was President,
commander Of the Army and Navy.
! WHAT CoNKLING DID.
"Through all this committee work
Mr.. Conkling proved himself states
man. Well do I remember the last
sitting of this committee. It was in
the rooms of Representative Henry B.
Payne of Ohio, at the Riggs House.
We had been in session all the even
ing, and it was now midnight. 1t had
been understood by us all that in case
we could not reach an agreement that
night we should report to our respect
i've Houses an inability to agree. We
thought it useless to longer continue
the effort. When we met in the even
ing we were al detected and fearful.
There was little prospect Of agreement
and failure meant we knew not what,
and scarcely dare think. At midnight
: we were further than ever from agree
ment, on the electoral commission bill.
which had long before taken shape and
become the definite object of our la
bors. Mr.. Morton had Just finished
one of his unyielding, irritating efforts,
and all hope seemed lost. Then Mr.
Edmunds made the formal statement
in behalf Of the Senate committee that
the latest proposition Of the House
committee-it doesn't matter what il
was-could not be accepted. Mr.. Ed.
munds was the spokesman of the Sen
ate committee, and as he finished il
seemed there was nothing for us to dc
but to 60 back to the House, report
our failure, and let events take thei1
course. But as Mr.. Edmunds finished
he said: 4 believe Senator Conkliue
has something to say to YOU
THE POSITION EXPLAINED.
"Senator Conkling, who was sitting
little in the background, turned 81
as to face the party, threw one leg ove1
the arm of his chair, and in the mos
quiet, easy manner began to give hi
views. He spoke for full twenty min
utes, and l do not think | ever listen
ed to an address more eloquent and eff
fective. 1t is impossible for me t,
: give you an idea what he said, nor
than to say he pictured the critical ma
ture of our position, the responsibility,
resting upon us, the destiny of the ma
ton, that might fairly be said to res
in the hands of the little group gather
ed before him. He spoke as / neve
heard him speak before nor since
Though evidently without any prepal