The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-14
A PAST POLITICAL PERIL.
Statement Purporting to Give the Sc
crets OF the Struggle of 1876.
Morton's Obstinacy and Conkling's Dramatic
PIea-Democratic HOtheads Who Con-
templated the Use of Force.


Some important and interesting secrets of
the electoral commission and its accompany
ing events have fallen into my possession
through long conversation held recently
with a member of that body. The gentle
man was not only member of the commits
sion, but of the committee of conference APP
pointed by the House and Senate to draft
the electoral commission bill, or rather to
consider the matter of counting the electoral
VOTE and report to Congress their recon-
mendations. He was, therefore, in the con-
test from first to last; on the floor of Con-
gress in the committee-rooms, and in the
electoral commission. He objects, however,
for various reasons, to the use of his name,
and he cannot here be more particularly des-
ignated than by saying that he is a Democrat
OF the highest prominence in his party, and
a possible nominee for the Presidency in
1884 The substance of the distinguished
sentlemau's conversation is as follows:
almost daily my mind reverts TO the pc
Rod of the contested election between Tilden
and Hayes. and never without feeling of
thankfulnesS that the great contest was set
tied in peace / do not believe the country
ever knew, or yet knows, over what volca-
cape was had from terrific eruption that
might have swept this republic into OBJ
liyion
IT was member of the select conference
committee appointed by the two houses in
the latter part of December to report on the
counting of the electoral votes You will
remember the House committee was Demo
cratic; the Senate committee Republican in
complexion. For nearly month this COM
mittee labored hard. There were all sorts of
propositions and schemes-some those of
craftsmanship, many of rank partisanship.
Meanwhile the country seemed to be growing
more excited about the matter, and toward
the very last impatient All sorts of rumors
filled the air, and the excitement was at
nigh pitch. Finally near the middle of Jam
Qary 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 toward solving
the question as to who the President should
be- 1' '" '~
''tAt this crisis, am happy to say, though
a Democrat. it was very fortunate 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 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
Tilden to be seated was a constant source of
trouble, and if he had had Logan to back
MIN we certainly could not have got on at
ALL"
you see the bitter Republicans did not
wish to give an inch; the" had the game in
their own hands BY tie old method of
counting the electoral vote the Senate
through its president did it all, and the SEN
ate was Republican. In the hands of the
President of the Senate were returns suffi-
GENTLY formal on which to declare HAYES
and Wheeler elected. And Grant was Presi-
dent, commander of the army and navy.
Combines PLEA.
Through all this committee work Conk-
ling proved himself statesman. Well do
remember the last sitting of this committee
1t was in the rooms of Representative Henry
B. Payne, of Ohio, at the Riggs House. We
had been in session all the evening, 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 respective Houses an in
ability to agree. We thought it useless to
longer continue the effort. When we met
in the evening we were all detected and fear
full. There was little prospect of agreement,
and failure meant we knew not what and
scarcely dared think. o. At midnight we were
further than ever from agreement on the
electoral commission bill, which hadlong
before taken shape and become the definite
object of our labors. Mr. Morton had lust
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.does not matter what it was-could not
be accepted. Mr.. Edmunds was the spokes-
man of the Senate committee, and as he
finished it seemed there was nothing for us
to do but to go back to the House, report
our failure and let events take their course.
But as Mr.. Edmunds finished he said: L
believe Senator Conkling has something to
say to you
Senator Conkling, who was sitting little
in the BACKGROUND, turned so to face the
party, threw one leg over the arm of his
chair and in the most quiet and easy man.
ner possible began to give his views He
spoke for full twenty minutes. and l do not
think ever listened to an address more elo-
guent and effective. 1t is impossible for me
TO give you an idea of what he said more than
tc say he. pictured the critical nature of
our position, the responsibility resting upon
us, the destiny of the nation, that might
fairly be said to rest in the hands of tie lit
tie group gathered before him. He spoke us
never heard him speak before nor since,
Though evidently without any preparation
whatever, and without the cooperation of a
large audience large room, or formal occa-
sion, he sat there with one leg over his chair
and made an address which seemed almost
inspired. Every man present listened to it
almost without stirring muscle, and when
he had finished there was silence for quite a
number of seconds.
mot to worry you with details, the inhu-
ence of that address was such that in half an
hours time the disputed point had been ar
ranged and the report recommending the
electoral commission bill had been signed by
every committeeman except Senator Morton
you can imagine we all breathed easier
and retired to our homes in better spirits
than when we assembled. OF course none of
us had any more reasons than before To