Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-08-01
MORE OF DoRsEY's TALK.
He Gives His Version of the Fifth Ave
nue. Hotel COnference-General Gar

Dorsey at MS ranch, near Nnlco Springs;
n. NJ, of which the following are the main
points:
ssWhat was that the San had about that
New York conference? / wish you would
read it to me,' said Mr.. Dorsey TO the
Herald man. The correspondent pulied
out his paper and read the story as told
how the conference was arranged between
the GARFIELD party and the New OrKers.
How the latter agreed to supply the slneWs
of war if Garfield would promise TO make
a man of their selection Secretary OF the
Treasury; how, in further agreement, the
New York party were to have the fundlng
of the loan in accordance with the Dill
then pending and which all knew would
pass both houses; how Garfield agreed 10
all that was suggested, and that then the
foOdgates of money opened ana the goluen
stream poured forth.
Mr.. Dorsey listened to the reading with
a smile. E'That is pretty story" he SAID,
.'and ingeniouslv told. Brigham is quite
sensational. / didn't know il was him.
But, like that other story of Matthew's, IL
is only based upon truth. That IS, the
main facts are cOrrect-the filling IN is
fancIful.'
''But there was a conference, was there
not? l believe that is historical"
"Oh, yes, there was one"
THE OBJECT OF THE CONFERENCE.
E'What were the real facts respecting
it! What was the conference for! was
it not rather undignifed in the candidate
of the great party for the Presidency to
seem, at least, by such course TO De per-
sonally aiding his own canyassW
81 think mott said Mr.. Dorsey. ''Gar-
field came to New York solely upon repre-
sensations | had made to him that 1t was
necessary for him to come. Gen. Arthur
and MIR. Thomas G.. Platt, together with
myself, representing the Grant side OF the
house, felt it vitality important he should.
Governor Jewell was absent, and | as
sumed the responsibility of issuing an in
vitation to almost every prominent man
in the country of our party to be present
on the 9TH of August to meet the candi-
date. | only did this after consult
ing the Hon. Frank HiscOck,
Arson McCook and others who, at that
time. seemed to be the representative
men of the opposition to Grant and
Conkling. The kilograms / sent to General
Garfield were written under the inspec-
ton of Frank HiscOck and General Nc
Cook. who, in large measure, dictated
their contents, and they will bear wit
ness. General Arthur was equally
anxious, and, | might say, solicitous that
General Garfield should visit New York.
| may say right here that the biggest
coward we had in all that company was
Arthur himself. He was always afraid of
defeat, always nervous and anxious, and
always without a remedy. He didn't
know what to do. He was as helpless as
a baby and as void of resources; had
nothing to offer but plants and fears, and
his face, at critical moments, was in itself
enough to defeat less heroic measures
than those we adopted. When somebody
said, Bring Garfield to New York;
Arthur grasped at it with avidity, and
pleaded TREMENDOUSLY with me to arrange
the interview.
s'Acting under the advice of these two
factions, who seemed to agree upon this
one point if upon no other, did all |
knew how to do to induce General Gar
field to come to New York. l was COM
batted in these efforts by the Jewels, the
Forbeses, the Curtises, the MacVeaghs,
and all the other milk and water REFORM
ers and Pecksniffian hypOcrites."
RESULTS OF THE CONFERENCE.
'sThe conference, though, what was
done at 1t? Was the SUMS description
cOrrectT'
$50 far as it goes it seems to be accu-
rate, but it only touches upon the fringes
of what really transpired. l called that
conference together on my own respOn-
sibility. ! felt the necessity of the nOmi-
nee's presence, and knew if he did not
Garfield came to New York. There was
a large meeting and many speeches. The
meeting and the speeches were not the
object Of the gathering"
THE MEETING IN DORsEY's PRIVATE
ROOMS.
''In my private rooms at the Fifth Ave-
nue. Hotel, 1 had arranged personal in
terview between General Garfield on the
one hand and General Arthur, Hon Thos.
G. Plat, Hon. Levi p. Morton, Hon. Il. G.
Crowley and Senator Cameron on the
other. | was also present, at the request
of General Arthur and General Garfield.
''That is exactly what took place, and
if any OVertures were made and by whom,
it would not be just for me to say. AS to
the demands made upon General Garfield,
and the form and manner in which they
were made, the only answer / have to
make is, that General Garfield promised
absolutely and unequivocally the posi-
ton Of Secretary of the Treasury to Levi
p. Morton, in the event of his election.
He also promised that the dominant fac
tion in New York should control the Fed
eral appointments of that State.
she also led us all to believe that Mr..
COnkling's wishes, when they were prop
erly and rightfully expressed, would be
conformed to- From all he said and from
all that transpired. | was thoroughly
convinced that he intended to deal justly
toward every member of the party, and
especially not to infringe upon the sore
shoulders of those who had followed Grant.
l do not mean to reflect in any sense upon
the intentions of General Garfield at that
time, l think he intended to do exactly
as he said he was going to do. The bale
full influences brought to bear upon him
afterward led inevitably to the destruc-
ton of the policy he had so carefully
laid"
THE BOND FUNDING SYNDICATE A MYTH.
''How about Garfeld's promise to aid
the New York syndicate in the matter OF
funding the bOndsr'
'sThat matter was not preached in the
conference. If such a thing existed it
was involved in the promise to appoint
LOrton Secretary Of the Treasury. Gar
I'd never heard directly of such
oo9me. The chief object of the confer
enI was to bridge the stalwart chasm,
13nnuuIif possible, placate the powerful
DGnha az, who would have nothing to do
WIN - imself."
..ConahhGGyet," said the correspondent,
"Conkllh took the stump and did some
heavy WoA for the ticket"
:. esi Du nobody knows the hard work
D This artie' in the San seems now, Mr..
dorsey, 10 nae been pretty well dis
cussed SO Iar as you, from your own
knoW .i can discuss it. ! again sug-
gest that IL WOult be of great interest to
the country to hes from vour own Inns
something of the vents IF which that
article treats"
"When the NationaCOmmittee met on
July /, 1880, at the FifS Avenue Hotel.D
replied Mr.. Dorsey, ''thee anneared to Be
great difficulty in agreeEc nnon officers
OF the committee to cOnlict the cam
paign. l think General Loan was made
| Chairman of a Subcommittee with
| Chandler, of New Hampshire, and Char
| ley Foster. of Ohio, to report ti,a names
of such persons as they might agree upon
! for Chairman and Secretary of the Ma
tiOnal Committee. Messrs. Chandler and
Foster were strong Blaine men. General
Logan was Grant man. After a session
of many hours, it was agreed that Gov.
Jewell. of Connecticut, should be Chair
man, and myself Secretary. When the
committee made its report, there was no
dissent. / declined theSSecretaryship or
any other place of responsibility on the
committee when my name was announced,
but at the earnest solicitation of Gov.
Foster and Gen. James Barnett. represent
ing Gen. Garfield, and after receiving
several kilograms from Garfield himself,
and after being pursued by the most earn
est solicitation of Gen. Arthur, the nomi-
nee for Vice President, | finally concluded
to accept the place. ! did it with the de-
termination to pay all my personal eX-
IL l. l.