The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1883-11-15
TIE ELECTORAL COMMISSION.

Ii somebody doesn't lie prominent
democratic member of the electoral CON-
mission of 1876, probably Thurman,
las been interviewed. If such en- inter
view has been really had and has been
correctly reported, the country in the
fall OF 1876 had reached crisis in her
history second only to that reached in
the fail of 1860.
Everybody knows that in times of
great political excitement partisan pre-
JUDGE suppiants reason and a temporary
leave is taken of common sense and calm
judgment, but that the people OF the
country had so far taken leave of their
senses as to be willing to precipitate it
into revolution. is not generally known.
The party interviewed was a member of
the Conference Committee, appointed
for the purpose of agreeing on some way
10 count the Electoral vote. Logan, it
appears, was to have been one Of that
committee, but was sick. Coukling was
named in his stead, and to him is given
the credit of effecting the compromise
The committee had met Cor the last time,
it was twelve O'Clock at night and on the
morrow reports were to be made to each
house Of failure to agree on any plan of
counting the vote. At this juncture,
Senator Conkling's views were called for.
az with lar h. oF
his chair in twenty minutes talk he
gave his views on the subject and appeal
ed to the patriotism OF his hearers, and
implored them to make every effort to
avert the calamity of civil war that threat
ened the nation. The speech had the
desired effect, and the Electoral Com
mission bill was prepared. Everybody
supposed that Judge Davis was to be the
independent man who would really de-
eide the contest. In lieu of him Brad
ley received the appointment, and threw
away chance for distinction which is
not thrown in the way of one man i'll q
c9ntury-that of rising above party
prejudice and Observation-Disclosures, and
deciding from honest conviction who was
to sway for four years the destines of the
greatest nation on the globe. Bradley
was incapable of this and Tilden lost the
presidency because of Judge Davis's
refusal to act.
One of the most remarkable things
about this interview is its giving with at
least show of plausibility, the pro-
grammes of the not heads of either party.
The vice president OF that time could
easily count the vote so as to give Hayes
the majority. The republican senate
would back him and declare for Hayes
aud Wheeler. The house on the other
hand would have declared Tilden aud
Hendricks elected, and so we would have
two presidents, and naught save the
power of Providence could avert anarchy
and blood-sbed. Grant, by virtue of his
Office, was commander in chief of the
army and navy, and it is believed he had
taken steps 10 concentrate the troops
around Washington in order to see that
Hayes. if declared elected by the vice
president, would take his seat. On the
other hand, the hot head democrats had
proposed 10 mass some men around
Washington, and in case Hayes was de
clared elected, to have the house issue
manifesto asserting its supremacy to dis
claim and censure violence, and as the
direct representatives of the people to
| declare that the forces of the house were
not to make war but to protect the people.
| Had things turned out differently from
what they did it is impossible TO say to
what extremes fanatical politicians would
| have gone. But even at this time, when
passion and excitement had been wrought
up to the higheat pitch by infammatory
| speeches and newspaper articles, there
were few men at the helm who steered
the ship of state safely off the rocks and
| shadows into which it bad drifted.-
| Better submit to the rule OF an imbecile
and fraudulent fgure-head than again
en- ..eil on the country all the horrors of
what would in all probability be the
greatest civil war known in the history
| of mankind