The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1883-08-16
DORSEY PEACHES.
The Ex-senator substantiates His
Recent Statement.


I he New York Sun of Thursday
publishes a five column intervie =
with Stephen W. Dorsey, all OF
which is devoted to the Garfield
election, nomination and admins
tration. In this interview Dorsey
sustains everything that was said il
the Suns article published ono
month ago, although he denies that
he inspired that article or knew
that it was to be printed. He dis
tinctly AYERS that the article was
true as far as it went, but it did moi
tell all the truth. The present inter
view contains much new political
history The Suns correspondent
said:
"You were at the Chicago conven-
tion, senator. There seems to be a
general impression that the nomina-
tion of Garfield was prearrau ged,
and many thought his speech nom
mating Sherman was a subtle nom
ination of himself. What is your
impression? ?"
GAS Garfield is dead, l doubt
whether it is worth while to say any
thing about that remarkable event.
But there are living witnesses of
all that 1 care to say. / couldn't
help noticing at the convention that
gang of claques were employed by
somebody to applaud Garfield when
ever he came in, and that the speech
itself was an eulogy that might as
well have applied to Garfield as to
Sherman. / will say further that
Garfield's nomination was the re-
suit Of pre-arranged scheme, well
and cunningly laid and well man
aged. My state was one of the
first to. vote, as they voted alphabet
ically. You see it would have been
Of great effect if Arkansas should
have swung from Grant to Garfield.
Why, Gov. Foster came to me re-
peatedly, both in the convention
and in the hotel, and urged me to
transfer our vote from Grant to
Garfield"
"Was it true that Conkling could
have been nominatcdT
''Yes, sir, and that is part of
the unwritten history of that con
vention. Roscoe Conkling could
have been nominated if he had
raised his finger. The whole Grant
vote could have been transferred to
him, and there were prominent gen
tlemen representing States opposed
to Grant who came to me and to
Gen. Arthur and promised to go
with us if we would drop Grant and
take up Conkling. 1 myself told
Conkling that his nomination could
be consummated if he would allow
us to make the combination. :"
Concerning the famous Fifth
Avenue conference, Dorsey said:
"The minor details of the meeting
are of no great consequence. 1t is
the single bottom fact that should
be known to the people. 1t seemed
to me that after | had been put in
charge of the committee that the
whole outlook pointed to some
trouble in New York Hayes had
given the republicans of that state
terrible dose of the croton-oil of
power 1t was not thought by Mr..
Conkling nor Gen. Arthur that it
was worth while for them, upon the
implied promises of q horid party
that they should have their services
recognized when sauce has for four
years been thrown to their party
friends, but no meat, to turn up the
wheels so that the mud should
stick to them. In palmer English,
the stalwart republicans of New
York believed that if they had to do
the heavy work of the campaign,
there ought to be some positive
pledge and promise of recognition
for what they did. Nobody was so
loud-mouthed and persistent in this
matter as the man who is now
president. Mr. COnkling took no
part whatever in these discussions
in this matter. Mr.. Arthur and
George Bliss were the running
mates of that splendid defalcation.
l had all / could do to perfect the
arrangements for the meeting. 1t
seemed to me that champagne and
idiocy were the ruling spirits among
some New York politicians. Late
hours and moral and intellectual de
bauchery were telling their story in
the vanished faces of some of these
leaders. But L finally persuaded
Garfield to come to New York to
see these stalwarts. Garfield's ex
ecutors must have my letters. These
letters will show whether am over
stating it or not. At that confer
ence were Morton and Arthur,
Thomas C. Platt, John H. Starin
and very wealthy gentleman not
prominent in politics, whose name l
win not now mention. Gov. Cornell
was also there. l was present for
the reason that they met in my
room, and for the further good
reason that Garfield desired l
should be. 1t was agreed point
blank and promised rs the price of
the support of these New York re-
publicans that Levi p. Morton was
to be made secretary of the treas
ury in the event of Garield's cleo
ton. There can be no possible
question or denial of that. The
persons whom 1 have already
named above must bear witness to
the truth of this statement. Sena-
tor Plumb, of Kansas, can bear wit
ness, and from Garfeld's own talk
with him 1 know it is a convenient
way of answering me to say that l
do not know what is true. tell
you that Mr.. Morton was pledged
in the presence of these gentlemen
the treasury portfolio, and that
pledge was violated. 1 don't care
three figs for any contradiction.
The fact remains, and 1 don t think
any friend of Garfield's will now at
tempt to deny it. l see that Swain
seems to be swift now in denials.
Perhaps he would like to have me
tell the story of his avarice and pre-
tensions. l will not just now. l
don't care to dig up a spri9 when
Pm getting at tree