The Dawson journal., 1884-03-27
The Scene Of Seventy-Six
Augusta Chronicle. :

Augusta Chronicle.
The Chronicle has already mad,
mention of the story told by Con
gresham Blackburn in relation tt
the part which the late James A
Garfield TODD in the electoral crisis o.
1877. Another chapter in what is
called 'the bayonet conspiracy" has
been brought to light in Washington
and the facts of the matter seem to
be as follows:
For two weeks many Democratic
members of the House slept in Bal
timore every night rather than take
the chances Of beng awakened by all
officer with file OF men and an or.
der for their arrest. Something had
to be done. The great mind oil
Ben Hill of Georgia, comprehended
the danger, and was equal to it. He
called secret meeting Of thirty eight
OF his Southern colleagues at a prom
inent hotel to consult upon. what was
their du.y in this hour of great dan
ger to the Republic. The signs of
the times were oninous. In Indiana
meetings were being held to decide
what the Drmocl ats, who had elect
ed. their president, should do. Gen.
Steadmau came from Toledo, O., and
openly said his people did not mean
to be robbed OF the fruits Of their
victory, and that there were 500 men
to his knowledge who were ready
with arms to maintain their rights.
Mr.. Hills friends met. None but
Southern men heard of the meeting.
1t escaped those argus-eyed watchers
OF events, the specialc correspondents.
The thir,y-eight decided to vote with
the Republicans to stop filibustering.
They believed the salvation of the
country demanded il, and they rose
to the occasion. Not a whisper of
what had been done reached other
ears than theirs. Next morning,
when the trouble co nmenced in the
House, those thirty-eight began to
vote "no." Few will ever forget the
scene. The Republicans were dazed.
Jerry Rusk, then a member of Con
gress from Wisconsin, afterwards the
Governor of his State, said: when
Ben Hill voted no l always voted
aye. 1 AN puzzled. Lnever found
myself voting with the rebels be
lore Levy of Louisiana, made a
speech which opened The eyes Of the
House. Leading Republicans, men
with national regulations for truth
and honesty had assured the Louisi-
ana delegation that Louisiana should
go from under the yoke, and General
NJ G. Butler, of South Carolina, who
was watching events for Governor
Hampton, telegraphed the same
things to his friends in Columbia.
Mr.. Tilden became alarmed. His
case had already been lost by Mr.
Hewett's amons ''peace at any price
speech, but Tildan did not seem to
know it. He sent his agents all ovel
the South, and all at once from every
quarter there came letters and telt
grams to the devoted thirty-eight
asking them what they ment by thus
betraying the party. In some OF
the more rsbid newspapers they were
denounced as traitors, compared to
whom Judas iscaliot was Il saint and
Benedict Arnold patriot. But they
never swerved, and in the face o.
the abuse, the entreaties-jeers ii
many caSes-of their opponents, ii
spite Of all this they voted as they
believed their duty called on them tt
do, until the cojnt was ended A
that time the country did not know
but now the people see with clearer
eyes, and III the sight Of past events
the men who stood in the breach
against such storm as but seldom
comes, are justified by their friends
and their country.
/