The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-08
MR.. CoNKLENG IN 1877.


New York Herald.
Il was one of five" Colonel Woolley said, ''to
whom Mr.. Tilden intrusted the management Of
the affairs of his headquarters at Washington
during the progress of the electoral contest
there. The late Senator Randolph, Of New Jer-
sey, first called my attention to the position and
feeling of Senator COnkling in regard to the
claims of Mr. HAYES to the seat to which Mr..
Tilden had been elected by the people. Senator
Randolph, who was quite intimate with Mr..
COnkling, assured me from time to time that Mr..
COnkling was very much opposed to the aces
sion of Mr.. Hayes to the presidency. On the
day before the Senate voted on the ratification
or non-ratifcation of the decision of the Electoral
Commission in the Louisiana case, Smith NJ.
Weed, of New York, came into the headquarters
and said that he had had a most peculiar con
v~ersation with Mr.. Conkling a moment before,
which was, as l remember it, to this
effect: Mr.. Conkling said, Weed, the decision
in this Louisiana case is ~damnahle, and should
not be allowed to pass without protest Upon
Mr.. Weed telling me hat-and l commit no
breach of confidence in repeating what took
place between us-I SAID: Now, | think ! see
daylight before us, provided Mr.. Conkling is a
statesman. If he is simply a large-brained New
York politician we will fail; otherwise we will
succeed
I'VE went to work then, three of us, and
arranged that a Western senator, known to
be Mr.. Conklines most intimate personal
friend, should see him that night and give
him proper assurances that there were some
Republican senators who felt as he did and who
would follow his lead, asking simply that he
should lead.
'Nr. Conkling left the hotel that evening in
company with General Butler for the White
House about $3.50 o'clock. He had scarcely gone
when the Western senator came in, and finding
Mr.. Conkling had gone took a seat in the office
of the Arlington, where he remained until Mr..
ConRlings return, about midnight. Within
thirty minutes the senator in question came
down and reported to one of the persons to
whom | ailude. who were managing the affair;
'Conkling is hotter than a One-eyed liOness. He
says he will make the fight | told him | would
sustain him. Now get your men ready Upon
this being communicated to me, which was done
Immediately, l arranged that we should go
to work ut 6 o'clock in the morning, through
our messengers and friendly senators,
and see that every senator was in his place
not only the Democratic but the Republican
senators whom Mr.. Conkliug had been assured
would sustain him. Hamilton, of Texas, a Hayes
Republican. was at that time sick in New York;
hence we had one more vote than was necessary
to sustain Mr.. Conkling and TO defeat the de
cision of the electoral commission in the Louisi-
ana case.
"On the morning that the vote was to be taken
| saw Mr.. Conkling from my window get into a
car running to the Capitol. This was about
half past 10 o'clock. 1t was reported to me that
afternoon, and in fact telegTaphed to me from
the Capitol over a fictitious name, that we were
defeated; Conkling had run away. | think it
will not be disputed that Mr.. Conkling left the
capital upon the train that started for Baltimore
about 1:30. He came in during the afternoon for
his dinner, and sat down at his table, which ad-
joined mine. l looked at the time. and then,
after dining, examined the time-card of the Bal
timore railroad, and found that he could
have staid in Baltimore but about forty-five
minutes. In consequence of my protesting
to some of his friends against his action, one
of them, as | was told, approached him
on the subject. He denied that he had ever
made any agreement or bargain of the sort, but
said that he had gone to Baltimore ON a business
engagement, formed some days before he knew
this Louisiana matter would come up. The fact
still remains, however, that he left the Capitol
within about thirty minutes of the time when
the vote was to be taken upon a decision that he
said was damnable, and which was to decide the
presidency of this country and establish a prece-
dent which he and every good citizen or both
parties, believe, now regrets"
A Herald reporter called upon Mr.. Conkling
and asked him whether at midnight-the night
preceding the day On which the question ON the
decision of the Electoral Commission touching
Louisiana was voted on in the Senate-he had
promised to speak against it in the Senate, with
the expectation that seven other Republican
senators would vote with him against the decis-
ion of the commission and thvS secure a majority
of one adverse to it.
You know | am no longer Il factor in politics
or concerned in politics, responded Mr.. Conk-
ling. For this reason, among others. it is Il rule
with me, not by interview or otherwise. to trou-
bic the public with my thoughts, opinions or
recollections. But the fable your question refers
to has been so long on its travels that. at the re
quest of the Herald, | cheerfully make answer.
Never at midnight or midday on the day you
specify, nor at any hour of amy other day or
night, did | make any such promise or give any
such assurance. Never did | intend to do what
your question indicates, and never was there an
expectation or belief on my part that seven Re
publican senators, or any other number Of Re
publican senators, would vote against the deci-
sion referred to concerning Louisiana. The
story, like many others which have been again
and again repeated for years. and which, though
annoying, l have never publicly noticed, has no
foundation whatever in truth. You may add
chat if anybody will produce a person who, in
my presence, will say that l ever made to him IA
promise or statement that | would speak or vote,
as stated in your question, l will reward him
largely for his trouble"
Sad Fate of Ten Naughty Boys.
Philadelphia Record.