Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1885-09-25

A gentleman who was an official at the
white house under Grant, says that
Grant said to him more than once that
he thought Tilden was elected.
This gentleman says:
cannot remembe. the precise Ian
guage at this lapse Of time, but it
was to the effect that Tiidep, he judged,
was legally elected and ought to be in
augurated."
But the important thing is not so
much what Grant said as to what he
did; and here again it will be found,
contrary to the generally received opin-
ion. that Grant, throughout the troub-
lous winter of 1867 proceeded on the
theory of the probable election Of Tilden
and against the orthodox republican
theory that Hayes had l85 electoral
votes and was elected. The key to the
whole position, 90 every one remembers,
was Louisiana. Promptly after tho al
legged election of Hayee, Packard, who
had received 700 more votes for COVER
nor than Hayes had for president in
that state, set up his government
and asked the recognition of the
Federal power. Had Grant complied,
there would have been no electoral com
mission, and no open contest OF Wash
ingten over the presidential succession.
But Grant refused to sustain Packard,
to the amazement even of the democrats.
1t was some weeks before even the de-
feated Nichols following appreciated the
situation, but finally they plucked up
spirit, seized the arms of the state, and
set up rival government. Even then
Grant would not heed the frantic calls
of Packard. ALI he said was that tie
Nichols party must keep the peace. and
as they had force on their side they were
willing to obey.
just here comes q very interesting
feature of the winters intrigues. The
republican leaders, of course, were up
holding Packard, and proclaiming that
IN the end his government would be rec
ognized. 1t would not have done at that
time to have gone back on Packard,
as that would have made him
ugly and might have put Hayes claims
IN jeopardy, and yet, secretly, not only
we're several prominent republicans like
Conkling disposed to support Tllden' g
elaine, but the democrats had two
efficient allies near the throne in the
persons of Senator West and Brother-in-
law Casey. These gentlemen hated
| Packard because he was blocking their
way to the senate, and we're constantly
at the white house urging Grant not to
recognize the Packard government. Had
Packard not been afflicted with what is
known as the "big heod' he would have
taken pains to conciliate his foes, but
laying back complscently on his 8O(
votes ahead of Hayes, he defied theil
Vaccinations.
Grant ehowed that he thought Til.
den's election was at least an open gus.
tion by two very important acts. He
refused to recognize Packard, for by
doing SO he would have stopped con-
troversy, and he favored the electoral
commission, which at the start was
supposed to be in the interest of the
democrats. The orthodox republicans
disapproved of 1t. 81 see no lions in
the way" exclaimed the stalwart In.
galls, but Conkling did. He told Will
liam Orton on senate sofa that he did
not think the vice president had the
right to count the vote. And Grant saw
lions, too. He saw that Tllden was
legally elected, and he was willing to
have the latter's claims adjudicated by q
| just tribunal. How that tribunal sub.
sequently acted, and how congress was
led to ratify its decisions would open an
other chapter of one of the most lmpor-
tant episodes of our history. Suffice ii
to say that Packard found to his dismay,
ere long that two tribunals could differ
very materially on the same evidence,
but his mouth was stopped by one OF
the richest gifts in the public service,
the Liverpool consulate.