The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-09-04
Did Grant Believe That Tllden was
Elected 2

From an Article bv M. cnRds in ue Se,c York
Tribune.
Gen. Grant was staying with me dur
ing the canvass of the election between
Tilden and Hayes, and on the morning
of the momentous day he accompanied
me to my office. In few moments an
eminent Republican Senator and one
or two other leading Republicans
walked in, and they went over the re-
turns. These leaders said "Hayes is
elected" an opinion in which the Others
coincided. Gen. Grant listened but said
nothing. After they had settled the
matter in their :own minds he said :
"Gentleman, it looks to me as if Mr..
Tilden was elected" He afterward
sent for me in Washington and said :
"This matter is very complicated, and
the people will not be satisfied unless
something is done in regard to it which
will look like Justice "Now," he
continued, Il have spoken of an Elect
oral Commission, and the leaders of
the party are opposed to it, which l
am sorry to see. They say that if an
Electoral Commission is appointed you
might as we'll count in Mr.. Tilden. l
would sooner have Tilden chan that
! the Republicans should have a Presi
dent who could be sligmatized as a
fraud. i'll were Mr.. Hayes l would
not have it unless it was settled in
some way outside of the Senate. This
matter is opposed by the leading Re.
publicans in the House and Senate and
throughout the country"
President Grant invited the leading
Senators to dine with him that day to
get their sentiment. He said to me
"You see the feeling here. l find
them almostu Universally opposed to.any
thing like an Electoral Commission.
81 named leading Democrat in the
House who was, perhaps, one of the
most prominent men in the country, 6
man of great influence and of great in
tegrity of character, whom it would bt
we'll for Gen Grant to see in the mat
ter, and the suggestion was acted on
I sent for this gentleman and put the
dilemma to him in President Grant,
name as follows: at is very hard fo
the President and very embarrassing
as to men on his own side that thi'
matter does not seem to find favor will
them as we'll as to have Democratic
opposition. Republicans think yol
might as well count Tllden in, but a
the feeling throughout the country de
mands as honest a count of the thing
as possible, this Electoral Commission
ought to be appointed Tho answer a
once was that the Democrats woult
favor it, and it was through tina
gentleman and Gen. Grant that tn
matter was carried through. Gran
was the originator of the plan. HI
sent for Mr.. Conkling, and said witt
deep earnestness "This matter is :
serious one, and the people feel it yer,
deeply. l think this Electoral Com
mission ought to be appointed" Conk
ling answered, "Mr. President, Senate
Morton who was then the acklowedg
ed leader of the Senate] is opposed t
it, and opposed to your efforts ; but i
you wish the Commission carried,
can do IT, He said, 81 wish i
I done.'
| Mr.. Conxling took hold of the mat
ter and put it through. The leading
Democrat l have spoken of took tn
initiative in the House and Mr.. Conk
ling in the Senate. Gen. Patterson O
Philadelphia, who was an intimat
friend of Gen. Jackson, and a life-lon
Democrat, was always sent for. II
had large estates in the South and
great deal of influence with the Demo
Gratis, and particularly with Souther
Democrats. Gen Patterson was uI
ward of eighty, but he came dow
there and remained one or two weeks
working hard to accomplish the pun
pose in view. After the bill had pass
ed and was waiting for signature, Gen
Grant went to State fair in Maryland
the day it should have been signed
and there was much perturbation abou
| it.
| Gen. Grant acted in good fait
throughout the whole business. 1t ba
been said that the changing complex
ion of the court threw the matter int
Hayes's hands, and if the court had re
mained as it was, Tilden would hav,
been declared President, Gen. Gran
was the soul of honor in this matter
and no one ever accused him or ever
hinted that he was untruthful in an,
way. ], for one, don't believe that h
| cOnld tell n liz or act dacait fullv