Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-09
WITHIN TILDEN'S GRASP.
HOW HE MISSED THE PREsI-
DENCY BY ONE HOUR.
The Sudden Departure OF Ooiuilnl"
Is. o. Merchant from B~lIlInoEe 10
the sage the Chair

The Sudden Departure OF OoluLN"A'
.CN merchant from Baltimore Loses
the sage the Chair.
Columbia IS. O. cor. augusta CAron'e@e'
few evenings since three old veterans
of 1876 were seated around comiortaoie
fire putting their fragrant Hayanas ana
discussing the numerous exciting events
in which they had been participants
Two Of them were ex-State Senators and
one an ex-state officer of 1876. AS the
latter forced a cloud Of blue smoke from
his mouth and sent it curling upwards,
he said: "Did you ever hear how near
Tilden came to receiving the electoral
vote of South Carolina?' His friends had
heard something on this subject, but II
he had anything new to offer they
would be glad to listen. "Well, gentle
men, he proceeded, "Tilden was
within one hour OF being President OF the
United States. The South Carolina lie
publican electors were for sale, but tney
came high. The Democrats wanted them,
however, although their price was niue
exOrbitant. The State Committee was
not in a position to purchase their votes,
and had little interest in or desire TO DO
so, as Hampton had been elected GOV
srnor, and the people were so reJoiceu
over this that national matters were
regarded as small consequences. The
National Committee had information
of the condition of the electoral ticket,
and was somewhat more inclined to in
vest. The difficulty, however, was that
the Republican electors were such con-
summate scOundrels that no reliance
could be placed on their promises. 1t was
necessary then TO secure third party to
conduct negotiations. A broken Column
bia banker, whom we will call Hardy,
who had received part of the plumber OF
the Radical crowd, was selected. He soon
perfected arrangements for transfer of
the votes from Hayes to Tilden for the sum
Of$60,000. The Democratic representative
acceded to the proposal and directed
Hardy to go Immediately to Barnum's
hotel in Baltimore and call at room At,
where he would find party waiting who
would pay over the amount agreed upon.
Hardy arrived promptly at Barnum's, and
examining the name on the hotel register
opposite room Al, he found that it was so
badly written that he was unable to read
it. He called the clerk to his assistance,
but this gentleman also tailed to decipher
the signature. Hardy walked up to AZ
and knocked, but receiving no answer re-
tired. He strolled out on the street, and
while walking along leisurely a stranger
placed his hand on his shoulder and said
You are wanted at room Az
the door, and, as he stepped
into the room, the door closed with a snap
and he found himself locked in. He
waited a short while, when a gentleman
entered and at once proceeded to discuss
the subject that had brought them to-
gether. The terms we're quickly arranged,
but the stranger informed Hardy frankly
that he was unwilling to pay over so
large a sum to him until the vote had
been cast. To this Hardy replied that he
had promised not to telegraph the electors
to surrender until he had the money in
hand. Time was getting short 1t was
the day for the vote to be cast and
nearly the hour. In this emergency the
9tranger asked Hardy if he would be
Silling to accept the pledge of a certain
private merchant that the amount would
be paid, and send the telegram. Hardy
agreed TO this, and they went in great
haste to see the merchant, only to find
that he had left town one hour before and
could not be reached. The telegram was
never sent, the vote Of the State was
given to Hayes, and that is how Tilden
came within sixty minutes of being
President" E'That is a pretty good
yarn" said one of the ex-Senators, ''but
did you ever hear the real reason why
the fight in the dual Legisla-
ture failed to take pIacer The
others had heard some causes as
signed. but were not sure that they were
correct. "Well." the ex-senator cOntin-
ued, 81 can give you the facts. The Re-
publicans had laid their plans well. They
had the cOlOred HunkidOri Club from
charleston, as you VIII remem Der, COM
posed of the most brutal and daring class
OF low country negroes stationed in the
state House, near Representative Hall,
well armed and ready to respond to any
call. The United States troops were on
the lower floor, within easy reach il need
ed. The Republicans only had fiftv-
nine members, not constitutional quo
rum, and they could not afford to lose a
single Representative. These members
were directed, on certain night preVi-
ously agreed upon, to retire one at a time
from the hall and have their places taken
by menSfrOm the HunkidOris. The United
States Lieutenant who was TO command
the guard that night was bitter Repub-
lIcan partisan, and had agreed to give all
the assistance needed to destroy the
Democrats. The night arrived and ar
rangements TO execute the plan We're
begun, when to the astonishment of the
Republicans they found that the officer in
command OF the troops was not their
man, and furthermore that he refused to
De party to any such murder0us de-
signs. The game was blocked, and be.
fore 1t could be rearranged the leading
Democrats had discovered the plot. and
in order TO avoid bloodshed had left the
State House. These facts are said to
have been furnished several years after
wards by f. w. NJ. Mackay, who was
Speaker Of the Rump House, and the
leader OF the Republicans"
THAT'S all very fine" observed the
other ex-senator, ''and 10 makes my blood
run cold nine years afterwards to hear the
subject discussed in that way. 1t puts
me 70 thinking what might have hap
pened-how the blood of some
or our best people might have
stained the granite walls Of our dlapl-
dated state House. not unmixed posi-
bly, with the blood Of some Of our
meanest people. But, gentlemen, in
my opinion, there was never any danger
Of conflict, The Republicans played a
: bluf game and won. We retired without
4 just cause and should have waited until
F.. we were put out at the point OF the bay
onet"
BY this time the cigars we're smoked
out, tue caucus adjourned 10 meet again
and discuss the causes leading TO the
Democratic desertiOn OF the State House.
ana by whose advice IL was done.