New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-15

sDIoN STEVENS READS FROM HIS DIARY.
EXPOSING THE TEEAsONABTE SCHEME TO STEAL
THE PREsIDENCY-DAVIJ DAVIS PREVENTED
FROM DnAvrSc rur tr~c crpAyU

EXPOSING THE TEEAsoNABLE SCHEME TO STEAL
THE PREsIDENCY-DAvIp DAVIS PREVENTED
FROM DRAWING TUE LONG STRAW"
To the Edttor Of The Trtbunc
SIR: Will you kindly give space for some OK
PLANTATION in reply to Ex-Governor Hoadiys
statement, at a recent dinner in Brooklyn, as to
how the Republican party was enabled 20 steal
the Presidency | Will be as brief possible
in giving mcmoranGa from entries in my diary.
While Mr.. Edmunds. Of Vermont. was dcliv-
ering his great speech in the United States Senate
on the " Electoral Commission BILL several
friends united TO have a verbatim report telc-
graphcd to Us, rs il was being delivered
Only few minutes after Mr. Edmunds had fin
ished, We had the speech entire. Among
many 1t was terribly depressing, especially to
Republicans not of the ConIiling school
We separated soon after four o'clock, each IA
sadder ii not wiser man. . q. When /
reached Broadway at Wal-st., 1 met my old
and tried friend, Mr.. Joseph Barrett, warm Dem
ocratic partisan, brother of ex Mayor Barrett, of
Washington Alter warm greeting we had an
interesting and animated conversation as to the
probable results under the Electoral Commission
BILL Mr.. Barrett expressed himself
most completely satisfied with the BILL and
claimed that it made certain that Nix Tildcn
would be declared President, giving mc the lol-
lowing reasons, viz:
That the Democrats in caucus had agreed that.
as the bill itself excluded from the Commission
Mr.. Chief Justice Waite and Mr.. Justice Swaync,
of Ohio, and Mr.. Justice Hunt, OF Ncw-York.
because ono of the candidates for the Presidency
resided in Ohio, and the other in New-fork-
and that, therefore, the Democrats, on their part
had agreed to propose Mr. Justice clifford, oil
Maine. as chairman, with Mr. justice Field, oil
California, and that the Republicans had sug-
ato1 leir tPDnO
Pennsylvania, and Mr. Justice Miller, of Iowa.
and for the fifth member from the Judiciary
Mr.. Justice Davis and Mr.. Justice Bradley were
to draw lots, and that it was arranged that Mr..
Justice Davis was to " draw the long straw and
that if this programme should be carried out,
Mr.. Tilden's success WIS assured.
Mr.. Barrett Was most earnest and positive IN
bis declarations OF the truth Of his statements, so
much that l became alarmed, for / knew
him to be gentleman Of honor and truthfuncsS,
and that he was in position 10 know the tgutn
whereof he believed and spoke.
On reaching home l related to my family and
some friends who had come in to dine with us
the astounding news that l had heard.
The thought struck me that l ought to make
such reasonable scheme known at Washington.
Members of ..iy family advised NE to write or telc-
graph Instantly 10 my friend, Ex-Governor Oliver
T. Morton, the Senator from Indiana.
Hurrying through dinner, | wrote Governor MOT
ton giving all the information above noted, and
requested the Governor to show the letter to Sen
ator - and to Senator -. and if they agreed With
me that they should telegraph immediately 10
General Logan It Springfield, 4 candidate before
the legislature OF the State Of Illinois for re
election TO the United States Senate, in opposition
to Mr. Justice David Davis-for whom one hundred
ballots hal already been cast without result-to
"step down and out" and let David Davis be
elected so Us to withdraw him from the possibility
OF drawing the long straw" and becoming The
fifth judicial member of the Electoral Commits
sion," and thereby insure the membership TO Mr..
Justice Bradley, q stanch Republican
My letter was received by Governor Morton the
next morning and read by several Senator's. The
situation was lSeenly appreciated, and ii was i'm
mediately arranged that General Logan should be
advised to retire from the Senatorial field ana
allow Mr. Davis 10 be elected. Tho
next morning Mr.. David Davis was accordingly
elected to the United States Senate and thus de-
prived of the possibility of drawing the long
straw and sitting on the commission. :.
Thus caught in their little game the Democrats
have ever since cried Fraud"
| understand that my original letter to Governor
Morton is still in existence, and had been shown
md n copy was furnished to Mr.. ClarkSon Potter
chairman Of the Congressional Investigating Com
mittee am, SIR respectfully yours,
SIMON STEVENS.
! New-T York, Feb. IA, 1888.