Year: 1878




For nearly ayear t,e pnbhct mind has
been more OF le-s agtatcd over the
"Wormley conference" which had come
TO be regarded rs celebrated convocation
of statesmen, who put their heads together
in nefarious conclave to despoil somebody of
thcir just rights through corrupt bargain.
All that has been known relating to
it has been through dark innucndoes.
No direct allegations have been made
as to the extent or character of
the bargain entered into between the high
contracting parties who had assumed to act
upon that memorable occasion, but the
credulous have been led TO think that some-
thing to be deeply deprecated had trans
pired between the conferees. Thus the
country has been disturbed by tho appre-
hension that somebody representing Mr..
HAYEs-for he was not then declared Presi-
dent-and certain Democratic statesmen
from the South, had bargained and con-
spired to affect the result Of the Electoral
Commission so as to secure the election of
Mr.. HAYES, and asa qaid pro quo certain pol
icics and measures were to be adopted by
the Administration, through which the
Democrats of the South were to enjoy uu-
usual political benefits from Republican
Administration.


In the absence Of positive proof of what


the bargain was, If any was entered into,
everything has been left open to conjecture.


II has been limited that conference was


held, but for what special purpose or what


was accomplished thereby the country has


been left in comparative ignorance. 1t can


not be denied, however, that the Southern
policy Of the President has been so much at


variance with the usages Of both parties


when in power since the organization of the
Government that it has given rise to grave
suspicion that 1t bore relation to the


mooted conference and the results of the


Electoral Commission more distinct and


important than had been revealed in his


tory. Under these circumstances the
l" Wormley conference had become in the


public mind an important factor in our ma


tional affairs, even TO the extent that many


persons had come to regard it as plot to
accomplish political results Of an illegiti-


mate character through n corrupt bargain


or understanding between the distinguished
gentlemen who assumed that responsibility.
The story had taken this shape. A few


Republicans friends Of Mr.. HAYES, who


were cognizant Of his purposes, met by ap-
pointment an equal number of Southern
Democrats at Wormley's Hotel, in this city.
II was during the height Of the excitement
pending the last days Of the Presidential
count, when dead lock seemed inevitable
and all sorts Of alarming rumors were in
circulation. The Democrats who partin.-
: pated in the conference claimed, as alleged,
to have it in their power to prevent the
completion of the electoral count, and were
: willing to withdraw all opposition to such
completion if the friends of Mr.. HAYES
: would guarantee that when he became
President the Federal troops would be with
drawn from Louisiana and South Carolina,
and that such other measures would be
adopted as would secure the dissolution
Of the PACKARD and CHAMBERLAIN gov
, ernmcnts and the establishment of
those of NICHOLS and WADE HAMPTON.


The Republicans, in consideration of n COM


pletion of the count being permitted, agreed
to the terms proposed by the Democrats.
This Is the bargain rs it had come to be un-
derstOod and accepted by those who cred
tied the affair at all, and there it has re-
mained vexing the public mind until the
: present time, when Senator BEN HILL, OF
Georgia, has assumed the role of revelatOr,
and now lifts the veil and exposes the mys-
teries of that occasion-though it is not SO
: clear from his own narrative that he was
: present rs an actor in the scene. He now
informs a correspondent of the New York
Times that the Democrats at the "Wormley
conference" did not represent anybody but
themselves, and had no authority to bind
=, any one beyond their own coterie in
any bargain they made with Re,
publicans He goes on, however


with his own solution of the difficulty
+ which arose when the Democrats became
Y satisfied that the Electoral Commission
f would declare in favor of the election ol
t Mr. HAYES. 1t was HILL himself who cut
S the Gordian knot He secured the pledge
of forty-two ex.Coniederate members ol
4 Congress to defeat all attempts to frustrate
Z the count in the House. These men held
| the balance of power, and opposed every
I attempt to renew civil war This is Sen.
e ator HILLS narrative, and IL will strike the
: public mind with as much surprise as any
, yarn yet spun on this interesting subject
and leaves the occult question about as
r clear as mud. 1t is now the turn of some
+ other statesman. Let us have the real facts
r One or two more explanations from differ
5 ent standpoints will render the matter more
t inexplicablc than ever. Will some one now
furnish true history of the Wormley
conference?